Dataset Information

Antibacterial, Mutagenic Properties and Chemical Characterisation of Sugar Bush (Protea caffra Meisn.): A South African Native Shrub Species.

ABSTRACT: Protea caffra is used as a diarrhoeal remedy in South African herbal medicine, however, its pharmacological properties remain largely unknown. In the present study, extracts from different Protea caffra organs were screened against drug-sensitive and -resistant diarrhoeagenic pathogens using the microdilution assay (minimum inhibitory concentration, MIC). Twig extracts (70% methanol, MeOH) of the plant were purified and the resultant fractions screened for antibacterial properties (MIC). The chemical profiles of the fractions were determined by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), while ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) was used to quantify the phenolic acids in the plant. The mutagenic properties of bioactive extracts were assessed using the Ames test. The extracts demonstrated weak-moderate antibacterial properties (MIC: 0.3-0.6 mg/mL). A cold ethyl acetate fraction of MeOH twig extract exhibited significant antibacterial properties (MIC = 0.078 mg/mL) against Enterococcus faecalis. The presence of antibacterial compounds (1-adamantane carboxylic acid, heptacosanol, levoglucosan, nonadecanol) in the plant was putatively confirmed based on GC-MS analysis. Furthermore, UHPLC-MS/MS analysis revealed varying concentrations of phenolic acids (0.08-374.55 µg/g DW). Based on the Ames test, the extracts were non-mutagenic thereby suggesting their safety. To a certain degree, the current study supports the traditional use of Protea caffra to manage diarrhoea among local communities in South Africa.

SUBMITTER: Vambe M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7600625 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Antibacterial, Mutagenic Properties and Chemical Characterisation of Sugar Bush (Protea caffra Meisn.): A South African Native Shrub Species.

Vambe McMaster M Aremu Adeyemi O AO Aremu Adeyemi O AO Chukwujekwu Jude C JC Gruz Jiri J Luterová Andrea A Finnie Jeffrey F JF Van Staden Johannes J

Plants (Basel, Switzerland) 20201009 10

Protea caffra is used as a diarrhoeal remedy in South African herbal medicine, however, its pharmacological properties remain largely unknown. In the present study, extracts from different Protea caffra organs were screened against drug-sensitive and -resistant diarrhoeagenic pathogens using the microdilution assay (minimum inhibitory concentration, MIC). Twig extracts (70% methanol, MeOH) of the plant were purified and the resultant fractions screened for antibacterial prop ...[more]

PMID: 33050284

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Project description:Background and aimsGlobal plant trait datasets commonly identify trait relationships that are interpreted to reflect fundamental trade-offs associated with plant strategies, but often these trait relationships are not identified when evaluating them at smaller taxonomic and spatial scales. In this study we evaluate trait relationships measured on individual plants for five widespread Protea species in South Africa to determine whether broad-scale patterns of structural trait (e.g. leaf area) and physiological trait (e.g. photosynthetic rates) relationships can be detected within natural populations, and if these traits are themselves related to plant fitness.MethodsWe evaluated the variance structure (i.e. the proportional intraspecific trait variation relative to among-species variation) for nine structural traits and six physiological traits measured in wild populations. We used a multivariate path model to evaluate the relationships between structural traits and physiological traits, and the relationship between these traits and plant size and reproductive effort.Key resultsWhile intraspecific trait variation is relatively low for structural traits, it accounts for between 50 and 100 % of the variation in physiological traits. Furthermore, we identified few trait associations between any one structural trait and physiological trait, but multivariate regressions revealed clear associations between combinations of structural traits and physiological performance (R2 = 0.37-0.64), and almost all traits had detectable associations with plant fitness.ConclusionsIntraspecific variation in structural traits leads to predictable differences in individual-level physiological performance in a multivariate framework, even though the relationship of any particular structural trait to physiological performance may be weak or undetectable. Furthermore, intraspecific variation in both structural and physiological traits leads to differences in plant size and fitness. These results demonstrate the importance of considering measurements of multivariate phenotypes on individual plants when evaluating trait relationships and how trait variation influences predictions of ecological and evolutionary outcomes.

Project description:Shrub encroachment into arid grasslands has been associated with reduced grass abundance, increased soil erosion, and local declines in biodiversity. Livestock overgrazing and the associated reduction of fine fuels has been a primary driver of shrub encroachment in the southwestern United States, but shrublands continue to persist despite livestock removal and grassland restoration efforts. We hypothesized that an herbivory feedback from native mammals may contribute to continued suppression of grasses after the removal of livestock. Our herbivore exclusion experiment in southeastern Arizona included five treatment levels and allowed access to native mammals based on their relative body size, separating the effects of rodents, lagomorphs, and mule deer. We included two control treatments and replicated each treatment 10 times (n = 50). We introduced uniform divisions of lawn sod (Cynodon dactylon) into each exclosure for 24-hr periods prior to (n = 2) and following (n = 2) the monsoon rains and used motion-activated cameras to document herbivore visitations. In the pre-monsoon trials, treatments that allowed lagomorph access had less sod biomass relative to other treatments (p < 0.001), averaging 44% (SD 36%) and 29% (SD 45%) remaining biomass after the 24-hr trial periods. Following the onset of monsoons, differences in remaining biomass among treatments disappeared. Desert cottontails (Sylvilagus audubonii) were detected more frequently than any of the other 11 herbivore species present at the site, accounting for 83% of detections during the pre-monsoon trials. Significantly more (p < 0.001) desert cottontails were detected during the pre-monsoon trials (2,077) compared to the post-monsoon trials (174), which coincided with biomass removal from lagomorph accessible treatments. We conclude that desert cottontails are significant consumers of herbaceous vegetation in shrub-encroached arid grasslands and they, along with other native herbivores, may act as a biotic feedback contributing to the competitive advantage and persistence of shrubs.

Dataset Information

Antibacterial, Mutagenic Properties and Chemical Characterisation of Sugar Bush (Protea caffra Meisn.): A South African Native Shrub Species.

Publications

Antibacterial, Mutagenic Properties and Chemical Characterisation of Sugar Bush (<i>Protea caffra</i> Meisn.): A South African Native Shrub Species.

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