Journal of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Open Access
ISSN: 2376-0419
+44 1300 500008
ISSN: 2376-0419
+44 1300 500008
Mbali Lomalangeni Webb, Ndinteh D T, Niemann N and Mavumengwana V
University of Johannesburg, South Africa
Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Pharma Care Health Sys
Ethnopharmacology is the study of medicinal plants used in traditional medicines. This includes the study of the chemical composition of crude extracts, compounds isolated and their biological activities. This scientific discipline has increased over the years because of the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Drug resistance is a global problem which needs to be resolved by the development of new anti-microbial agents which can be found in plants. Gunnera perpensa is a South African medicinal plant which is prescribed by traditional healers for treatment of a number of infectious diseases, to treat wounds, urinary tract infections as well as a number of pregnancy related medicines. Gunnera perpensa L. rhizomes were collected from the Faraday Muti Market in Johannesburg and sequentially extracted with solvents. Antibacterial testing was performed with the use of Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). Thin layer chromatography (TLC), Gravity Column Chromatography (GCC), 2D-Gas Chromatography (GCxGC) TOF MS were used to obtain a semi-quantitative chemical composition profile of the extracts. Phytochemical screening was carried out on the plant extracts using standard procedures. The following compound classes were found to be present: Alkaloids, tannins, reducing sugars, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides and steroids. Over 100 compounds were identified in the crude extract of G. perpensa using 2D-Gas chromatography mass spectrometry-TOF in which fatty acids were found to be in abundance. G. perpensa showed antibacterial activity against all of the Gram-positive bacteria and showed no activity against the Gram-negative bacteria. The different phytochemicals that have been isolated and identified were linked to the anti-bacterial effects as well as the different antimicrobial results show great potential in the medicinal properties of this plant.
Email: mbaliwebb@gmail.com