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Volume 6, Issue 2      April - June, 2018

Dicoma capensis less: a review of its botany, ethno medicine, phytochemistry and pharmacology
 

Alfred Maroyi*

Medicinal Plants and Economic Development (MPED) Research Centre, Department of Botany, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa

 

 

 

 

 

 Abstract

Dicoma capensis is widely used as traditional medicine in southern Africa. The potential of D. capensis as herbal medicine, its botany, phytochemistry and biological activities are reviewed. The literature relevant to the botany, phytochemistry and biological activities of D. capensis was obtained from the main online scientific sites including ScienceDirect, SciFinder, Pubmed, Google Scholar, Medline and SCOPUS. Searches were also undertaken in the University of Fort Hare library, dissertation and thesis search engines like ProQuest, Open-thesis, OATD, and EthOs. Dicoma capensis is used as herbal medicine against colds, fever, influenza, cancer, stomach problems, high blood pressure, back pain and diarrhoea in southern Africa. The chemical composition of D. capensis is made up of melampolides, germacranolides, eudesmanolides, steroids, terpenoids, saponins, flavonoids, alcohol precipitable solids (APS), amino acids and phenolic acids. The biological activities demonstrated by the species include antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer and bitterness properties. The traditional ethnomedicinal usage of D. capensis highlights the importance of detailed information on botanical, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and toxicological reports on the species. 

 

Keywords: Antibacterial, Anticancer, Antifungal, Asteraceae, Dicoma capensis, Southern Africa

 

 

 

 

 

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