Bertani S., Houel E., Bourdy Geneviève, Stien D., Jullian Valérie, Landau I., Deharo Eric. (2007). Quassia amara L. (Simaroubaceae) leaf tea : Effect of the growing stage and desiccation status on the antimalarial activity of a traditional preparation. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 111 (1), p. 40-42. ISSN 0378-8741.
Titre du document
Quassia amara L. (Simaroubaceae) leaf tea : Effect of the growing stage and desiccation status on the antimalarial activity of a traditional preparation
Bertani S., Houel E., Bourdy Geneviève, Stien D., Jullian Valérie, Landau I., Deharo Eric
Source
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2007,
111 (1), p. 40-42 ISSN 0378-8741
In French Guiana, Quassia amara L. (Simaroubaceae) leaf tea is a well-known widely used traditional antimalarial remedy. Impact of the vegetal sampling condition on in vivo and in vitro antimalarial activity was assessed. Traditional infusions were prepared with juvenile or mature leaves, both either fresh or dried. Results showed that growing stage and freshness of vegetal material exert a striking effect on antimalarial activity, both in vitro and in vivo. By far, leaf tea made from fresh juvenile (FJ) Quassia amara leaves was the most active. In vitro, active component (simalikalactone D) concentration correlates biological activities, although unexplained subtle variations were observed. In vivo, tea made with dried juvenile (DJ) leaves displays a peculiar behavior, meaning that some components may help simalikalactone D delivery or may be active in vivo only, therefore enhancing the expected curative effect of the traditional preparation.
