Trypanosoma brucei Inhibition by Essential Oils from Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Traditionally Used in Cameroon ( Azadirachta indica, Aframomum melegueta, Aframomum daniellii, Clausena anisata, Dichrostachys cinerea and Echinops giganteus )

Stephane L. Ngahang Kamte, Farahnaz Ranjbarian, Gustavo Daniel Campagnaro, Prosper C. Biapa Nya, Hélène Mbuntcha, Verlaine Woguem, Hilaire Macaire Womeni, Léon Azefack Ta, Cristiano Giordani, Luciano Barboni, Giovanni Benelli, Loredana Cappellacci, Anders Hofer, Riccardo Petrelli and Filippo Maggi
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Stephane L. Ngahang Kamte: School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy
Farahnaz Ranjbarian: Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
Gustavo Daniel Campagnaro: Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK
Prosper C. Biapa Nya: Laboratory of Medicinal Plant Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Dschang, Dschang POX 67, Cameroon
Hélène Mbuntcha: Laboratory of Medicinal Plant Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Dschang, Dschang POX 67, Cameroon
Verlaine Woguem: Laboratory of Medicinal Plant Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Dschang, Dschang POX 67, Cameroon
Hilaire Macaire Womeni: Laboratory of Medicinal Plant Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Dschang, Dschang POX 67, Cameroon
Léon Azefack Ta: Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, Dschang POX 67, Cameroon
Cristiano Giordani: Instituto de Física, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín AA 1226, Colombia
Luciano Barboni: School of Science and Technology, Chemistry Division, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy
Giovanni Benelli: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Loredana Cappellacci: School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy
Anders Hofer: Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
Riccardo Petrelli: School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy
Filippo Maggi: School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy

IJERPH, 2017, vol. 14, issue 7, 1-16

Abstract: Essential oils are complex mixtures of volatile components produced by the plant secondary metabolism and consist mainly of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes and, to a minor extent, of aromatic and aliphatic compounds. They are exploited in several fields such as perfumery, food, pharmaceutics, and cosmetics. Essential oils have long-standing uses in the treatment of infectious diseases and parasitosis in humans and animals. In this regard, their therapeutic potential against human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) has not been fully explored. In the present work, we have selected six medicinal and aromatic plants ( Azadirachta indica , Aframomum melegueta , Aframomum daniellii , Clausena anisata , Dichrostachys cinerea , and Echinops giganteus ) traditionally used in Cameroon to treat several disorders, including infections and parasitic diseases, and evaluated the activity of their essential oils against Trypanosma brucei TC221. Their selectivity was also determined with Balb/3T3 (mouse embryonic fibroblast cell line) cells as a reference. The results showed that the essential oils from A. indica , A . daniellii , and E. giganteus were the most active ones, with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) values of 15.21, 7.65, and 10.50 µg/mL, respectively. These essential oils were characterized by different chemical compounds such as sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, monoterpene hydrocarbons, and oxygenated sesquiterpenes. Some of their main components were assayed as well on T. brucei TC221, and their effects were linked to those of essential oils.

Keywords: essential oils; African trypanosomiases; Trypanosma brucei; Cameroon; aromatic and medicinal plants (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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