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A review of the ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of the Pleiocarpa genus

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Abstract

Pleiocarpa genus is a flowering plant from the Apocynaceae family which are rich sources of phytochemicals and have been reported to be useful in the treatment of gastrointestinal ailments, fever, malaria, pain, diabetes and cancer. The aim of this review is to present the past and current ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry and the pharmacology of Pleiocarpa genus which are underexploited as revealed through this review in order to enhance its potential source of phytochemical leads in medicine. Some pharmacological activities of these plants based on their acclaimed ethnomedicinal uses have been investigated by various researchers. The chemical profile of the genus is limited to alkaloids and triterpenoids, where indole alkaloids may be considered as important taxonomical markers.

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Abbreviations

AChE:

Acetylcholinesterase

IC50 :

Half maximal inhibitory concentration

HeLa:

Cervical cancer cells MCF-7, human breast cancer cells

KMST-6:

Normal cell lines

HT-29:

Human colon adenocarcinoma

WST-1 assay:

(4-[3-(4-Iodophenyl)-2-(4-nitrophenyl)-2H-5-tetrazolio]-1,3-benzene disulfonate)

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Authors’ contributions

OAO designed the study and drafted the manuscripts. AH, EI and IRG directed the study and corrected the manuscript.

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  1. Department of Chemistry, University of the Western Cape, P/Bag x17, Bellville, 7530, South Africa

    Olubunmi A. Omoyeni, Ahmed A. Hussein, Emmanuel Iwuoha & Ivan R. Green

  2. Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, University of Stellenbosch, P/Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa

    Ivan R. Green

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  1. Olubunmi A. Omoyeni
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  3. Emmanuel Iwuoha
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Omoyeni, O.A., Hussein, A.A., Iwuoha, E. et al. A review of the ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of the Pleiocarpa genus. Phytochem Rev 16, 97–115 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11101-015-9449-6

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