Some medicinal properties of Cussonia and Schefflera species used in traditional medicine

Abstract

Ethanolic and ethyl acetate extracts of Cussonia spicata, C. paniculata and Schefflera umbellifera were screened for anti-bacterial, anti-malarial and anti-inflammatory activities. Root and bark extracts of C. spicata showed anti-bacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus in the disc-diffusion assay. All species inhibited cyclooxygenase in the cyclooxygenase-1 assay. S. umbellifera ethanolic and ethyl acetate extracts inhibited Plasmodium falciparum, a malaria-causing agent, in an in vitro assay. The results obtained rationalised the use of the three selected species of Araliaceae for specific types of diseases in traditional medicine.