title: Antimicrobial and antimalarial properties of medicinal plants used by the indigenous tribes of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India.
abstract: In this study, methanol extracts of six medicinal plants (Alstonia macrophylla, Claoxylon indicum, Dillenia andamanica, Jasminum syringifolium, Miliusia andamanica and Pedilanthus tithymaloides) traditionally used by Nicobarese tribes of Andaman and Nicobar Islands were studied for antimicrobial and antimalarial activities as well as preliminary photochemical analysis. Plants were collected from Car Nicobar of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the ethnobotanical data were gathered from traditional healers who inhabit the study area. The methanol extracts were obtained by cold percolation method and the antimicrobial activity was found using agar well diffusion method. Among the plants tested, J. syringifolium, D. andamanica, C. indicum were most active. The antimalarial activity was evaluated against Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine-sensitive MRC-2 isolate. The crude extract of M. andamanica showed excellent antimalarial activity followed by extracts of P. tithymaloides, J. syringifolium and D. andamanica. The chemical injury to erythrocytes was also carried out and it showed that, there were no morphological changes in erythrocytes by the methanol crude extracts. The in vitro antimicrobial and antimalarial activity might be due to the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, triterpenes, sterols, tannins and saponins in the methanol extracts of tested plants.
authors.affiliation: Regional Medical Research Centre (Indian Council of Medical Research), Port Blair, 744101, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India.
authors.forename: M Punnam
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Chander
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Malaria Research (Indian Council of Medical Research), New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Pillai
authors.affiliation: Regional Medical Research Centre (Indian Council of Medical Research), Port Blair, 744101, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India.
authors.forename: I P
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Sunish
authors.affiliation: Regional Medical Research Centre (Indian Council of Medical Research), Port Blair, 744101, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Electronic address: pblicmr@sancharnet.in.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vijayachari
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D052978:Disk Diffusion Antimicrobial Tests; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects; D006461:Hemolysis; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D062312:Islands; D064209:Phytochemicals / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects; D044382:Population Groups
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000962:Antimalarials; D064209:Phytochemicals; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Antimalarial; Antimicrobial; Endemic plants; Nicobarese; Plasmodium falciparum