title: Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities of Pleurostylia capensis Turcz (Loes) (celastraceae).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pleurostylia capensis is a large tree that can reach the maximum height of 20 m long, and it have been traditionally used as cosmetic, for steam bath, ritual body wash, and as a purgative to treat symptoms of witchcraft. Using ethanol, chloroform, dichloromethane (DCM), ethyl acetate (EA), and water extracts, leaves, bark and roots of Pleurostylia capensis were investigated scientifically for their effectiveness in antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities using standard methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  The extracts were evaluated for antimicrobial activity against Gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Mycobacterium smegmatis), Gram negative (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Klebsiella oxytoca, Streptococcus pyogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhimurium), and Candida albicans. The antioxidant activity was investigated using 2, 2-diphenlyl-1-picrylhadrazyl (DPPH), free radical scavenging assay. The anti-inflammatory activity of P. capensis extracts was evaluated against both cyclooxygenase enzymes (COX 1 and 2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ethyl acetate extracts of P. capensis showed a strong antimicrobial activity against B. cereus, K. pneumonia, S. pyogenes, and M. smegmatis with MIC value of 0.39 and 0.78 mg/ml. While the ethanol bark extract was most active against M. smegmatis with MIC value of 0.78 mg/ml; the least potent activity was observed with dichloromethane, chloroform and water extracts, with an MIC value ranging from 1.56 mg/ml to 50.0 mg/ml. The plant extracts proved to be good antioxidant agent, whereas extracts of ethanol were the most active, with IC50 ranging from 1.00 to 1.74 µg/ml, which is lower, and in close range to Vitamin C (1.40 µg/ml).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Its moderation to potent inhibitory activity was observed in all extracts. Ethanol and dichloromethane extracts were among the most potent when compared to water and petroleum ether extracts. The water extracts showed to be nontoxic on the Hek cell line with an IC50 value of 204.0, and 207.3 µg/ml (roots and bark) respectively. The dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, chloroform and ethanol extracts showed to be toxic on the Hek cell, with IC50 range from 5.94 to 42.91µg/ml. The results obtained indicate the effectiveness of these plants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria 0002, South Africa.
authors.forename: Mapula
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Razwinani
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa.
authors.forename: Thilivhali Emmanuel
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Tshikalange
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria 0002, South Africa.
authors.forename: Shirley C K M
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Motaung
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects; D029753:Celastraceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D024301:Plant Bark / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: 2, 2-diphenlyl-1-picrylhadrazyl (DPPH); Cyclooxygenase (COX); Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC); Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC); Pleurostylia capensis (P.capensis)