title: Antibacterial, anti-HIV-1 protease and cytotoxic activities of aqueous ethanolic extracts from Combretum adenogonium Steud. Ex A. Rich (Combretaceae).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Records have shown that Combretum adenogonium Steud. Ex A. Rich (Combretaceae) is used in traditional medicine systems of several tribes in Tanzania. This study focused on the investigation of antibacterial activity, anti-HIV-1 protease activity, toxicity properties and classes of phytochemicals in extracts from C. adenogonium Steud. Ex A. Rich (Combretaceae) to evaluate potential of these extracts for development as herbal remedies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dried plant material were ground to fine powder and extracted using 80% aqueous ethanol to afford root, leaf and stem bark extracts. The extracts were assayed for anti-HIV-1 protease activities, antibacterial activities using microdilution methods and cytotoxicity using brine shrimps lethality assay. Screening for major phytochemical classes was carried out using standard chemical tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All extracts exhibited antibacterial activity to at least one of the test bacteria with MIC-values ranging from 0.31-5.0 mg/ml. Two extracts, namely, root and stem bark exhibited anti-HIV-1 PR activity with IC50 values of 24.7 and 26.5 μg/ml, respectively. Stem bark and leaf extracts showed mild toxicity with LC50 values of 65.768 μg/ml and 76.965 μg/ml, respectively, whereas roots were relatively non-toxic (LC50 = 110.042 μg/ml). Phytochemical screening of the extracts indicated presence of flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, tannins, glycosides and saponins.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results provide promising baseline information for the potential development of C. adenogonium extracts in treatment of bacterial and HIV/AIDS-related opportunistic infections.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Traditional Medicine, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. mushinovatus@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Novatus F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Mushi
authors.forename: Zakaria H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Mbwambo
authors.forename: Ester
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Innocent
authors.forename: Supinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tewtrakul
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D001156:Artemia / Q000187:drug effects*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D029765:Combretum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D017320:HIV Protease Inhibitors / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000201:enzymology*; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D016488:Medicine, African Traditional; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D018514:Plant Structures
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003603:Cytotoxins; D017320:HIV Protease Inhibitors; D010936:Plant Extracts