Ethnobotany, phytochemistry, toxicology and pharmacological properties of Terminalia sericea Burch. ex DC. (Combretaceae) – A review

doi:10.1016/j.jep.2016.10.072

Journal of Ethnopharmacology

Volume 194, 24 December 2016, Pages 789-802

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2016.10.072 Get rights and content

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological reference

The use of medicinal plants in the treatment of infections is ancient. A wide variety of ethnotherapeutic properties and pharmacological actions has been attributed to Terminalia sericea. Studies by various groups of investigators reveal that it is a multipurpose medicinal plant used mostly in the treatment of diarrhoea, sexually transmitted infections, skin rashes, tuberculosis and other infections. The current paper is aimed at providing an overview of the ethnomedicinal uses, toxicology, pharmacology and the phytochemistry of Terminalia sericea.

Materials and methods

Information was retrieved using various search engines, including Pubmed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Scielo, SciFinder and Scopus. The key words used included Terminalia sericea, secondary metabolites, phytochemistry, biological activity, pharmacology, ethnobotanical survey, medicinal uses, safety, toxicology and other related words.

Results

Terminalia sericea is an important medicinal plant which possesses anti-HIV, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anticancer, lipolytic, wound healing, antiparasitic, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activity, as the most valuable biological activities, thus lending pharmacological support to the plant's folkloric uses in indigenous medicine. Toxicologically, the extracts and isolated compounds from the plant species may have mild toxic effects. Phytochemically, the plant species possesses valuable compounds including triterpenes, alkaloids and flavonoids which may well contribute to its biological activity.

Conclusions

Terminalia sericea contains secondary metabolites which are valuable in the treatment of a variety of human infections, including community acquired infections which may be prevalent in developing countries. The degree of toxicity reported in various extracts warrants further exploration of the cytotoxicity of the plant species, both against normal human cell lines and in vivo. Moreover, the acetylcholinesterase inhibitory and anti-inflammatory effects also need to be further investigated as there are only a few reports from the literature on these aspects. There is also a need to further understand the mode of action of the extracts against various enzymes relating to inflammation. Antioxidant activity of the plant extracts against various forms of free radicals needs to be investigated. Although T. sericea is reported to be used for ethnoveterinary infections, there are no scientific reports on the anti-parasitic activity of the plant species against common animal parasites.

Introduction

The use of medicinal plants in the treatment of both human and animal diseases is ancient. Some African medicinal plants have been implicated in the treatment of a variety of human infections (Van Wyk and Albrecht, 2008; Ojewole et al., 2010; Mongalo and Mafoko, 2013; Zongo et al., 2013; Street et al., 2013, Mongalo, 2013). The genus Terminalia comprises about 200 tropical trees and shrubs of the flowering plant family, Combretaceae. Terminalia sericea Burch. ex DC. is an important commercial, ornamental and ethno-medicinal plant with a rich history in African traditional medicine. It is a small to medium sized deciduous tree with a rounded to flattish crown and an erect stem (Fig. 1b) which may be used for furniture making and as general timber (Pooley, 1993; Van Wyk and van Wyk, 2013). The heart wood may be used for manufacturing pestles, walking sticks for the elderly, household utensils such as spoons and plates while the roots may be used as a dye (Makhado et al., 2009). The tree is commonly found in abundance through northern South Africa, Botswana (except central Kalahari), Namibia, southern Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, northern parts of Democratic Republic of Congo (Fig. 1C) and the rest of tropical Africa (Schmidt et al., 2007).

Biologically, the members of the genus Terminalia possess antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-diabetic, anti-mutagenic, anti-oxidant, anti-ulcer, anti-nociceptive, anti-proliferative, molluscidal and wound healing properties amongst other pharmacological activities (Kaur et al., 2002, Gupta, 2012, Adiko et al., 2013, Chanda et al., 2013, Désiré et al., 2014, Mann and Kuta, 2014, Rathinamoorthy and Thilangavathi, 2014).

In South Africa, a boiled portion of the roots from T. sericea, in combination with Peltophorum africanum Sond. (stem bark) and Cassia abbreviata Oliv. subsp. beareana (Holmes) Brenan. (roots), are administered to new born babies to strengthen the fontanelle, general immunity and the bones. Although the medicinal properties and phytochemistry of the genus Terminalia have been reviewed world-wide (Cock, 2015), more emphasis was put on Terminalia ajuana, Terminalia ferdinandiana and Terminalia chebula, thereby overlooking Terminalia sericea - an important southern African medicinal plant with a long history of therapeutic usage.

Although herbal medicines have proved to be efficient in treating various infections, the safety of such medicines has been overlooked. Post-harvest storage of medicinal plants has also been poorly researched (Fennell et al., 2004). Factors compromising safety, quality and efficacy may include industrial encroachment, deposition of processed and unprocessed mining and industrial waste products, large quantities of polluted water and sludge deposited into the soil and enormous heavy metal contamination of rivers and soils (Street et al., 2008).

The current review paper reports the toxicity, phytochemistry, pharmacology and the ethnomedicinal uses of Terminalia sericea.

Section snippets

Local names

In South Africa, Terminalia sericea is commonly known as “Monakanakane” or “Mososo” amongst the Sotho tribes, “Mogonono” in Tswana, “Amangwe” in Zulu, “Vaalboom” in Afrikaans, “Mangwe” in Ndebele and “Silver clutter-leaf” in English (Van Wyk et al., 2005).

Methodology

The data was collected from a literature search using different platforms including Science Direct, Pubmed, Scielo, Google Scholar, SciFinder and Scopus using key words such as Terminalia sericea, ethnomedicinal uses, survey, pharmacology, biological activity, phytochemistry, toxicological effects and safety standards. The additional data was collated from dissertations and thesis documents from various Universities. The retrieved papers were then appropriately organized into groups according

Botany

Terminalia sericea commonly known as silver Terminalia because of its silvery leaves (Fig. A1), is a small to medium sized (about five to eight meters tall) deciduous tree with a rounded to flattish crown (Fig. A4). The stem is erect and the wood is yellow and hard. The bark is dark grey or brownish, deeply vertically fissured (Fig. A3) with ridges joining and splitting (Coates Palgrave, 2002). The leaves are narrowly obovate-elliptic with smooth margins, silvery, hairy and crowded near the

Ethnopharmacology

The important medicinal uses of T. sericea are summarized in Table 1. The most common plant part is the roots and this is mostly used to treat diarrhoea. However, the extensive use of the roots may be detrimental as it leads to complete destruction of the plant, thereby eventually rendering the species rare, threatened or even extinct.

Toxicology

In the brine shrimp lethality assay (BSLA), the 1:1 dichloromethane-methanol and aqueous extracts of the roots exhibited an LD₅₀ of 5.4 µg/ml while the dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and 80% ethanol extracts exhibited LD₅₀ values of 29.9, 16.4, 5.8 and 17.4 µg/ml respectively (Moshi and Mbwambo, 2005). Furthermore, the petroleum ether extract of the roots exhibited an LD₅₀ of 121.0 µg/ml in a similar assay (Moshi, 2005), suggesting that the extract is less toxic compared to the extracts

Phytochemistry

Various individual compounds isolated from Terminalia sericea are shown below (Fig. 2), while the various classes of such compounds are shown in Table 2. Generally, most compounds have been isolated from the roots and stem bark. The most commonly isolated compounds are the phenolic acids, largely isolated from the roots. The methanol extracts of both the leaves and roots are reported to possess classes of compounds such as tannins, flavonoids and saponins in large quantities (Viol et al., 2013

Anti-HIV activity

The aqueous and methanol extracts of the leaves exhibited a notable inhibition of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) RNA-dependent-DNA polymerase (RDDP) function of 74.2% and 98.0% at a concentration of 100 µg/ml and IC₅₀ values of 24.1 and 7.2 µg/ml respectively (Bessong et al., 2004). Furthermore, the aqueous and methanol extracts exhibited IC₅₀ of 18.5 and 8.1 µg/ml against ribonuclease H (RNase) function of HIV-1 RT respectively, suggesting that the extracts inhibits both RDDP and RNase H

Future perspectives and conclusions

The antimicrobial activity of Terminalia sericea is well documented and suggests that the plant species may be used in the treatment of human infections. Both the organic and aqueous extracts from the stem bark and roots exhibited potent antimicrobial activity against microorganisms implicated in pulmonary related infections, including Cryptococcus neoformans, Moraxella catarrhalis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. These findings validate the use of the plant species in the treatment of such

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful for the support from the Library Staff of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Pietermaritzburg Campus), University of South Africa (Florida Campus) and University of Zululand (KwaDlangezwa Campus).

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The antimycobacterial activity of C. imberbe has been ascribed to pentacyclic triterpenes (Katerere et al., 2003). Saponins, lignans, steroids, stilbene glycosides and phenolic acids were isolated from the roots of T. sericea (Mongalo et al., 2016) and may have contributed, individually or synergistically, to the observed antiplasmodial activities of the LLE extract and MeOH fractions. Compounds isolated form the bark of the multifunctional A. digitata include the phytosterol, β-sitosterol, the triterpene, betulinic acid, and the alkaloid, adansonin, with the latter reported to display antimalarial activity (Sidibe and Williams, 2002; Shukla et al., 2001).
Eight indigenous medicinal plants which are used traditionally for the treatment of tuberculosis (TB), malaria, and associated symptoms, were selected for this study.
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Crude aqueous and organic extracts were prepared for 25 different plant parts obtained from eight plant species. In vitro antiplasmodial activity was evaluated using the parasite lactate dehydrogenase assay against chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium falciparum NF54 and in vitro antimycobacterial activity determined against the Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv-GFP strain in a standard broth microdilution assay. The bioactive crude extracts were subjected to solid phase extraction with Strata-X 33 μm reversed phase cartridges and eluted with 70:30 MeOH: H₂O:1% trifluoroacetic acid to yield the LLE extract, followed by a methanol rinse, herein referred to as the MeOH fraction. Both fractions were evaluated for antiplasmodial and antimycobacterial activity. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H-NMR) and ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) profiling of the crude and active fractions of the phytochemically unexplored Sarcocaulon marlothii Engl. were performed to aid the identification of a potential antiplasmodial lead compound.
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investigate the hypoglycaemic effect of an ethanol extract (EE) of T. phaeocarpa leaves and its ethyl acetate (FrEtOAc) and hydromethanolic (FrMEOH) fractions, in addition to their activity on the release of pro-inflammatory mediators and inhibition of lipase, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase enzymes. Additionally, it aimed to characterize the chemical composition of the extract and fractions, seeking to identify the compounds related to the biological activities.
The effect on the release of TNF-α, IL-1β, and CCL-2 was evaluated in LPS-stimulated THP-1 cells (ATCC TIB-202). The inhibition of lipase, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase was tested in vitro, whereas the hypoglycemic effect was assayed in the oral starch tolerance test. The chemical composition was investigated by extensive UHPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS analyses.
The extract and derived fractions reduced TNF-α (EE pIC₅₀ = 4.58 ± 0.01; FrEtOAc pIC₅₀ = 4.69 ± 0.01; FrMeOH pIC₅₀ = 4.54 ± 0.02) and IL-1β (EE pIC₅₀ = 4.86 ± 0.02; FrEtOAc pIC₅₀ = 4.86 ± 0.02; FrMeOH pIC₅₀ = 4.75 ± 0.01) release by LPS-stimulated THP-1 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas the inhibitory effect on CCL-2 release did not reach a clear linear relationship for the tested concentrations. The extract and fractions also inhibited in vitro the activity of lipase (EE pIC₅₀ = 3.97 ± 0.12; FrEtOAc pIC₅₀ = 3.87 ± 0.04; FrMeOH pIC₅₀ = 3.67 ± 0.14), α-amylase (EE pIC₅₀ = 4.46 ± 0.27; FrEtOAc pIC₅₀ = 5.47 ± 0.27; FrMeOH pIC₅₀ = 4.26 ± 0.22), and α-glucosidase (EE pIC₅₀ = 5.46 ± 0.05; FrEtOAc pIC₅₀ = 5.79 ± 0.11; FrMeOH pIC₅₀ = 5.74 ± 0.05). The pIC₅₀ values of the test samples were lower than those obtained with orlistat (7.59 ± 0.08) and acarbose (6.04 ± 0.37 and 7.63 ± 0.04) employed as the positive controls respectively in the lipase, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase assays. When assayed in the oral starch tolerance test, the extract and fractions also reduced animal glycaemia. UHPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS analyses of the extract and fractions led to the identification of 38 phenolic compounds, mainly phenolic acids, ellagitannins and flavonoids, among others, all of them first-time described for the species.
Based on our findings, T. phaeocarpa has hypoglycaemic activity and polyphenols are the probable bioactive compounds, which support the ethnomedical use of the species.

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ReviewEthnobotany, phytochemistry, toxicology and pharmacological properties of Terminalia sericea Burch. ex DC. (Combretaceae) – A review

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological reference

Materials and methods

Results

Conclusions

Introduction

Section snippets

Local names

Methodology

Botany

Ethnopharmacology

Toxicology

Phytochemistry

Anti-HIV activity

Future perspectives and conclusions

Acknowledgements

Asian Pac. J. Trop. Med.

Phytochemistry

Ecol. Manag.

Phytochemistry

J. Ethnopharmacol.

J. Ethnopharmacol.

South Afr. J. Bot.

Lancet Oncol.

J. Ethnopharmacol.

South Afr. J. Bot.

South Afr. J. Bot.

J. Ethnopharmacol.

J. Ethnopharmacol.

Fitoterapia

South Afr. J. Bot.

J. Ethnopharmacol.

J. Ethnopharmacol.

J. Ethnopharmacol.

South Afr. J. Bot.

J. Ethnopharmacol.

J. Ethnopharmacol.

J. Ethnopharmacol.

J. Ethnopharmacol.

Food Chem. Toxicol.

South Afr. J. Bot.

Anal. Chim. Acta

Eur. J. Pharm. Biopharm.

Eur. J. Cancer

J. Ethnopharmacol.

J. Ethnopahrrmacol.

South Afr. J. Bot.

J. Ethnopharmacol.

J. Ethnopharmacol.

South Afr. J. Bot.

Antimicrobial and selected in vitro enzyme inhibitory effects of leaf extracts, flavonols and índole alkaloids isolated from Croton menyharthii

Molecules

In Vitro Effect of Selected Medicinal Plants on β-Amyloid Induced Toxicity in Neuroblastoma Cells

Effect of four medicinal plants on amyloid-β induced neurotoxicityin SH-SY5Y cells

Afr. J. Tradit. Complement. Altern. Med.

Separation and characterization of phenolic compounds from Terminalia ivoriensis using liquid chromatography-positive electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectroscopy

Afr. J. Biotechnol.

Germination of Terminalia sericea Burch. ex. DC. Seeds: the effects of temperature regime, photoperiod, gibberellic acid and potassium nitrate

Am.-Eurasian J. Agric. Environ. Sci. 8

Germination of Terminalia sericea Burch. ex. DC. Seeds: the effects of temterature regime, photoperiod, gibberellic acid and potassium nitrate. International

J. Appl. Biol. Pharm. Technol.

Deaths due to respiratory tract infections in Africa: a review of autopsy studies

Curr. Opin. Pulm. Med.

In vitro activity of three selected South African medicinal plants against immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase

Afr. J. Biotechnol.

Antimicrobial activity of Terminalia bellerica leaf and stem collected from two different sites

Am. J. Phytomed. Clin. Ther.

Anti-mycobacterial activities of selected medicinal plants from Zimbabwe against Mycobacterium aurum and Corynebacterium glutamicum

Trop. Biomed.

Keith Coates Palgrave Trees of Southern Africa

The medicinal properties and phytochemistry of plants of the genus Terminalia (Combretaceae)

Inflapharmacology

Antidiabetic activity of Terminalia superba (Combretaceae) stem bark extract in streptozotoocin induced diabetes in rats

Br. J. Pharm. Res.

The trade in medicinal plants in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

South Afr. J. Sci.

Iron chelating activity, phenol and flavonoid content of some medicinal plants from Iran

Afr. J. Biotechnol.

Review
Ethnobotany, phytochemistry, toxicology and pharmacological properties of Terminalia sericea Burch. ex DC. (Combretaceae) – A review