An-Najah Staff

Ethanolic extracts of six plants: Arum palaestinum Bioss, Urtica pilulifera L., Thymbra capitata (L.) Cav., Origanum syriacum L., Teucrium creticum L., and Teucrium polium L., used in Traditional Arabic Palestinian Herbal Medicine were evaluated for their antibacterial, anti-candida, and antidermatophyte activities using well diffusion, micro-dilution and food poisoned techniques. The extracts were tested against: six bacterial strains including Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae; five Candida albicans isolates, and two dermatophytes: Microsporum canis, and Trichophyton rubrum. The most active plants extracts were T. capitata and O. syriacum against the tested bacteria, while the remaining plant extracts did not express any activity or exhibited only very low activity against tested bacteria species and candida isolates. O. syriacum was also the most active plant against all Candida strains with inhibition zones that ranged from 22.5 to 29.5 mm. On the other hand, T. capitata extract showed the highest activity against the test dermatophytes (producing a complete inhibition at = 45 µg/mL).

Ethanolic extracts of six plants: Arum palaestinum Bioss, Urtica pilulifera L., Thymbra capitata (L.) Cav., Origanum syriacum L., Teucrium creticum L., and Teucrium polium L., used in Traditional Arabic Palestinian Herbal Medicine were evaluated for their antibacterial, anti-candida, and antidermatophyte activities using well diffusion, micro-dilution and food poisoned techniques. The extracts were tested against: six bacterial strains including Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae; five Candida albicans isolates, and two dermatophytes: Microsporum canis, and Trichophyton rubrum. The most active plants extracts were T. capitata and O. syriacum against the tested bacteria, while the remaining plant extracts did not express any activity or exhibited only very low activity against tested bacteria species and candida isolates. O. syriacum was also the most active plant against all Candida strains with inhibition zones that ranged from 22.5 to 29.5 mm. On the other hand, T. capitata extract showed the highest activity against the test dermatophytes (producing a complete inhibition at = 45 µg/mL). 

Arum palaestinum Boiss, a wild edible plant in Palestine, is one of about 26
species of the arum genus which are flowering plants belonging to Araceae. The
plant is widely used in Traditional Arabic Palestinian Herbal Medicine
(TAPHM) in the treatment of several human diseases mainly cancer. This
investigation reports the separation and identification of phthalate compounds
such as dipropyl phthalate, diisobutyl phthalate and di-n-octyl phthalate for the
first time from the extract of Arum palaestinum, using HPLC and GCMS
techniques. In addition to these finding the amounts of phenolics, flavonoids and
phthalate contents were evaluated in the whole plant. Total phenolics were found
to be 3.9μg/mg pyrocatechol equivalent, and total flavonoids were found to be
270μg/mg as quercetin equivalent. One of the interesting results of this study also
was the evaluation of phthalates in different parts of the plant. Average values of
phthalates in the fresh plant parts were (36.3, 26.1, 5.6, 7.0μg/g) in leaves,
inflorescence, stem and inflorescence base respectively. In addition, the average
values of phthalates in different areas of Nablus region for whole plant were 48.3,
53.0, 50.9 μg/g. The findings of this study is discussed with relation to medicinal
and food uses of the plant in Palestinian communities.

Arum palaestinum Boiss, a wild edible plant in Palestine, is one of about 26
species of the arum genus which are flowering plants belonging to Araceae. The
plant is widely used in Traditional Arabic Palestinian Herbal Medicine
(TAPHM) in the treatment of several human diseases mainly cancer. This
investigation reports the separation and identification of phthalate compounds
such as dipropyl phthalate, diisobutyl phthalate and di-n-octyl phthalate for the
first time from the extract of Arum palaestinum, using HPLC and GCMS
techniques. In addition to these finding the amounts of phenolics, flavonoids and
phthalate contents were evaluated in the whole plant. Total phenolics were found
to be 3.9μg/mg pyrocatechol equivalent, and total flavonoids were found to be
270μg/mg as quercetin equivalent. One of the interesting results of this study also
was the evaluation of phthalates in different parts of the plant. Average values of
phthalates in the fresh plant parts were (36.3, 26.1, 5.6, 7.0μg/g) in leaves,
inflorescence, stem and inflorescence base respectively. In addition, the average
values of phthalates in different areas of Nablus region for whole plant were 48.3,
53.0, 50.9 μg/g. The findings of this study is discussed with relation to medicinal
and food uses of the plant in Palestinian communities.