TY - JOUR
T1 - Medicinal properties and in vitro biological activities of selected helichrysum species from South Africa
T2 - A review
AU - Akinyede, Kolajo Adedamola
AU - Cupido, Christopher Nelson
AU - Hughes, Gail Denise
AU - Oguntibeju, Oluwafemi Omoniyi
AU - Ekpo, Okobi Eko
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors acknowledge the support of the following institutions towards the completion of this review article: University of the Western Cape (UWC), Cape Town—South Africa; Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), Cape Town—South Africa; University of Fort Hare (UFH), Alice—South Africa; The Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti—Nigeria; Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi—UAE.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
PY - 2021/8
Y1 - 2021/8
N2 - The genus Helichrysum Mill comprises hundreds of species that are mostly flowering perennial shrubs. Some of these plants that belong to the Helichrysum species are used in traditional medicine to treat cough, back pain, diabetes, asthma, digestive problems, menstrual pain, chest pain, kidney disorders, skin disorders, wounds, open sores, among other conditions, but, only a few scientific studies are reported in the literature with sufficient information that validates the acclaimed folkloric benefits of these plants. This review, therefore, provides a comprehensive update of the available information on the cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, anti-proliferative, anti-bacterial, antifungal, anti-viral, anti-HIV, anti-malarial, anti-ulcerogenic, anti-tyrosinase, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant activities of selected Helichrysum species of interest: H. petiolare, H. cymocum, H. foetidum, and H. pandurifolium Schrank, using scientific databases as well as electronic and print sources. The ethnobotanical and morphological characteristics as well as the phytochemical composition and biological activities of these plants are elucidated. The scientific rationale for their current use is discussed based on the evidence in the literature. This review highlights the putative use of the Helichrysum species as a reliable source of bioactive compounds for the production of standard commercial drugs to treat many ailments, including those reported in folkloric uses. Further research on the many plants in the genus Helichrysum is recommended to explore their economic importance both as edible crops and medicinal botanicals.
AB - The genus Helichrysum Mill comprises hundreds of species that are mostly flowering perennial shrubs. Some of these plants that belong to the Helichrysum species are used in traditional medicine to treat cough, back pain, diabetes, asthma, digestive problems, menstrual pain, chest pain, kidney disorders, skin disorders, wounds, open sores, among other conditions, but, only a few scientific studies are reported in the literature with sufficient information that validates the acclaimed folkloric benefits of these plants. This review, therefore, provides a comprehensive update of the available information on the cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, anti-proliferative, anti-bacterial, antifungal, anti-viral, anti-HIV, anti-malarial, anti-ulcerogenic, anti-tyrosinase, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant activities of selected Helichrysum species of interest: H. petiolare, H. cymocum, H. foetidum, and H. pandurifolium Schrank, using scientific databases as well as electronic and print sources. The ethnobotanical and morphological characteristics as well as the phytochemical composition and biological activities of these plants are elucidated. The scientific rationale for their current use is discussed based on the evidence in the literature. This review highlights the putative use of the Helichrysum species as a reliable source of bioactive compounds for the production of standard commercial drugs to treat many ailments, including those reported in folkloric uses. Further research on the many plants in the genus Helichrysum is recommended to explore their economic importance both as edible crops and medicinal botanicals.
KW - Helichrysum species
KW - Medicinal plants
KW - Pharmacological actions
KW - Phytochemicals
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85111425851&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/plants10081566
DO - 10.3390/plants10081566
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85111425851
SN - 2223-7747
VL - 10
JO - Plants
JF - Plants
IS - 8
M1 - 1566
ER -
