J Ethnopharmacol. 2015 Dec 24;176:297-304. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2015.11.014. Epub 2015 Nov 10.
- 1
- Institute
for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", Department of Plant
Physiology, University of Belgrade, Bulevar Despota Stefana 142, 11000
Belgrade, Serbia. Electronic address: mris@ibiss.bg.ac.rs.
- 2
- Mountain
Research Centre (CIMO), School of Agriculture, Polytechnic Institute of
Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 1172, 5301-855 Bragança, Portugal.
- 3
- Institute
for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", Department of Plant
Physiology, University of Belgrade, Bulevar Despota Stefana 142, 11000
Belgrade, Serbia.
- 4
- Grupo de Investigación en
Polifenoles (GIP-USAL), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca,
Campus Miguel de Unamuno, 37007 Salamanca, Spain.
- 5
- Mountain
Research Centre (CIMO), School of Agriculture, Polytechnic Institute of
Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 1172, 5301-855 Bragança, Portugal. Electronic address: iferreira@ipb.pt.
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE:
Sempervivum
tectorum L. (Crassulaceae), known as houseleek, is used in traditional
medicine in the treatment of ear inflammation. It can be spread as a
pack on wounds, sores, burns, and abscesses and also on painful areas
attacked by gout as a refrigerant and astringent. Drinking tea prepared
from leaves of S. tectorum is recommended for ulcer treatment. The
present study was designed to investigate ethopharmacological use of S.
tectorum in the southern Serbia and to further scientifically justify
and confirm effectiveness of the leaf juice used in ethnomedicine for
ear inflammation, against otitis linked bacteria.
MATERIAL AND METHODS:
Ethnopharmacological
survey on the use of S. tectorum in southern Serbia was performed using
semi structured questionnaires via a face-to-face interview. Chemical
composition of the leaf juice regarding phenolic compounds and organic
acids was analyzed. Antimicrobial activity was tested on bacteria
isolated from ear swabs of the patients suffering from the ear pain
(otitis). Anti-quorum-sensing activities of the juice were further
investigated on Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
RESULTS:
Ethnopharmacological
survey revealed the use of S. tectorum in southern Serbia for the
treatment of ear pain, warts, cancer, stomachache, ulcer and high blood
sugar level with the highest fidelity level (FL) for the ear pain. The
phenolic composition of the S. tectorum leaf juice consisted of flavonol
glycosides, with kaempferol-3-O-rhamnosyl-glucoside-7-O-rhamnoside as
the majority compound. Organic acids composition revealed malic acid as
the most dominant one. Antimicrobial and anti-quorum-sensing activities
of the juice showed to be promising.
CONCLUSION:
Ethnopharmacological
use of S. tectorum juice for treating ear pain is justified, since the
juice possessed antimicrobial activity towards clinical isolates of
bacteria linked to otitis.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
KEYWORDS:
Antimicrobial activity; Ethnopharmacological survey; Organic acids; Otitis; Phenolic compounds; Sempervivum tectorum L.
