title: Eichhornia crassipes (Mart) solms: from water parasite to potential medicinal remedy.
abstract: Water hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes (Mart) Solms, originating in the amazonian basin, is a warm water aquatic plant. Water hyacinth is considered one of the most productive plants on earth and, accordingly, is considered one of the top 10 world's worst weeds. Water hyacinth spread to other tropical and subtropical regions by humans. It invaded about 62 countries in Africa, Asia and North America, and propagated extremely serious ecological, economical and social problems in the region between 40 degrees north and 45 degrees south. The dense weed of water hyacinth forms dense monocultures that can threaten local native species diversity and change the physical and chemical aquatic environment, thus altering ecosystem structure and function by disrupting food chains and nutrient cycling. We have separated and identified nine active fractions from water hyacinth and showed their promising therapeutic activities. Several compounds (alkaloid, phthalate derivatives, propanoid and phenyl derivatives) were identified in the extract of water hyacinth.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ahmed M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Aboul-Enein
authors.forename: Ahmed M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Al-Abd
authors.forename: Emad
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shalaby
authors.forename: Faten
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abul-Ela
authors.forename: Amr A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Nasr-Allah
authors.forename: Ali M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mahmoud
authors.forename: Hany A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: El-Shemy
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000737:chemistry*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D031806:Eichhornia / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D045483:Rivers
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants