Piet H. King
South Africa
Research Article
Phytochemical Screening, Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory, and Glucose
Utilization Activities of Three South African Plants Used Traditionally to
Treat Diseases
Author(s): Oyinlola O. Olaokun, Nqobile M. Mkolo, M. A. Mogale and Piet H. KingOyinlola O. Olaokun, Nqobile M. Mkolo, M. A. Mogale and Piet H. King
Medicinal plants are important in the treatment of human diseases. The medicinal properties of plants are attributed to the presence of secondary plant metabolites. Polyphenols, particularly fl avonoids, are phytochemicals that possess antioxidant and anti-infl ammatory activity, and modulate pathways involved in obesity and glucose metabolism. In folk medicine, a single plant may be used to treat various diseases owing to the presence of phytochemical varieties in plants. In this study, the acetone leaf extracts of Curtisia dentata, Pittosporum viridifl orum, and Portulacaria afra were investigated for total polyphenol and total fl avonoid content as well as for anti-infl ammatory, antioxidant, and glucose utilization activities by using standard methods. The C. dentata extract exhibited the highest polyphenols (125.12 ± 2.18 mg/g GAE) and fl avonoids (27.69 ± 4.98 mg/g.. View More»
DOI:
10.4172/0974-8369.1000412