Ethnopharmacological uses of Sempervivum tectorum L. in southern Serbia: Scientific confirmation for the use against otitis linked bacteria
2015
Authors:
Stojković, DejanBarros, Lillian
Petrović, Jovana
Glamočlija, Jasmina
Santos-Buelga, Celestino
Ferreira, Isabel C. F. R.
Soković, Marina
Document Type:
Article (Published version)
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract:
Ethnopharmacological relevance: Sempervivum tectorum L. (Crassulaceae),
known as houseleek, is used in traditional medicine in the treatment of
ear inflammation. It can be spread as a pack on wounds, sores, burns,
and abscesses and also on painful areas attacked by gout as a
refrigerant and astringent. Drinking tea prepared from leaves of S.
tectorum is recommended for ulcer treatment. The present study was
designed to investigate ethopharmacological use of S. tectorum in the
southern Serbia and to further scientifically justify and confirm
effectiveness of the leaf juice used in ethnomedicine for ear
inflammation, against otitis linked bacteria.
Material and methods: Ethnopharmacological survey on the use of S.
tectorum in southern Serbia was performed using semi structured
questionnaires via a face-to-face interview. Chemical composition of the
leaf juice regarding phenolic compounds and organic acids was analyzed.
Antimicrobial activity was tested on bacteria isolated from ear swabs of
the patients suffering from the ear pain (otitis). Antiquorum-sensing
activities of the juice were further investigated on Pseudomonas
aeruginosa.
Results: Ethnopharmacological survey revealed the use of S. tectorum in
southern Serbia for the treatment of ear pain, warts, cancer,
stomachache, ulcer and high blood sugar level with the highest fidelity
level (FL) for the ear pain. The phenolic composition of the S. tectorum
leaf juice consisted of flavonol glycosides, with
kaempferol-3-O-rhamnosyl-glucoside-7-O-rhamnoside as the majority
compound. Organic acids composition revealed malic acid as the most
dominant one. Antimicrobial and anti-quorum-sensing activities of the
juice showed to be promising.
Conclusion: Ethnopharmacological use of S. tectorum juice for treating
ear pain is justified, since the juice possessed antimicrobial activity
towards clinical isolates of bacteria linked to otitis. (c) 2015
Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords:
Ethnopharmacological survey; Sempervivum tectorum L.; Otitis; Phenolic compounds; Organic acids; Antimicrobial activitySource:
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2015, 176, 297-304
DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2015.11.014
ISSN: 0378-8741