The Readiness to Harness the Floristic Uniqueness of Mauritius in Biomedicine
Resistance to the existing arsenal of therapeutic agents significantly impedes successful drug therapy. One approach to combat this burgeoning global crisis is to provide novel and more effective clinical agents. Terrestrial plants have long been exploited as a source of novel drug candidates. In th...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Drugs and Drug Candidates |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2813-2998/2/2/18 |
| _version_ | 1797586983194722304 |
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| author | Nawraj Rummun Vidushi S. Neergheen |
| author_facet | Nawraj Rummun Vidushi S. Neergheen |
| author_sort | Nawraj Rummun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Resistance to the existing arsenal of therapeutic agents significantly impedes successful drug therapy. One approach to combat this burgeoning global crisis is to provide novel and more effective clinical agents. Terrestrial plants have long been exploited as a source of novel drug candidates. In this line, the endemic floral diversity of the Republic of Mauritius cannot be ignored. However, developing drugs from these plants is a multi-stepped, lengthy process that requires multistakeholder involvement from scientists, policymakers, and conservationists as well as the local community. This review aims at summarising the reported bioactivities of the endemic plants. The electronic databases were searched using relevant keywords. A total of 33 original research articles were considered. A repertoire of 17 families comprising 53 Mauritian-endemic plant species has been reported for their anticancer activity (<i>n</i> = 20), antimicrobial activity (<i>n</i> = 36), antidiabetic activity (<i>n</i> = 3), and clinical enzyme inhibitory activity (<i>n</i> = 25). Five plant extracts, namely <i>Acalypha integrifolia</i>, <i>Labourdonaisia glauca</i>, <i>Eugenia tinifolia</i>, <i>Syzygium coriaceum</i>, and <i>Terminalia bentzoë</i>, have been earmarked as worthy to be further investigated for their anticancer potential. Moreover, two <i>Psiadia</i> species, namely <i>P. arguta</i> and <i>P. terebinthina</i>, have shown promising antimicrobial activity. This review highlights the extracts’ potent anticancer and antimicrobial activities, focussing on their proposed mechanism of action. Moreover, the need for metabolite profiling for identifying bioactive ingredient(s) is emphasised. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:29:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f954848edeed45bb9acc0e9f6fda4a00 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2813-2998 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:29:56Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Drugs and Drug Candidates |
| spelling | doaj.art-f954848edeed45bb9acc0e9f6fda4a002023-11-18T22:45:47ZengMDPI AGDrugs and Drug Candidates2813-29982023-05-012233535710.3390/ddc2020018The Readiness to Harness the Floristic Uniqueness of Mauritius in BiomedicineNawraj Rummun0Vidushi S. Neergheen1Biopharmaceutical Unit, Centre for Biomedical and Biomaterials Research, MSIRI Building, University of Mauritius, Réduit 80837, MauritiusBiopharmaceutical Unit, Centre for Biomedical and Biomaterials Research, MSIRI Building, University of Mauritius, Réduit 80837, MauritiusResistance to the existing arsenal of therapeutic agents significantly impedes successful drug therapy. One approach to combat this burgeoning global crisis is to provide novel and more effective clinical agents. Terrestrial plants have long been exploited as a source of novel drug candidates. In this line, the endemic floral diversity of the Republic of Mauritius cannot be ignored. However, developing drugs from these plants is a multi-stepped, lengthy process that requires multistakeholder involvement from scientists, policymakers, and conservationists as well as the local community. This review aims at summarising the reported bioactivities of the endemic plants. The electronic databases were searched using relevant keywords. A total of 33 original research articles were considered. A repertoire of 17 families comprising 53 Mauritian-endemic plant species has been reported for their anticancer activity (<i>n</i> = 20), antimicrobial activity (<i>n</i> = 36), antidiabetic activity (<i>n</i> = 3), and clinical enzyme inhibitory activity (<i>n</i> = 25). Five plant extracts, namely <i>Acalypha integrifolia</i>, <i>Labourdonaisia glauca</i>, <i>Eugenia tinifolia</i>, <i>Syzygium coriaceum</i>, and <i>Terminalia bentzoë</i>, have been earmarked as worthy to be further investigated for their anticancer potential. Moreover, two <i>Psiadia</i> species, namely <i>P. arguta</i> and <i>P. terebinthina</i>, have shown promising antimicrobial activity. This review highlights the extracts’ potent anticancer and antimicrobial activities, focussing on their proposed mechanism of action. Moreover, the need for metabolite profiling for identifying bioactive ingredient(s) is emphasised.https://www.mdpi.com/2813-2998/2/2/18drug resistanceMauritiusendemic plantsanticancerantimicrobialbioactivity |
| spellingShingle | Nawraj Rummun Vidushi S. Neergheen The Readiness to Harness the Floristic Uniqueness of Mauritius in Biomedicine Drugs and Drug Candidates drug resistance Mauritius endemic plants anticancer antimicrobial bioactivity |
| title | The Readiness to Harness the Floristic Uniqueness of Mauritius in Biomedicine |
| title_full | The Readiness to Harness the Floristic Uniqueness of Mauritius in Biomedicine |
| title_fullStr | The Readiness to Harness the Floristic Uniqueness of Mauritius in Biomedicine |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Readiness to Harness the Floristic Uniqueness of Mauritius in Biomedicine |
| title_short | The Readiness to Harness the Floristic Uniqueness of Mauritius in Biomedicine |
| title_sort | readiness to harness the floristic uniqueness of mauritius in biomedicine |
| topic | drug resistance Mauritius endemic plants anticancer antimicrobial bioactivity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2813-2998/2/2/18 |
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