HEALTH BENEFIT OF Acalypha wilkesiana Muell. Arg.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page – – – – – – – – – i
Certification – – – – – – – – ii
Dedication – – – – – – – – – iii
Acknowledgements – – – – – – – iv
Table of contents – – – – – – – – v-vi
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study – – – – – – 1-2
CHAPTER TWO: TAXONOMICAL CLASSIFICATION OF Acalypha wilkesiana – – – – – – – 3
2.1Common Names of A. wilkesiana – – – – – 3-4
2.2 Botanical Description of Acalypha wilkesiana – – – 4-6
2.3 Traditional uses of wilkesiana – – – – – 6-9
2.4 Phytochemistry of A. wilkesiana – – – – – 9-11
CHAPTER THREE: PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES of A. wilkesiana
3.1 Anti-microbial and antifungal activities – – – 12-13
3.2 Anti-obesity effect – – – – – – – 14
3.3 Anti- diabetic activity – – – – – – 14-15
3.4 Anti- hypertensive activity – – – – – 15
3.5 Anti- cholesterol and anti- arrhythmic activity – – 16-17
3.6 Anti- oxidant activity – – – – – – 17-18
3.7 Anti-malaria activity – – – – – – 18
3.8 Hypnotic and anticonvulsant effect – – – – 19
3.9 Hepato protective activity – – – – – 19
3.10 Antiemetic activity – – – – – – – 20
3.11 Anti- cancerous activity – – – – – – 20
3.12 Anti- parasitic and analgesic activity – – – – 21
3.13 Diuretic and anti HIV activity – – – – – 21
CHAPTER FOUR: SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
4.1 Summary – – – – – – – – 22
4.2 Conclusion – – – – – – – – 23
References
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
Plant are reservoirs of different phytochemical compounds and enzymes. These compounds can be alkaloids, tannins, volatile oils, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, phenolics glycosides, etc. which have been assessed for their anti-oxidant, anti-mutagenic, anti-carcinogenic and other biological effects (Patil et al., 2009; Krishnaswamy and Raghuramulu, 1998). Twenty-five percent of people in the world depend on traditional medicinal plants as drugs for curing various diseases and ailments (Reddy, 2004; Kumara et al., 2011., Sharma and Painuli, 2011).over 6000 plants in India are used in traditional, folk and herbal medicine representing about 75% of the medicinal needs of the developing countries (Rajshekharan, 2002). There are always side effects associated with synthetic drugs. Researchers are diverting their attention to folk medicines which are safe and effective and are the oldest health care products (Mukherjee, 2002). Interestingly, natural product research guided by ethno-pharmacological knowledge has made substantial contributions to drugs innovation by providing novel chemical structures of mechanisms of action (De Smet, 1997). Pharmaceutical industries use tradition medicines as a source of bioactive agents that can be used in the preparation of medicines. Most medicinal plants are being formulated into pharmaceutical dosage forms like tablets, creams, ointments, syrups, and lotion.
