Page 124 - 2025中醫藥與天然藥物聯合學術研討會-中醫藥與天然藥物的挑戰Ｘ機遇與未來大會手冊

PC-07

Anti-wrinkle and antihistamine potential of four medicinal plants that are

invasive to Southern Africa

1
1
Karabelo Theledi, Marizé Cuyler, Namrita Lall* ,1,2,3

1 Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South
Africa
2 School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
3 College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, Bonne Terre,
Vacoas-Phoenix, 73304, Mauritius
* Email: namrita.lall@up.ac.za

Abstract
Skin allergies occur when the skin is exposed to various allergens leading to the
overexpression of histamine, which stimulates the production of proteases like elastase causing
wrinkle formation. Medicinal plants belonging to the Nelumbonaceae (NEL), Poaceae (POA),
Rutaceae (RUT) and Punicaceae (PUN) families have traditionally been used and in some cases
scientifically evaluated for their anti- inflammatory and anti-allergic activities. The aim of this
study was to evaluate whether the selected medicinal plants inhibited elastase, were non-toxic
against granulocytes and displayed antihistamine potential against phorbol 12-myristate 13-
acetate (PMA) stimulated granulocytes. Ethanolic extracts were prepared and evaluated for
their potential anti-elastase activity whereby a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) value of
10.49 ± 4.74 μg/mL for PUN, 8.74 ± 4.80 μg/mL for POA, 28.04 ± 19.50 μg/mL for NEL and
36.03 ± 2.90 μg/mL for RUT was observed. Thereafter, the antihistamine potential against PMA
stimulated granulocytes based on their anti-elastase IC50 values were evaluated. None of the
extracts displayed cytotoxic potential with high cell viability against the stimulated
granulocytes. In comparison to the 0.6% DMSO vehicle control (17.17 ± 0.00 ng/mL), RUT at
60 μg/mL (7.32 ± 0.93 ng/mL) and 30 µg/mL (9.67 ± 0.89 ng/mL) significantly (p < 0.01 and
p < 0.05, respectively) inhibited the production of histamine. POA and NEL significantly (p <
0.01) inhibited the production of histamine at 30 (8.18 ± 4.53 ng/mL and 7.81 ± 5.09 ng/mL)
and 15 µg/mL (7.27 ± 0.10 ng/mL and 8.07 ± 0.72 ng/mL), while PUN significantly (p < 0.01)
inhibited histamine production at 15 μg/mL (4.82 ± 0.76 ng/mL). In conclusion, though the
selected plant extracts displayed significant anti-elastase and antihistamine potential, of these
PUN was identified as the best candidate for further investigations into its effect against the
degranulation of mast cells as a potential mode of action. Moreover, bioassay-guided
fractionation should be considered to identify potential bioactive compounds.

Keywords: Anti-elastase; Antihistamine; Medicinal Plants; Skin allergies