{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,7]],"date-time":"2026-09-07T18:26:42Z","timestamp":1788805602267,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":51,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2012,12,3]],"date-time":"2012-12-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1354492800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/3.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Molecules"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Malaria, leishmaniasis and human African trypanosomiasis continue to be major public health problems in need of new and more effective drugs. The aim of this study was to evaluate in vitro antiprotozoal activity of twenty endemic medicinal plants collected from the island of Soqotra in the Indian Ocean. The plant materials were extracted with methanol and tested for antiplasmodial activity against erythrocytic schizonts of Plasmodium falciparum, for antileishmanial activity against intracellular amastigotes of Leishmania infantum and for antitrypanosomal activity against intracellular amastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi and free trypomastigotes of T. brucei. To assess selectivity, cytotoxicity was determined against MRC-5 fibroblasts. Selective activity was obtained for Punica protopunica against Plasmodium (IC50 2.2 \u00b5g\/mL) while Eureiandra balfourii and Hypoestes pubescens displayed activity against the three kinetoplastid parasites (IC50 &lt; 10 \u00b5g\/mL). Acridocarpus socotranus showed activity against T. brucei and T. cruzi (IC50 3.5 and 8.4 \u00b5g\/mL). Ballochia atrovirgata, Dendrosicycos socotrana, Dracaena cinnabari and Euphorbia socotrana displayed non-specific inhibition of the parasites related to high cytotoxicity.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules171214349","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2012,12,4]],"date-time":"2012-12-04T12:53:43Z","timestamp":1354625623000},"page":"14349-14360","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":28,"title":["Assessment of the in Vitro Antiprotozoal and Cytotoxic Potential of 20 Selected Medicinal Plants from the Island of Soqotra"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Ramzi","family":"Mothana","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia"},{"name":"Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Sana'a University, P.O. Box 33039, Sana'a, Yemen"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nawal","family":"Al-Musayeib","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"An","family":"Matheeussen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory for Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, Antwerp University, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk-Antwerp, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Paul","family":"Cos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory for Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, Antwerp University, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk-Antwerp, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Louis","family":"Maes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory for Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, Antwerp University, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk-Antwerp, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2012,12,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Available online:http:\/\/www.who.int\/entity\/mediacentre\/factsheets\/fs094\/en\/."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1042","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365-3156.2002.00981.x","article-title":"Malaria control: Constraints and opportunities","volume":"7","author":"Kager","year":"2002","journal-title":"Trop. Med. Int. Health"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"123","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2011.04.024","article-title":"Antiprotozoal activities of traditional medicinal plants from the Garhwal region of North West Himalaya","volume":"136","author":"Dua","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"409","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2007.10.028","article-title":"Antiprotozoal and cytotoxic screening of 45 plant extracts from Democratic Republic of Congo","volume":"115","author":"Mesia","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"502","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pt.2003.09.008","article-title":"Leishmaniasis-current chemotherapy and recent advances in the search for novel drugs","volume":"19","author":"Croft","year":"2003","journal-title":"Trends Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1478","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1469-0691.2011.03630.x","article-title":"Leishmaniasis chemotherapy\u2014Challenges and opportunities","volume":"17","author":"Croft","year":"2011","journal-title":"Clin. Microbiol. Infect."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1287","DOI":"10.1007\/s00436-009-1554-2","article-title":"Evaluation of anti-leishmanial activity of selected Indian plants known to have antimicrobial properties","volume":"105","author":"Sharma","year":"2009","journal-title":"Parasitol. Res."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"405","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pt.2006.06.011","article-title":"Human African trypanosomiasis: Connecting parasite and host genetics","volume":"22","author":"Gracia","year":"2006","journal-title":"Trends Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_9","unstructured":"(1998). Control and surveillance of African trypanosomiasis. Technical Report Series 881, Report of WHO Expert Committee."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1469","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(03)14694-6","article-title":"The trypanosomiases","volume":"362","author":"Barrett","year":"2003","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1018","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMra064142","article-title":"Control of neglected tropical diseases","volume":"357","author":"Hotez","year":"2007","journal-title":"N. Engl. J. Med."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"337","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2004.11.022","article-title":"An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants commercialized in the markets of La Paz and El Alto, Bolivia","volume":"97","author":"Vidaurre","year":"2005","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"294","DOI":"10.1016\/S1359-6446(00)01511-7","article-title":"Strategies for discovery drugs from previously unexplored natural products","volume":"5","author":"Harvey","year":"2000","journal-title":"Drug Discov. Today"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"31","DOI":"10.1007\/s00436-011-2447-8","article-title":"In vitro and in vivo trypanocidal activity of native plants from the Yucatan Peninsula","volume":"110","year":"2012","journal-title":"Parasitol. Res."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"521","DOI":"10.1007\/s00436-011-2516-z","article-title":"Antitrypanosomal activity of some medicinal plants from Nigerian ethnomedicine","volume":"110","author":"Abiodun","year":"2012","journal-title":"Parasitol. Res."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"53","DOI":"10.1055\/s-2006-960230","article-title":"Antiprotozoal agents from plant sources","volume":"57","author":"Phillipson","year":"1991","journal-title":"Planta Med."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"674","DOI":"10.1039\/b100455g","article-title":"Plant natural products with leishmanicidal activity","volume":"18","year":"2001","journal-title":"Nat. Prod. Rep."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2056","DOI":"10.1128\/AAC.48.6.2056-2060.2004","article-title":"Comparative activities of the triterpene saponin Maesabalide-III and liposomal amphotericin-B (AmBisome) against Leishmania donovani in hamsters","volume":"48","author":"Maes","year":"2004","journal-title":"Antimicrob. Agents Chemother."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"514","DOI":"10.1016\/j.phymed.2003.10.006","article-title":"A review of natural products with antileishmanial activity","volume":"12","author":"Rocha","year":"2005","journal-title":"Phytomedicine"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bramwell, D., and Caujap\u00e9-Castells, J. (2011). The Biology of Island Floras, Cambridge University Press.","DOI":"10.1017\/CBO9780511844270"},{"key":"ref_21","unstructured":"Miller, A.G., and Morris, M. (2004). Ethnoflora of the Soqotra Archipelago, Royal Botanic Garden."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"177","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2004.09.006","article-title":"Antimicrobial activity of some medicinal plants of the island Soqotra","volume":"96","author":"Mothana","year":"2005","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"298","DOI":"10.1002\/ptr.1858","article-title":"Phytochemical screening and antiviral activity of some medicinal plants of the Island Soqotra","volume":"20","author":"Mothana","year":"2006","journal-title":"Phytother. Res."},{"key":"ref_24","first-page":"359","article-title":"Screening of selected Arabian medicinal plant extracts for inhibitory activity against peptidases","volume":"61","author":"Oleski","year":"2006","journal-title":"Pharmazie"},{"key":"ref_25","first-page":"305","article-title":"Study of the anticancer potential of Yemeni plants used in folk medicine","volume":"62","author":"Mothana","year":"2007","journal-title":"Pharmazie"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7","DOI":"10.1186\/1472-6882-9-7","article-title":"Studies of the in vitro anticancer, antimicrobial and antioxidant potenial of selected Yemeni medicinal plants from the island Soqotra","volume":"9","author":"Mothana","year":"2009","journal-title":"BMC Complement. Altern. Med."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"49","DOI":"10.1186\/1472-6882-12-49","article-title":"In vitro antiplasmodial, antileishmanial and antitrypanosomal activities of selected medicinal plants used in the traditional Arabian Peninsular region","volume":"12","author":"Mothana","year":"2012","journal-title":"BMC Complement. Altern. Med."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"11379","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules171011379","article-title":"Study of the in vitro Antiplasmodial, Antileishmanial and Antitrypanosomal Activities of Medicinal Plants from Saudi Arabia","volume":"17","author":"Mothana","year":"2012","journal-title":"Molecules"},{"key":"ref_29","first-page":"226","article-title":"Antiplasmodial, anti-trypanosomal, anti-leishmanial and cytotoxicity activity of selected Tanzanian medicinal plants","volume":"11","author":"Malebo","year":"2009","journal-title":"Tanzan J. Health Res."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"849","DOI":"10.1055\/s-0030-1250612","article-title":"Complete structural assignment of serratol, a cembrane-type diterpene from Boswellia  serrata, and evaluation of its antiprotozoal activity","volume":"7","author":"Schmidt","year":"2011","journal-title":"Planta Med."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1149","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foodchem.2010.11.150","article-title":"Phytochemical composition and in vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of essential oils of three endemic Soqotraen Boswellia species","volume":"126","author":"Mothana","year":"2011","journal-title":"Food Chem."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"218","DOI":"10.1016\/j.exppara.2007.04.012","article-title":"Plasmodium berghei: Antiparasitic effects of orally administered hypoestoxide in mice","volume":"117","author":"Nchekwube","year":"2007","journal-title":"Exp. Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"543","DOI":"10.1016\/S0031-9422(03)00154-7","article-title":"Antifungal isopimaranes from Hypoestes serpens","volume":"64","author":"Rasoamiaranjanahary","year":"2003","journal-title":"Phytochemistry"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"197","DOI":"10.1590\/S0036-46652010000400006","article-title":"In vitro antimalarial activity and cytotoxicity of some selected cuban medicinal plants","volume":"52","author":"Lizama","year":"2010","journal-title":"Rev. Inst. Med. Trop. Sao Paulo"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1053","DOI":"10.3109\/13880200903485729","article-title":"Screening of medicinal plants against Leishmania amazonensis","volume":"48","author":"Monzote","year":"2010","journal-title":"Pharm. Biol."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"461","DOI":"10.1055\/s-2007-967167","article-title":"Antioxidant, antimalarial and antimicrobial activities of tannin-rich fractions, ellagitannins and phenolic acids from Punica granatum L","volume":"73","author":"Reddy","year":"2007","journal-title":"Planta Med."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"279","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2009.06.025","article-title":"Antiplasmodial activity of Punica  granatum L. fruit rind","volume":"125","author":"Galli","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1100","DOI":"10.1128\/AAC.01175-08","article-title":"In vitro and in vivo properties of ellagic acid in malaria treatment","volume":"53","author":"Soh","year":"2009","journal-title":"Antimicrob. Agents Chemother."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"622","DOI":"10.1128\/AAC.00544-08","article-title":"Compounds structurally related to ellagic acid show improved antiplasmodial activity","volume":"53","author":"Sturm","year":"2009","journal-title":"Antimicrob. Agents Chemother."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"827","DOI":"10.1007\/s00436-012-2905-y","article-title":"In vitro activity of extracts and isolated polyphenols from West African medicinal plants against Plasmodium  falciparum","volume":"111","author":"Ndjonka","year":"2012","journal-title":"Parasitol. Res."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"415","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4899-1367-8_33","article-title":"Biological activity of saponins from two Dracaena species","volume":"404","author":"Okunji","year":"1996","journal-title":"Adv. Exp. Med. Biol."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"341","DOI":"10.1055\/s-2006-958096","article-title":"New biflavonoids from dragon\u2019s blood of Dracaena cinnabari","volume":"61","author":"Masaoud","year":"1995","journal-title":"Planta Med."},{"key":"ref_43","first-page":"313","article-title":"Potential carcinogenicity of homoisoflavanoids and flavonoids from Resina sanguinis draconis (Dracaena cinnabari Balf.)","volume":"42","year":"1995","journal-title":"Neoplasma"},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"195","DOI":"10.1055\/s-0029-1186024","article-title":"Screening of Tanzanian medicinal plants against Plasmodium falciparum and human immunodeficiency virus","volume":"76","author":"Maregesi","year":"2010","journal-title":"Planta Med."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"455","DOI":"10.1002\/ptr.2334","article-title":"Antileishmanial activity of piceatannol isolated from Euphorbia lagascae seeds","volume":"2","author":"Duarte","year":"2008","journal-title":"Phytother. Res."},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"360","DOI":"10.1515\/znc-2011-7-807","article-title":"Antileishmanial and antitrypanosomal activity of triterpene derivatives from latex of two Euphorbia species","volume":"66","author":"Mazoir","year":"2011","journal-title":"Z. Naturforsch. C"},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"290","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2006.04.003","article-title":"Anti-infective potential of natural products: How to develop a stronger in vitro proof-of-concept","volume":"106","author":"Cos","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"739","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.1993.48.739","article-title":"Parasite lactate dehydrogenase as an assay for Plasmodium falciparum drug sensitivity","volume":"48","author":"Makler","year":"1993","journal-title":"Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg."},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"985","DOI":"10.2307\/3282883","article-title":"Continuous cultivation of Trypanosoma brucei blood stream forms in a medium containing a low concentration of serum protein without feeder cell layers","volume":"75","author":"Hirumi","year":"1989","journal-title":"J. Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"139","DOI":"10.1016\/S0001-706X(97)00079-X","article-title":"The Alamar Blue asssay to determine drug sensitivity of African trypanosomes (T. b. rhodesiense, T. b. gambiense) in vitro","volume":"68","author":"Raz","year":"1997","journal-title":"Acta Trop."},{"key":"ref_51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2592","DOI":"10.1128\/AAC.40.11.2592","article-title":"Efficient technique for screening drugs for activity against Trypanosoma cruzi using parasites expressing beta-galactosidase","volume":"40","author":"Buckner","year":"1996","journal-title":"Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. (Bethesda)"}],"container-title":["Molecules"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1420-3049\/17\/12\/14349\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T21:53:59Z","timestamp":1760219639000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1420-3049\/17\/12\/14349"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2012,12,3]]},"references-count":51,"journal-issue":{"issue":"12","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2012,12]]}},"alternative-id":["molecules171214349"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/molecules171214349","relation":{},"ISSN":["1420-3049"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1420-3049","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2012,12,3]]}}}