Diversity, Utility, Analytical Methods and Use Implications of Aroma-active Compounds from Select Angiosperm Familie.

Introduction: An “aroma-active compound” (AAC) has a “flavor”- ie: a “distinct taste and odor”. An example is menthol. All aromatic plants (APs), including some medicinal plants, such as Mentha×piperita (Family Lamiaceae), produce a group of fat-soluble secondary metabolites called “essential oils” (EOs) for various ecophysiological reasons. An EO has a “flavor” because it contains one or more AACs. A typical EO is a complex mixture of several AACs, with wide ranging, dose-dependent pharmacological/ toxic effects. Owing to their complexity and variability, many EOs need to be standardized to ISO’s criteria. Professional use of EOs/ AAPs in food and drugs is controlled by good manufacturing practice (GMP). Aim: Given the immense diversities in sources, chemical structures, and bioactivities of EOs/ AACs, which are greatly patronized in foods and drugs, this review focused on their: i) sources in plants, beneficial attributes and liabilities; and ii) chemistry and analytical methods, in order to gain a better insight into their regulation in foods and drugs. Methodology: Using the 2009 Angiosperm Phylogenic Grouping (APG) of plants as a guide, pertinent literature was perused to ascertain: i) the taxa of APs; ii) their EOs/ AAPs; and iii) the methods for analyzing EOs/ AACs in raw materials (RMs) and finished products (FPs). Results: The literature revealed scores of AACs with varying health implications. But their levels in samples are usually unknown, or extremely hard to ascertain, owing to costs and complexities of the methods used. Conclusions: Given the wide ranging effects of EOs/ AAPs vis-à-vis the dearth of data on their levels in samples, it is recommended that their regulation in FPs should focus on: i) controlling the wholesomeness of RMs; and ii) on enforcing strict GMP in using such RMs. Meanwhile relevant agencies should sponsor research into more cost-effective methods.

Standardization of Andrographis paniculata, Mitracarpus scaber and Nauclea latifolia Herbal Preparations as per European and Nigerian Drug Regulations.

Background: Herbal drug standardization (HDS) is multidisciplinary with botany and chemistry working together to facilitate decisions on production of herbal medicines. The common reasons for HDS are: i) it creates the need for establishing botanical identity; ii) it is necessary for establishing dosage and iii) it facilitates industrial production and good manufacturing practice (GMP). Aims: To outline the strategies being used to standardize Conavir, Niprd-AM1 and Niprifan and to show that HDS is the ideal strategy for herbal drug development (HDD) from traditional medicines (TMs). Methodology: Relevant data on: i) the regulatory requirements of Europe’s Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA) and Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and ii) on Andrographis paniculata (AP), Mitracarpus scaber (MS) and Nauclea latifolia (NL) were reviewed. Crude herbal drugs (CHDs) from aerial parts each of AP and MS and from roots of NL and the active crude extracts (ACEs) derived from them were studied using standard botanical, phytochemical and physicochemical techniques with the aim of standardizing them for production. The ACEs from AP (Conavir) and from NL (Niprd-AM1) were dry water extracts. The ACE from MS (Niprifan) was a dry ethylacetate extract. Results: The regulatory provisions of NAFDAC for herbal preparations were broadly similar to those of EMEA but the latter proved more explicit in many respects. Furthermore, the results on the CHDs and ACEs adequately meet the requirements of the two agencies. Conclusions: The results here provided and those reported elsewhere collectively furnish the data needed for drawing-up the registration dossiers of AP/Conavir, NL/Niprd- AM1 and MS/Niprifan as per EMEA and NAFDAC requirements. But for purposes of further work, it is needful for the GC-MS studies to be amplified and combined with others, so as to facilitate identification of suitable markers and pave the way for studies requiring bioassays.

Pharmacognostic, Physicochemical Standardization and Phytochemical Analysis of leaves of Cultivated Crotalaria lachnosema Stapf.

Towards authentication and quality assurance of medicinal plants, pharmacognostic, physicochemical and preliminary phytochemical studies of the leaves of Crotolaria lachnosema Stapf. were carried out. The macroscopic and microscopic evaluation revealed characters that are of diagnostic value and useful in authentication of the plant. The Physicochemical analyses reveals values for moisture content, alcohol extractive, water extractive and total ash which are within the World Health Organisation (WHO) standards for crude drug from medicinal plants. Phyto-screening for secondary metabolites revealed the presence of saponins, terpenes/steroids, flavonoids, resins and balsams, while alkaloids, glycosides and tannins were absent. Information obtained from these studies can be used as markers in the identification and standardization of this plant as a herbal remedy and also towards monograph development on the plant.