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At least 307 records · Page 17Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Studies on the pharmacological action of cactus: identification of its anti-inflammatory effect.

The ethanol extracts of Opuntia ficus-indica fructus (EEOF) and Opuntia ficus-indica stem (EEOS) were prepared and used to evaluate the pharmacological effects of cactus. Both the extracts inhibited the writhing syndrome induced by acetic acid, indicating that they contains analgesic effect. The oral administrations of EEOF and EEOS suppressed carrageenan-induced rat paw edema and also showed potent inhibition in the leukocyte migration of CMC-pouch model in rats. Moreover, the extracts suppressed the release of beta-glucuronidase, a lysosomal enzyme in rat neutrophils. It was also noted that the extracts showed the protective effect on gastric mucosal layers. From the results it is suggested that the cactus extracts contain anti-inflammatory action having protective effect against gastric lesions.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

In vitro antibacterial activities of three plants used in traditional medicine in Sierra Leone.

The antibacterial activities of the methanol and hot and cold aqueous extracts of the leaves of Aspilia africana, Ficus exasperata and Mareya micrantha were bioassayed against three Gram-negative and three Gram-positive bacterial species: Aerobacter aerogenes, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Bacillus subtilis, Clostridium sporogenes, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The methanol and aqueous extracts of the leaves of Aspilia africana and Mareya micrantha and the undiluted oil of M. micrantha exhibited differential antibacterial activities on both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial species at concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 g/ml. Extracts of Ficus exasperata leaves were inactive at all concentrations tested.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2005

Dust accumulation and leaf pigment content in vegetation near the national highway at Sambalpur, Orissa, India.

An investigation on the seasonal variation in dust accumulation on leaves and leaf pigment content of six plant species of mixed habits was carried out at the side of the National Highway (NH 6) at Sambalpur, Orissa, India. The plants selected for study were Pongamia pinnata, Tabernaemontana divaricata, Ipomea carnea, Ficus relogiosa, Ficus benghalensis, and Quisqualis indica. The observed trend of dust accumulation was in the order T. divaricata>I. carnea>P. pinnata>F. religiosa>F. benghalensis>Q. indica. One-way analysis of variance showed significant difference in dust accumulation among plant species (F1 = 4.674, P < 0.01) and between seasons (F2 = 9.240, P < 0.01). It was seen that dust load increases with increasing number of vehicles using the highway (major emission source). The result shows significant correlation (negative) between dust load and pigment content in summer and rainy season.

Dust↗
PubMed2006

Diversity and distribution of saprobic microfungi in leaf litter of an Australian tropical rainforest.

The diversity and distribution of microfungal assemblages in leaf litter of a tropical Australian forest was assessed using two methods: (1) cultures were isolated using a particle filtration protocol (wet season 2001), and (2) fruit bodies were observed directly on leaf surfaces following incubation in humid chambers (wet and dry season of 2002). Four tree species were studied using both methods, namely Cryptocarya mackinnoniana (Lauraceae), Elaeocarpus angustifolius (Elaeocarpaceae), Ficus pleurocarpa (Moraceae), and Opisthiolepis heterophylla (Proteaceae). An additional two species, Darlingia ferruginea (Proteaceae) and Ficus destruens (Moraceae), were studied using direct observations. In total, fruiting bodies of 185 microfungal species were recorded on leaf surfaces (31-81 species per tree species), and 419 morphotypes were detected among isolates obtained by particle filtration (111-203 morphotypes per tree species). Although the observed microfungal diversity was higher with the particle filtration protocol, both methods concurred with respect to microfungal distributions. The overlap of microfungal species in pair wise comparisons of tree species was low (14-30%), and only 2 and 3% of microfungal species were observed in leaves of all tree species by particle filtration and by direct observations respectively. Multivariate analysis of data from direct observations confirmed the hypothesis that microfungal assemblages are strongly influenced by host phylogeny and are also affected by seasonal and site factors. The importance of host species in shaping microfungal distributions was also supported by the particle filtration data. Several taxa new to science, as well as some widespread saprotrophs, were detected on only one host. The underlying reasons for this affinity remain unclear, but we hypothesise that a number of factors may be involved such as fungal adaptation to plant secondary metabolites or the presence of a biotrophic phase in the fungus' life cycle.

Ecosystem↗
PubMed2003

Comparative evaluation of hypoglycaemic activity of some Indian medicinal plants in alloxan diabetic rats.

In our experiments 30 hypoglycaemic medicinal plants (known and less known) have been selected for thorough studies from indigenous folk medicines, Ayurvedic, Unani and Siddha systems of medicines. In all the experiments with different herbal samples (vacuum dried 95% ethanolic extracts), definite blood glucose lowering effect within 2 weeks have been confirmed in alloxan diabetic albino rats. Blood glucose values are brought down close to normal fasting level using herbal samples at a dose of 250 mg/kg once, twice or thrice daily, as needed. While evaluating comparative hypoglycaemic activity of the experimental herbal samples, significant blood glucose lowering activities are observed in decreasing order in the following 24 samples-Coccinia indica, Tragia involucrata, G. sylvestre, Pterocarpus marsupium, T. foenum-graecum, Moringa oleifera, Eugenia jambolana, Tinospora cordifolia, Swertia chirayita, Momordica charantia, Ficus glomerata, Ficus benghalensis, Vinca rosea, Premna integrifolia, Mucuna prurita, Terminalia bellirica, Sesbenia aegyptiaca, Azadirachta indica, Dendrocalamus hamiltonii, Zingiber officinale, Aegle marmelos, Cinnamomum tamala, Trichosanthes cucumerina and Ocimum sanctum. Present studies besides confirming hypoglycaemic activities of the experimental herbal samples, help identify more potent indigenous hypoglycaemic herbs (in crude ethanolic extract) from the comparative study of the reported experimental results.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Screening of anti-diarrhoeal profile of some plant extracts of a specific region of West Bengal, India.

Ethanol extract of four different plants of the Khatra region of the Bankura district of West Bengal, India were evaluated for anti-diarrhoeal activity against different experimental models of diarrhoea in rats. The extracts of Ficus bengalensis Linn. (hanging roots), Eugenia jambolana Lam. (bark), Ficus racemosa Linn. (bark) and Leucas lavandulaefolia Rees (aerial parts) showed significant inhibitory activity against castor oil induced diarrhoea and PGE2 induced enteropooling in rats. These extracts also showed a significant reduction in gastrointestinal motility in charcoal meal tests in rats. The results obtained establish the efficacy of all these plant materials as anti-diarrhoeal agents.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Color properties and stability of betacyanins from Opuntia fruits.

The colorant properties of pigments from Opuntia stricta, Opuntia undulata, and Opuntia ficus-indicafruits were studied. The pigments were extracted with different solvents and identified by high-performance liquid chromatography. On the basis of their visible light spectra, the pigments were identified as betalains. In O. undulata and O. ficus-indica fruits, both betacyanins and betaxantins were identified, while in O. stricta fruits only betacyanins (betanin and isobetanin) were detected. O. stricta fruits showed the highest betacyanin content (80 mg/100 g fresh fruit). The thermal stability of the pigment extracts was dependent on the pH, with the maximum stability being at pH 5, as expected for betacyanins. At this value and a storage temperature of 4 degrees C, a deactivation half-life time of more than 1 year, with no added stabilizers, was determined. According to these studies, cactus pears from O. stricta may well be considered as a potential source of natural red colorants.

Betalains↗
PubMed2000

Food-related behaviors during drought: a study of rural Fulani, northeastern Nigeria.

Two rural settled Fulani villages in northeast Nigeria were surveyed for dietary practices and use of edible wild plants (n = 100 adult subjects). Dietary patterns and medical data were obtained for children under 5, pregnant and lactating women and the elderly. A diversified diet was maintained at both geographical locations through hunting, gathering, agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, food exchanges and cash purchases. Edible wild plants associated with children included fruits of baure (Ficus sycomorus), faru (Lannea schiniperi), giginya (Gardenia aqualla), kokiya (Strychnos spinosa) and nunu (Parinari curatellitolia). Leaves of shiwaka (Veronia colorate) were consumed by lactating women to stimulate breastmilk production. Generally, fruits of baure (Ficus sycomorus) were eaten to counter stomach pain; fruits of kisni (Bridelia ferruginea) were eaten to treat diarrhea; and bark of kuka (Adansonia digitata) was consumed for weight gain. Food storage was more important during wet seasons than dry because of local and regional flooding. Adult Fulani men rode to distant markets on bicycles, while women walked to market and in some instances expended 3200 kcal/day engaging in this activity.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Pollination and parasitism in functionally dioecious figs.

Fig wasps (Agaonidae: Hymenoptera) are seed predators and their interactions with Ficus species (Moraceae) range from mutualism to parasitism. Recently considerable attention has been paid to conflicts of interest between the mutualists and how they are resolved in monoecious fig species. However, despite the fact that different conflicts can arise, little is known about the factors that influence the persistence of the mutualism in functionally dioecious Ficus. We studied the fig pollinator mutualism in 14 functionally dioecious fig species and one monoecious species from tropical lowland rainforests near Madang, Papua New Guinea. Observations and experiments suggest that (i) pollinating wasps are monophagous and attracted to a particular host species; (ii) pollinating and non-pollinating wasps are equally attracted to gall (male) figs and seed (female) figs in functionally dioecious species; (iii) differing style lengths between gall figs and seed figs may explain why pollinators do not develop in the latter; (iv) negative density dependence may stabilize the interaction between pollinating wasps and their parasitoids; and (v) seed figs may reduce the search efficiency of non-pollinators. This increased pollinator production without a corresponding decrease in seed production could provide an advantage for dioecy in conditions where pollinators are limiting.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Pollination mode in fig wasps: the predictive power of correlated traits.

The over 700 species of Ficus are thought to have co-speciated with their obligate pollinators (family Agaonidae). Some of these wasp species pollinate figs actively, while others are passive pollinators. Based on direct observations of mode of pollination in 88 species, we show that mode of pollination can confidently be predicted from fig traits only (anther-to-ovule ratio) or from wasp traits only (presence of coxal combs). The presence of pollen pockets is not a predictor of mode of pollination. Data, direct and indirect, on 142 species, demonstrate numerous cases of the loss of active pollination and suggest one or few origins of active pollination. Hence, active pollination, an impressive example of the sophisticated traits that may result from mutualistic coevolution, depends on selective forces that can be overcome in some species, allowing reversions. Despite frequent loss, active pollination remains the predominant mode of pollination in Ficus.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Water Relations and Low-Temperature Acclimation for Cactus Species Varying in Freezing Tolerance.

Opuntia ficus-indica and Opuntia streptacantha are widely cultivated cacti that can tolerate temperatures no lower than -10[deg]C, whereas Opuntia humifusa, which is native to southern Canada and the eastern United States, can tolerate -24[deg]C. As day/night air temperatures were decreased from 30/20 to 10/0[deg]C, the osmotic pressure increased 0.10 MPa for O. ficus-indica and O. streptacantha but 0.38 MPa for O. humifusa. The increases in osmotic pressures were due mostly to the synthesis of fructose, glucose, and sucrose. In addition, O. humifusa produced a substantial amount of mannitol during exposure to low temperatures. Substantial accumulation of sugars and mannitol in cells of O. humifusa may help prevent intracellular freeze dehydration and ice formation as well as provide noncolligative protection to its membranes. Mucilage was slightly higher in all three species at the lower temperatures. Extracellular nucleation of ice occurred closer to the equilibrium freezing temperature for plants at 10/0[deg]C compared with 30/20[deg]C, which could make the cellular dehydration more gradual and, thus, less damaging. Results from nuclear magnetic resonance indicated a restricted mobility of intracellular water at the lower temperatures, especially for O. humifusa, which is consistent with its lower water content and higher levels of low molecular weight solutes.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1969

Multiple molecular forms of ficin-evidence against autolysis as explanation.

While the total amount of proteolytic enzyme activity in the latex from Ficus carica varieties Kadota and Black Mission showed seasonal variation and was different between the 2 crops of figs in the latex collected at the same time and from the same tree, there is no difference in the number of multiple molecular forms of ficin present as demonstrated by chromatography on carboxymethyl-cellulose. The number of multiple forms of ficin is also the same, with 1 exception, among samples of latex which have been collected with no protection against proteolysis, samples which have been collected directly into sodium p-chloromercuribenzoate to inhibit all proteolysis and samples which have been held at an elevated temperature so as to encourage proteolysis. Evidence is presented to support the proposal that component C of Ficus carica variety Kadota is not present in the original latex but that it is produced from component D during the purification procedure. The data support the hypothesis that, with the possible exception of 1 component, the multiple molecular forms of ficin are not the result of artifacts produced by autolysis during collection, storage and purification of the sample.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1986

Leaf and Stem CO(2) Uptake in the Three Subfamilies of the Cactaceae.

Net CO(2) uptake over 24-hour periods was examined for the leaves and for the stems of 11 species of cacti representing all three subfamilies. For Pereskia aculeata, Pereskia grandifolia, and Maihuenia poeppigii (subfamily Pereskioideae), all the net shoot CO(2) uptake was by the leaves and during the daytime. In contrast, for the leafless species Carnegiea gigantea, Ferocactus acanthodes, Coryphantha vivipara, and Mammillaria dioica (subfamily Cactoideae), all the shoot net CO(2) uptake was by the stems and at night. Similarly, for leafless Opuntia ficus-indica (subfamily Opuntioideae), all net CO(2) uptake occurred at night. For leafy members of the Opuntioideae (Pereskiopsis porteri, Quiabentia chacoensis, Austrocylindropuntia subulata), at least 88% of the shoot CO(2) uptake over 24 hours was by the leaves and some CO(2) uptake occurred at night. Leaves responded to the instantaneous level of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) during the daytime, as occurs for C(3) plants, whereas nocturnal CO(2) uptake by stems of O. ficus-indica and F. acanthodes responded to the total daily PAR, as occurs for Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plants. Thus, under the well-watered conditions employed, the Pereskioideae behaved as C(3) plants, the Cactoideae behaved as CAM plants, and the Opuntioideae exhibited characteristics of both pathways.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

Plant medicines of Indian origin for wound healing activity: a review.

Research on wound healing drugs is a developing area in modern biomedical sciences. Scientists who are trying to develop newer drugs from natural resources are looking toward the Ayurveda, the Indian traditional system of medicine. Several drugs of plant, mineral, and animal origin are described in the Ayurveda for their wound healing properties under the term Vranaropaka. Most of these drugs are derived from plant origin. Some of these plants have been screened scientifically for the evaluation of their wound healing activity in different pharmacological models and patients, but the potential of most remains unexplored. In a few cases, active chemical constituents were identified. Some Ayurvedic medicinal plants, namely, Ficus bengalensis, Cynodon dactylon, Symplocos racemosa, Rubia cordifolia, Pterocarpus santalinus, Ficus racemosa, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Berberis aristata, Curcuma longa, Centella asiatica, Euphorbia nerifolia, and Aloe vera, were found to be effective in experimental models. This paper presents a limited review of plants used in Ayurvedic medicine.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1990

Influence of several feeds on bacteria in sheep and goat rumen liquor in vitro.

Bacteriological studies were made with in vitro sheep and goat ruminal fluids supplemented with several feeds (alfalfa hay, wheat straw, Agave americana, Opuntia ficus indica and Atriplex nummularia) during anaerobic incubation at 38-39 degrees C. Drastic changes in the bacterial population of sheep ruminal fluids occurred in the presence of different feeds, particularly with addition of feeds of low nutritional quality (wheat straw, A. americana and O. ficus indica). However, the bacterial population in goat rumen liquor was little affected by the addition of the same feeds. These results, which suggest that the rumen bacteria in goats are less affected by different nutritional conditions than the rumen bacteria in sheep, are discussed.

Anaerobiosis↗
PubMed1982

[Phototoxic reaction to figs].

In several patients the effect of a phototoxic reaction to the juice of fresh figs (ficus carica) was observed as a striped pigmentation on the arms (after rubbing in the fruit juice followed by exposure to the sun), or as a patchy pigmentation of the face after eating fresh figs. Reference is made to the pathogenetic identity of this furocoumarin phototoxic reaction and the clinical transition of ficus dermatitis both to "Berloque dermatitis" (from the oil of types of citrus) and to bullous meadow dermatitis (from the juice of types of heracleum). Reference is also made to the similarity of the therapeutic furocoumarin reaction in PUVA therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Cross-reactivity of alternate plant sources of latex in subjects with systemic IgE-mediated sensitivity to Hevea brasiliensis latex.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested that there is cross-reactivity in subjects sensitive to natural rubber proteins with other plant proteins such as banana, chestnut, and avocado. There are numerous other plants known to produce rubber including Parthenium argentatum and Ficus elastica. It is not known whether patients with IgE-mediated systemic reactions caused by the common source of natural rubber Hevea brasiliensis are also sensitive to the rubber-containing material from these other plant sources of latex. It is also not certain how much the allergenicity of latex made from Hevea brasiliensis can be reduced by extracting proteins from the sap since some proteins are tightly associated with the cis-1,4-polyisoprene. OBJECTIVE: In this study we investigated whether there would be cross-reactivity to other natural sources of latex in these patients. METHODS: Seven patients with histories of systemic type I hypersensitivity to latex products had strongly positive skin tests to Hevea brasiliensis latex from two different sources. These subjects were tested by the prick method for sensitivity to three other natural sources of latex. These included latex-containing material from Parthenium-argentatum and Ficus elastica as well as washed and centrifuged rubber particles from Hevea brasiliensis sap. RESULTS: All subjects had negative skin tests to all dilutions of the rubber samples from these other natural sources of latex. CONCLUSION: These results suggest several potential sources of natural hypoallergenic latex that might be tolerated by latex-sensitive individuals.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Olfactive detection of fig wasps as prey by the ant Crematogaster scutellaris (Formicidae; Myrmicinae).

In the species-specific and obligate mutualism between the fig (Ficus carica) and its pollinator (the fig wasps Blastophaga psenes), a third participant, the ant Crematogaster scutellaris, is a predator of the wasps. Here, we ask how ant workers can rapidly localise such prey, whose availability is limited in time and space. Using a Y-tube olfactometer, we tested ant response to odours emitted by different types of figs (receptive female, ripe female or male figs) and by fig wasps (pollinators or non-pollinators). We demonstrate that ants were significantly attracted only to odours emitted by pollinators, either alone or associated with odours of male figs (releasing wasps). Detection of prey odour by ants is an important trait that can explain their observed high rate of predation on pollinators, and could have important implications on the stability of the fig/fig wasp mutualism.

Animals↗