Traditional herbal medicines: potential degradation of sterols and sterolins by microbial contaminants
Medicinal plants with a high content of sterols and sterolins, such as Bulbine natalensis (rooiwortel) and Hypoxis hemerocallidea (African potato), are commonly and inappropriately used in South Africa for the treatment of HIV/AIDS due to the inaccessibility of antiretroviral drugs. This study inves...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Academy of Science of South Africa
2010-01-01
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| Series: | South African Journal of Science |
| Online Access: | http://archive.sajs.co.za/index.php/SAJS/article/view/67 |
| _version_ | 1811220088373641216 |
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| author | D. du Plessis-Stoman T. G. Downing M. van de Venter S. Govender |
| author_facet | D. du Plessis-Stoman T. G. Downing M. van de Venter S. Govender |
| author_sort | D. du Plessis-Stoman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Medicinal plants with a high content of sterols and sterolins, such as Bulbine natalensis (rooiwortel) and Hypoxis hemerocallidea (African potato), are commonly and inappropriately used in South Africa for the treatment of HIV/AIDS due to the inaccessibility of antiretroviral drugs. This study investigated the presence of active compounds, such as sterols and sterolins, in the herbal medicines. The research was carried out in the Nelson Mandela Metropole area. The effect of microbial contaminants isolated from the medicines on sterols and sterolins of rooiwortel extracts was assessed. Sterols and sterolins were detected in rooiwortel, raw African potatoes and one ready-made mixture. Co-incubation of rooiwortel with bacteria (Bacillus spp. and Pseudomonas putida) and fungi (Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp. and Mucor spp.) that were isolated from these samples increased the rate of degradation of sterols and sterolins over time, with slower degradation at 4°C than at 28°C. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T07:35:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9d3da254e15649d6b1282392fca06677 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0038-2353 1996-7489 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T07:35:56Z |
| publishDate | 2010-01-01 |
| publisher | Academy of Science of South Africa |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Journal of Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-9d3da254e15649d6b1282392fca066772022-12-22T03:41:56ZengAcademy of Science of South AfricaSouth African Journal of Science0038-23531996-74892010-01-011053/410.4102/sajs.v105i3/4.6767Traditional herbal medicines: potential degradation of sterols and sterolins by microbial contaminantsD. du Plessis-Stoman0T. G. Downing1M. van de Venter2S. Govender3Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Summerstrand South Campus, P.O. Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa.Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Summerstrand South Campus, P.O. Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa.Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Summerstrand South Campus, P.O. Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa.Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Summerstrand South Campus, P.O. Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa.Medicinal plants with a high content of sterols and sterolins, such as Bulbine natalensis (rooiwortel) and Hypoxis hemerocallidea (African potato), are commonly and inappropriately used in South Africa for the treatment of HIV/AIDS due to the inaccessibility of antiretroviral drugs. This study investigated the presence of active compounds, such as sterols and sterolins, in the herbal medicines. The research was carried out in the Nelson Mandela Metropole area. The effect of microbial contaminants isolated from the medicines on sterols and sterolins of rooiwortel extracts was assessed. Sterols and sterolins were detected in rooiwortel, raw African potatoes and one ready-made mixture. Co-incubation of rooiwortel with bacteria (Bacillus spp. and Pseudomonas putida) and fungi (Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp. and Mucor spp.) that were isolated from these samples increased the rate of degradation of sterols and sterolins over time, with slower degradation at 4°C than at 28°C.http://archive.sajs.co.za/index.php/SAJS/article/view/67 |
| spellingShingle | D. du Plessis-Stoman T. G. Downing M. van de Venter S. Govender Traditional herbal medicines: potential degradation of sterols and sterolins by microbial contaminants South African Journal of Science |
| title | Traditional herbal medicines: potential degradation of sterols and sterolins by microbial contaminants |
| title_full | Traditional herbal medicines: potential degradation of sterols and sterolins by microbial contaminants |
| title_fullStr | Traditional herbal medicines: potential degradation of sterols and sterolins by microbial contaminants |
| title_full_unstemmed | Traditional herbal medicines: potential degradation of sterols and sterolins by microbial contaminants |
| title_short | Traditional herbal medicines: potential degradation of sterols and sterolins by microbial contaminants |
| title_sort | traditional herbal medicines potential degradation of sterols and sterolins by microbial contaminants |
| url | http://archive.sajs.co.za/index.php/SAJS/article/view/67 |
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