Alkaloid presence and brine shrimp (Artemia salina) bioassay of medicinal species of eastern Nicaragua

Figures & data

Table 1.  Bioactivity and bioassay results of medicinal plants used in eastern Nicaragua.

Scientific name^1	Common names^2	Sp. no.^3	Medicinal^4	Part^5	Alk.^6	LC50^7 (µg/mL)	95% CI^8 (µg/mL)
Magnoliophyta Magnoliopsida (Dicots) Bignoniaceae
1. Arrabidaea chica (Bonpl.) B. Verl.	damaska âwa (s)	2881	D,Q,S,T	L	+	11732
Bixaceae
2. Bixa orellana L.	natam (r)	3316	C,D,F,K,L,N,S	E,L	+	5789	736-12843
Boraginaceae
3. Heliotropium indicum L.	misri wâika (m)	4042	B,D,S,W	L,P	+	5571	485-21209
Caesalpinaceae
4. Senna undulata (Benth.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby	cuscus (m)	3287	F,X	L,R	+	3262	1283-7601
Cecropiaceae
5. Cecropia peltata L.	palang (s)	4007	A,F,G,W	L	+	5245	4430-6045
Connaraceae
6. Connarus lambertii (DC.) Sagot	tuktuk (m)	3801	D,Q	B,L	+	16542
Euphorbiaceae
7. Chamaesyce hyssopifolia (L.) Small	bla saika (m)	4040	A,C,E,I,K,S	L,P,S	+	3940	3313-4581
8. Cnidoscolus urens (L.) Arthur	pisik (m)	3879	C,I,U	L,R	+	8291
9. Jatropha gossypiifolia L.	kiska (s)	4344	D,G,I,J,S U,X, Y	L,S	+	7759
10. Manihot esculenta Crantz	añaha (g)	3269	A,D,F,S	L,R	+	5956
Lamiaceae
11. Hyptis verticillata Jacq.	wahiwin saika (m)	2669	A,G,H,I,L, P,S	L,P,R,S	+	3775
12. Ocimum campechianum Mill.	sîka kaira (m)	3645	A,F,G,H,I, L,N,R,S	L	+	14570
Lauraceae
13. Ocotea meziana C.K. Allen	no local name	4181	A,S	F,L,P	+	11701
Loranthaceae
14. Struthanthus cassythoides Millsp.	tati sau (m)	3842	A,B,F,L,S	L,P	+	1574	1383-1766
Lythraceae
15. Cuphea mimuloides Schltdl. & Cham.	mâia (m)	4055	A,D,F,I,S,T	L,P	+	4398	903-10710
Melastomataceae
16. Tibouchina aspera Aubl.	sari (m)	4144	L	F,L	+	3161	1155-8366
Myrtaceae
17. Calyptranthes chytraculia var. americana McVaugh	kiaka (m)	4071	G,L	L	+	3162	2689-3719
18. Eugenia acapulcensis Steud.	mansána (m)	3913	F,G	L	0	4167	3497-4838
Ochnaceae
19. Ouratea nitida (Sw.) Engl.	tubana (m)	3805	L	L,P	+	2083	931-3532
Polygonaceae
20. Coccoloba uvifera (L.) L.	waham (m)	3346	D,G,O,S	B,L	+	10071
Rubiaceae
21. Alibertia edulis (Rich.) A. Rich.	kalila (m)	3787	A,C,Q	B,L	+	1741	1446-2095
22. Hamelia axillaris Sw.	silbyara (m)	2503	B,D,I,S	L,P	+	2834	2400-3366
23. Palicourea triphylla DC.	uvilla (h)	4005	D,L	S	+	5576	4818-6359
24. Psychotria poeppigiana Müll.	tangni pauni (m)	3986	B,D,F,I,J,N, O,S,U	F,L,M	+	10115	1013-13851
Solanaceae
25. Solanum umbellatum Mill.	sulsul (m)	4359	S	L	+	5890	4983-6786
Sterculiaceae
26. Melochia villosa (Mill.) Fawc. & Rendle	yuma saika (m)	4127	A,G,L	L,R	+	6511	5422-7613
27. Waltheria indica L.	wiwi saika (m)	4134	D,F,Q,S,T,U	F	+	4303	1549-6767
Tiliaceae
28. Luehea seemannii Triana & Planch.	guácimo (h)	2283	Q	B,L	+	8018	548-28636
Verbenaceae
29. Cornutia pyramidata L.	sîka siahka (m)	4276	F,S	L,R	+	11217
Liliopsida (monocots)
Poaceae
30. Sporobolus virginicus (L.) Kunth	twî (m)	2026	A,F,G,L	L,R	+	12329	10904-13710

¹Scientific name of the families follow (Stevens et al. 2001), the order within families, genera, and species is alphabetical.

²Common names: g = Garífuna; h = Spanish; m = Miskitu; r = Rama; s = Sumu; spelling follows CIDCA (1986, 1987, 1989) and Smutko (1985).

³Voucher number: Sp. no., F.G. Coe accession numbers.

⁴Medicinal applications: A, Aches and pains; B, Bites and stings (snake, scorpion, insects); C, Childbirth and pregnancy; D, Diarrhea; E, Emetic, F, Fever; G, Digestive; (stomach ache, ulcers, etc.); H, Hypertension; I, Infections; J, Diabetes; K, Diuretic; L, Respiratory and pulmonary disorders (cold, coughs, etc.); N, Burns; O, Abortifacient; P, Worms and intestinal parasites; Q, Astringent; R, Aphrodisiac; S, Skin rashes and sores; T, Tonic and anemia (blood fortifier); U, Cuts and hemorrhage; W, Female disorders (menstruation, hemorrhage); X, Purgative and laxative; Y, Constipation.

⁵Material used (the same for medicinal preparations and bioassays): B, Bark; C, Flower; E, Seed; F, Fruit; L, Leaf; M, Stem; P, Whole Plant; R, Root; S, Sap.

⁶Alkaloid tests: + (present) or 0 (absent) in Coe tests (see Methods and materials).

⁷Toxicity: concentration lethal to 50% of the brine shrimp (LC₅₀).

⁸Confidence interval (CI) using the probit method to determine the toxicity of the extract; see Methods.

Table 2.  Number of the 30 species assayed used for each medicinal application.

Medicinal application	Number of species
Abortifacient (O)	2
Aches and pains (A)	11
Aphrodisiac (R)	1
Astringent (Q)	5
Anemia (T)	3
Bites and stings (B)	4
Burns (N)	3
Childbirth and pregnancy (C)	4
Constipation (Y)	1
Cuts and hemorrhage (U)	4
Diabetes (J)	2
Diarrhea (D)	11
Digestive (G)	8
Diuretic (K)	2
Emetic (E)	1
Female disorders (W)	2
Fever (F)	12
Hypertension (H)	2
Infections (I)	8
Purgative and laxative (X)	2
Respiratory and pulmonary (L)	10
Skin rashes and sores (S)	16
Worms and intestinal parasites (P)	1

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CIDCA (Centro de Investigación y Documentación de la Costa Atlántica) (1986): Diccionario elemental: Miskito-Español/Español-Miskito. Managua, Nicaragua, Centro de Investigación y Documentación de la Costa Atlántica, Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian reform, 72 pp.

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CIDCA (1987): Diccionario Elemental Rama. Eugene, OR, University of Oregon, 109 pp.

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CIDCA (1989): Diccionario elemental del Ulwa: Sumu Meridional. Cambridge, MA, Centro de Ciencia Cognitiva, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 165 pp.

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Smutko G (1985): La mosquitia: Historia y cultura de la Costa Atlántica. Managua, Nicaragua, Editorial La Ocarina, 179 pp.

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