The Phytochemistry of Cherokee Aromatic Medicinal Plants (original) (raw)
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Native American medicinal plants: an ethnobotanical dictionary
Choice Reviews Online, 2010
Native American Medicinal Plants: An Ethnobotanical Dictionary Daniel Moerman E. In Native American Medicinal Plants, anthropologist Daniel E. Moerman describes the medicinal use of more than 2700 plants by 218 Native American tribes. Information-adapted from the same research used to create the monumental Native American Ethnobotany-includes 82 categories of medicinal uses, ranging from analgesics, contraceptives, gastrointestinal aids, hypotensive medicines, sedatives, and toothache remedies. Native American Medicinal Plants includes extensive indexes arranged by tribe, usage, and common name, making it easy to access the wealth of information in the detailed catalog of plants. It is an essential reference for students and professionals in the fields of anthropology, botany, and naturopathy and an engaging read for anyone interested in ethnobotany and natural healing.
Cherokee healing and plant medicine
Plants have always played an integral role in the Cherokee Indians practice of medicine. The Cherokee traditional belief of plant medicine centers on the universal circle, the four directions, and the sacred pipe. The Cherokee use a wide variety of plants in medical formulas to treat illness and disease. For the Cherokee, these sacred formulas are more than just herbal mixtures used for healing; they also contain formulas for love potions, safe traveling, vision quests, hunting game and planting food (Garrett 2003:20-21). The Cherokee believe plant medicine has the power to regain and maintain proper health of the mind, body, and spirit. They also believe that every plant has a special power and purpose to heal diseases. A Cherokee healer is also known as a medicine man, botanist, and herbalist. They diagnosis illness and administer plant remedies in accordance to the healing formulas and ceremonies (Mooney 1890:44). Training to become a traditional Cherokee healer takes 15-20 years as a tsila or apprentice to well established medicine man. In order to gain the power to heal a tsila must master seven areas of knowledge: herbal medicine, physical medicine, dreamwork, language/myths/laws, ceremonies, the laws of nature, and conjuring. To master herbal medicine, a Cherokee healer must know the medical and ceremonial use of approximately 400-600 species of plants. Equally important is to master how the plants interact with other substances (Winston 2001).
Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology – A review
Pharmacologyonline 2:, 2009
Jasminum grandiflorum Linn (Chameli / Yasmin; Oleaceae) is native to Tropical and warm Temperate regions and cultivated in France, Italy, China, Japan, India, Morocco and Egypt. The plant is documented to possess beneficial effects as odontalgic, thermogenic, aphrodisiac, antiseptic, emollient, anthelmintic, deobstruant, suppurative, tonic, in fixing loose teeth, ulcerative stomatitis, leprosy, skin diseases, ottorrhoea, otalgia, wounds, corns and aromatherapy. Pharmacological activities of the plant reported so far are spasmolytic, antiinflammatory, anti-microbial, antioxidant, antiulcer, cytoprotective, chemoprotective, wound healing and anti-acne activity. The present review is an attempt to highlight the various ethnobotanical and traditional uses as well as phytochemical and pharmacological activities reported so far from J. grandiflorum. Key words: Jasminum grandiflorum Linn, ethnobotany uses, pharmacognosy, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, review.
PRELIMINARY PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING OF SIX MEDICINAL PLANTS USED IN TRADITIONAL MEDICINE
Objective: Preliminary screening of phytochemicals is a valuable step, in the detection of the bioactive principles present in medicinal plants and subsequently may lead to drug discovery and development. In the present study, chief phytoconstituents of the six selected medicinal plants of different families were identified in order to relate their presence with bioactivities of the plants. Methods: Screening of six selected medicinal plants was performed for the presence of tannins, Results: All the selected medicinal plants were found to contain tannins and flavonoids. Moreover, terpenoids were also present in all the selected plants except P. dactylifera. except P. dactylifera. On the other hand, saponins and steroids were absent in all plants except S. chirata and phlobatannins were absent in all plants except R. sativus. In addition, carbohydrates, glycosides and coumarins were present in all the selected plants except P. dactylifera and R. sativus. Alkaloids were present in all the selected plants except F. religiosa, P. dactylifera and R. sativus. Proteins were present only in F. religiosa and S. chirata. Whereas emodins, anthraquinones, anthocyanins and leucoanthocyanins were absent in all the selected six plants. Conclusion: It is evident from the study that S. chirata is of highest therapeutic efficacy possessing majority of phytochemical classes of compounds and P. dactylifera is of lowest therapeutic potential due to the absence of majority of phytoconstituents.
Preliminary Phytochemical Screening of Medicinal Plants used in Traditional Medicine
Fundamental screening of phytochemicals is a significant advance, in the location of the bioactive standards present in restorative plants and therefore may prompt medication disclosure and improvement. In the current examination, chief phytoconstituents of the six chose restorative plants of various families were distinguished so as to relate their essence with bioactivities of the plants.Screening of six chose therapeutic plants was performed for the presence of tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, saponins, steroids, phlobatannins, starches, glycosides, coumarins, alkaloids, proteins, emodins, anthraquinones, anthocyanins and leucoanthocyanins utilizing standard strategies.All the chose restorative plants were found to contain tannins and flavonoids. In addition, terpenoids were additionally present in all the chose plants aside from P. dactylifera. but P. dactylifera. Then again, saponins and steroids were missing in all plants aside from S. chirata and phlobatannins were missing in all plants aside from R. sativus. Likewise, starches, glycosides and coumarins were available in all the chose plants aside from P. dactylifera and R. sativus. Alkaloids were available in all the chose plants aside from F. religiosa, P. dactylifera and R. sativus. Proteins were available just in F. religiosa and S. chirata. Though emodins, anthraquinones, anthocyanins and leucoanthocyanins were missing in all the chose six plants.It is evident from the study that S. chirata is of highest therapeutic efficacy possessing majority of phytochemical classes of compounds and P. dactylifera is of lowest therapeutic potential due to the absence of majority of phytoconstituents.
The Volatile Phytochemistry of Seven Native American Aromatic Medicinal Plants
Plants, 2021
As part of our evaluation of essential oils derived from Native American medicinal plants, we have obtained the essential oils of Agastache foeniculum (Pursch) Kuntze (Lamiaceae), Gaultheria procumbens L. (Ericaceae), Heliopsis helianthoides (L.) Sweet (Asteraceae), Liatris spicata (L.) Willd. (Asteraceae), Pycnanthemum incanum (L.) Michx. (Lamiaceae), Smallanthus uvedalia (L.) Mack. ex Mack. (Asteraceae), and Verbena hastata L. (Verbenaceae) by hydrodistillation. The essential oils were analyzed by gas chromatographic techniques. The essential oil of A. foeniculum was dominated by estragole (88–93%), while methyl salicylate (91%) dominated the G. procumbens essential oil. Germacrene D was the major component in H. helianthoides (42%) and L. spicata (24%). 1,8-Cineole (31%) and α-terpineol (17%) were the main compounds in P. incanum essential oil. The essential oil of S. uvedalia showed α-pinene (24%), perillene (15%), and β-caryophyllene (17%) as major components. Verbena hastata e...
African Journal of Biotechnology, 2010
Jatropha curcas and Newboulda laevis are medicinal plants used for the treatment of ailments such as diarrhoea, dysentery, sexually transmitted diseases, jaundice and several other diseases caused by micro-organisms. The antibacterial activities of the leaves of the plants were assessed against a panel of selected bacterial pathogens. Methanolic leaf extracts of J. curcas and N. laevis exhibited antibacterial activity against eight of the thirteen tested bacterial isolates at a final concentration of 20 mg/ml. The zones of inhibition exhibited by J. curcas ranged between 12 and 17 mm while that of N. laevis varied between 10 and 23 mm. The minimum inhibitory concentration of J. curcas extract ranged between 0.625 and 10.00 mg/ml, while that of N. laevis extract varied between 0.313 and 10 mg/ml. The standard antibiotic -streptomycin had MIC values of between 0.0313 and 0.0625 mg/ml. Phytochemical compounds present in the extract of J. curcas include alkaloids, saponins, steroids and tannins, while those present in N. laevis extract includes alkaloids, flavonoids and tannins.
Plants
In the past, Native Americans of North America had an abundant traditional herbal legacy for treating illnesses, disorders, and wounds. Unfortunately, much of the ethnopharmacological knowledge of North American Indians has been lost due to population destruction and displacement from their native lands by European-based settlers. However, there are some sources of Native American ethnobotany remaining. In this work, we have consulted the ethnobotanical literature for members of the Asteraceae used in Cherokee and other Native American traditional medicines that are native to the southeastern United States. The aerial parts of Eupatorium serotinum, Eurybia macrophylla, Eutrochium purpureum, Polymnia canadensis, Rudbeckia laciniata, Silphium integrifolium, Smallanthus uvedalia, Solidago altissima, and Xanthium strumarium were collected from wild-growing plants in north Alabama. The plants were hydrodistilled to obtain the essential oils and the chemical compositions of the essential ...
Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin, 2014
Pharmacologically active constituents from traditional medicinal plants have received great attention as sources of novel agents, pharmaceutical intermediates, and chemical entities for synthetic or semisynthetic drugs due to their potent pharmacological activities, low toxicity, and economic viability. Numerous components have been isolated from traditional medicinal plants, including alkaloids, flavonoids, and terpenoids, and clinical and experimental studies suggested that these components have useful pharmacological properties such as antiinfectious, antioxidative, and antiinflammatory effects. In this review, modern ethnobotanical approaches to explore folk medicinal plants as candidates for drug discovery with the greatest possibility of success are discussed. Determining the bioactive mechanisms and tracing structure-activity relationships will promote the discovery of new drugs and pharmacological agents.