Bismillah

Bismillah
Scientific Name	Vernonia amygdalina Del
Family:	Acanthaceae
Common name	Bitter leaf, Vernonia Tree, Pokok Afrika (Malay)
Synonyms	Gymnanthemum amygdalinum

{slider= Plant Material of Interest}

Leaves

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{slider= Geographical & Distribution}

Origin from Nigeria.

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{slider=General Appearance}

Shrub 2-5 m with petiole leaf 6 mm and elliptic shape (1).

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{slider= Chemical contents}

Saponin, sesquiterpene and flavonoids. Steroid glycosides-type vernoiside B1

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{slider=Traditional Uses}

The plant used as tonic, control of cough, feverish condition, constipation and hypertension in Nigeria

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{slider=Pharmacology}

Anti-diabetic agent The extracts able to reduce blood glucose level in glucose and streptozotocin induced hyperglycaemic mice without causing hypoglycemic effect on fasting normoglycaemic mice. These results indicated that the spray-dried Vernonia amygdalina water extract was a potential antidiabetic agent.(Yeap SK 2013).

Anti cancer Ethanol leaves extracts of V. amygdalina inhibits the proliferation of breast cell cell line MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. (Wong et al 2013)

Anti diabetic V. amygdalina ethanolic stem and root extracts is hepatoprotective in diabetic rats and may be of nutritional/ clinical relevance amongst African populations for treatment of different ailments (Luke et al 2013).

Anti hyperlipidemia V.a showed lipid lowering effects in rats fed on high cholesterol diet Adaramoye A.A et al (2008)

Haematological Effects Aqueous extract of V. amygdalina produced significant effect on the differential white blood cell count especially on the blood level of lymphocyte count.However, the plant extract did not produce erythropoietic effects; hence the non significant effect observed on the red cells count and packed cell volume respectively (Tende et al 2013).

Effect on Male Reproductive Treatment of rats with all the doses of methanolic extract of V.amygdalina caused significant decrease in testosterone levels, sperm motility and sperm count relative to control; while, there was no significant change in sperm viability. The extracts also caused severe germinal erosion and necrosis in the seminiferous tubules in the testes (Oyedeji et al 2013).

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{slider=Toxicity}

Mice appeared to be normal and no mortality was observed in the acute toxicity study after treatment with up to 5000mg/kg of extract. These results indicated that the spray-dried Vernonia amygdalina water extract was a potential antidiabetic agent which does not induce hypoglycemic and acute toxicity on normal subject.(Luke 2013)

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{slider=Reference}

Adramoye A.A., O. Akintayo, J. Achem & M. A. Fafunso (2008). Lipid lowering effects of methanolic extract of Vernonia amygdalina leaves in rats fed on high cholesterol diet. Vasc Health Risk Mang , 4 (1) Pg 235-241.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2464769/

Luke U.O., Ebong P.E., Eyong E.U., Robert A.E., Ufot S.U., Egbung G.E. (2013). Effect of Ethanol root and Twig extracts of Vernonia Amygdalina (Etidot) on liver Function parameters of Streptozotocin Induced Hyperglycaemic and normal Wistar Rats. European Scientific Journal Vol 9 (30). http://eujournal.org/index.php/esj/article/view/1955

Oyedeji K.O. , A.F. Bolarinwa & A.A. Azeez (2013). Effect of Methanolic Extract of Vernonia amygdalina on Reproductive Parameters in Male Albino Rats. Research Journal of Pharmacology, Vol 7 (1), Pg 7-11.http://www.medwelljournals.com/abstract/?doi=rjpharm.2013.7.11

Tende J.A., E.D. Eze,& Y.A. Tende (2013). Haematological effects of aqueous extract of Vernonia amygdalina in Wistar rats. Scientific Journal of Biological Sciences. Vol 2 (3).http://www.sjournals.com/index.php/SJBS/article/view/596

Wong FC., CC Woo, A. Hsu, B.K.H. Tan (2013). The anti cancer Activites of V. amygdalina Extract in Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines are mediated through Caspase_Dependent and p53-Independent Pathways. http://www.plosone.org/article/

Yeap SK, Liang WS., Beh BK., HO WY, Yousr AN & Alitheen NB (2013). In vivo antidiabetic and acute toxicity of spray-dried Vernonia amygdalina water extract. International Food Research Journal, 20 (2) Pg 613-616.http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/

http://www.fao.org/livestock/agap/frg/Visit/Ida/Vernonia%20amygdalina.htm (1)

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