{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]],"date-time":"2026-10-01T19:08:44Z","timestamp":1790881724492,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,18]],"date-time":"2023-05-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1684368000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"South African National Research Foundation (NRF)","award":["RDG D113"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["RDG D113"]}]},{"name":"Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University Research","award":["RDG D113"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["RDG D113"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Plants"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Loranthus micranthus Linn. (Loranthaceae) is a botanically significant hemiparasite that grows on tree branches or trunks and is used in traditional medicine. This study compares the antioxidant activity and qualitative phytochemical screening of Nigerian and South Africa Loranthus micranthus Linn. Standard techniques for phytochemical screening were deployed while thin layer chromatography (TLC) bio-autography was utilized to analyze antioxidants qualitatively. Quantitative antioxidant analysis was performed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH); hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) free-radical scavenging; and ferric chloride reducing power. The results of qualitative phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids; glycosides; saponins; phenolic compounds; phlobatannins; tannins; and terpenoids. As for the antioxidant potentials of the four extracts\u2014i.e., Nigerian dichloromethane (NGDCM); South African dichloromethane (SADCM); Nigerian methanol (NGMeOH); and South African methanol (SAMeOH)\u2014the SADCM extract had more creamy bands compared to the Nigerian, thus indicating potentially more antioxidant compounds. A better complementary antioxidant potential was observed for the Nigerian methanol extracts over their South African counterparts. The DPPH quantitative analyses underpin that the SADCM exhibited greater scavenging activity compared to the NGDCM, but this was less than the gallic acid control, with the highest activity at a concentration of 0.2 mg\/mL and 0.4 mg\/mL, respectively. However, as the concentration increased from 0.6 to 1.0 mg\/mL, the SADCM again dominated in its antioxidant potential over all the analytes. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values obtained were [SADCM = 0.31 mg\/mL, NGDCM = 0.51 mg\/mL, SAMeOH = 0.51 mg\/mL, NGMeO = 0.17, gallic acid = 1.17 mg\/mL, and BHT = 1.47 Mg\/mL)]. Both the H2O2 scavenging and the Fe3+ to Fe2+ reduction assays mirrored a similar trend in the antioxidant potentials of all the analytes except for the BHT, which performed better in the ferric chloride reduction assay at a concentration of 0.2\u201306 mg\/mL. Based on the facts gathered, it can be inferred that the South African and Nigerian Loranthus micranthus Linn. are chemically equivalent. This is in support of their similar morphology and taxonomical classification, notwithstanding the environmental, biological, and edaphic impacts experienced by each plant.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/plants12102016","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,18]],"date-time":"2023-05-18T06:32:58Z","timestamp":1684391578000},"page":"2016","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":10,"title":["Phytochemical Profiling, and Antioxidant Potentials of South African and Nigerian Loranthus micranthus Linn.: The African Mistletoe Expos\u00e9"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Siyabonga","family":"Hlophe","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, P.O. Box 218, Pretoria 0208, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8178-1221","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kokoette","family":"Bassey","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, P.O. Box 218, Pretoria 0208, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"69","article-title":"Cardiovascular effects of Persea americana Mill (Lauraceae) (avocado) aqueous leaf extract in experimental animals","volume":"18","author":"Ojewole","year":"2007","journal-title":"Cardiovasc. J. Afr."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Amira, O.C., and Okubadejo, N.U. (2007). Frequency of complementary and alternative medicine utilization in hypertensive patients attending an urban tertiary care centre in Nigeria. BMC Complement. Altern. Med., 7.","DOI":"10.1186\/1472-6882-7-30"},{"key":"ref_3","first-page":"18","article-title":"A comparative study of the phytochemical and anti-microbial properties of the Eastern Nigerian specie of African Mistletoe (Loranthus micranthus Linn.) sourced from different host trees","volume":"2","author":"Oladele","year":"2004","journal-title":"Bio-Research"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"287","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2009.08.024","article-title":"Comparative acute toxicities and immunomodulatory potentials of five Eastern Nigeria mistletoes","volume":"126","author":"Osadebe","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"133","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2004.06.029","article-title":"Study on anti-diabetic activities of crude methanolic extracts of Loranthus micranthus (Linn.) sourced from five different host trees","volume":"95","author":"Osadebe","year":"2004","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_6","first-page":"273712","article-title":"Loranthus micranthus Linn.: Biological Activities and Phytochemistry","volume":"2013","author":"Hajrezaei","year":"2013","journal-title":"Evidence-Based Complement. Altern. Med."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9","DOI":"10.9734\/ijbcrr\/2020\/v29i330175","article-title":"Toxicological Study of Leaf Extracts of Loranthus micranthus Linn Using Albino Wistar Rats","volume":"29","author":"Nnenna","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. J. Biochem. Res."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"PE26","DOI":"10.1055\/s-0033-1352045","article-title":"Analysis of extracts of eastern Ngeria Mistletoe, Loranthus micranthus Linn. (Loranthaceae), parasitic on Kola acuminata and Garcinia kola revealed presence of osteogenic compounds","volume":"79","author":"Omeje","year":"2013","journal-title":"Planta Medica"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"643","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2013.11.029","article-title":"Analysis of constituents of the eastern Nigeria mistletoe, Loranthus micranthus linn revealed presence of new classes of osteogenic compounds","volume":"151","author":"Omeje","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_10","first-page":"25","article-title":"Effects of Viscum album (mistletoe) from three host plants (cocoa, kola and coffee) on semen quality of wistar albino rats","volume":"2","author":"Ojezele","year":"2017","journal-title":"Chem. Int."},{"key":"ref_11","first-page":"147","article-title":"Nigeria-South Africa Rivalry in Quest for regional power status: From material potential to unsecurity Council membership","volume":"20","author":"Ikponmwonsa","year":"2020","journal-title":"\u0412\u0435\u0441m\u043du\u043a Poccu\u0439c\u043ao\u0433o y\u043du\u0432epcumema \u0434py\u0436\u0431\u044b \u043dapo\u0434o\u0432. \u0421epu\u044f Me\u0436\u0434y\u043dapo\u0434\u043d\u044be om\u043do\u0448e\u043du\u044f"},{"key":"ref_12","first-page":"162","article-title":"Spectrum of biological properties of cinchona alkaloids: A brief review","volume":"6","author":"Gurung","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Pharmacogn. Phytochem."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mapfumari, S., Nogbou, N.D., Musyoki, A., Gololo, S., Mothibe, M., and Bassey, K. (2022). Phytochemical Screening, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties of Extracts of Viscum continuum E. Mey. Ex Sprague, a South African Mistletoe. Plants, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/plants11162094"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Li, G., Ding, K., Qiao, Y., Zhang, L., Zheng, L., Pan, T., and Zhang, L. (2020). Flavonoids regulate inflammation and oxidative stress in cancer. Molecules, 25.","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules25235628"},{"key":"ref_15","first-page":"794930","article-title":"Evaluating the cancer therapeutic potential of cardiac glycosides","volume":"2014","author":"Orta","year":"2014","journal-title":"BioMed Res. Int."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"475","DOI":"10.1097\/00001813-200106000-00009","article-title":"Cytotoxicity of digitoxin and related cardiac glycosides in human tumor cells","volume":"12","author":"Johansson","year":"2001","journal-title":"Anti-Cancer Drugs"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3481","DOI":"10.2147\/DMSO.S270564","article-title":"Consumption of cooked common beans or saponins could reduce the risk of diabetic complications","volume":"13","author":"Corona","year":"2020","journal-title":"Diabetes Metab. Syndr. Obes."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.5530\/ax.2012.2.2.1","article-title":"Wound healing and antioxidant properties: Do they coexist in plants?","volume":"2","author":"Akkol","year":"2012","journal-title":"Free. Radic. Antioxid."},{"key":"ref_19","first-page":"129","article-title":"Persimmon (Diospyros kaki): Apple of the Orient: A Review","volume":"10","author":"Pachisia","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. J. Health Sci. Res."},{"key":"ref_20","first-page":"978-3","article-title":"Therapeutic and medicinal uses of terpenes. Medicinal plants: From farm to pharmacy","volume":"10","author":"Ramadoss","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Med. Plants"},{"key":"ref_21","first-page":"79","article-title":"Bioassay-guided evaluation of the antibacterial activity of Loranthus species of the African mistletoe","volume":"4","author":"Ukwueze","year":"2013","journal-title":"Int. J. Pharm. Biomed."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7836823","DOI":"10.1155\/2016\/7836823","article-title":"A 70% ethanol extract of mistletoe rich in Betulin, betulinic acid, and Oleanolic acid potentiated \u03b2-cell function and mass and enhanced hepatic insulin sensitivity","volume":"2016","author":"Ko","year":"2016","journal-title":"Evid.-Based Complement. Altern. Med."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"812","DOI":"10.1016\/j.indcrop.2016.09.056","article-title":"Research advances for the extraction, analysis and uses of anthraquinones: A review","volume":"94","author":"Duval","year":"2016","journal-title":"Ind. Crops Prod."},{"key":"ref_24","first-page":"303","article-title":"Phytochemical Analysis of Loranthus micranthus Extracts and Their in Vitro Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities","volume":"4","author":"Govindappa","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Biol. Act. Prod. Nat."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"8866382","DOI":"10.1155\/2020\/8866382","article-title":"Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel Zn (II) and Cd (II) Schiff Complexes as antimicrobial, antifungal, and antioxidant agents","volume":"2020","author":"Aljahdali","year":"2020","journal-title":"Bioinorg. Chem. Appl."},{"key":"ref_26","first-page":"815","article-title":"TLC bioautography guided identification of antioxidant and antibacterial activity of various extracts of Punica granatum","volume":"8","author":"Samrot","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Chem. Pharm. Res."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1155\/2019\/2125070","article-title":"A review of the science of colorful, plant-based food and practical strategies for \u201ceating the rainbow\u201d","volume":"2019","author":"Minich","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Nutr. Metab."},{"key":"ref_28","first-page":"44","article-title":"Effects of separation on the phytochemical properties and antimicrobial activity of extracts and a fraction of the African Mistletoe (Loranthus micranthus Linn) leaves","volume":"3","author":"Nwankwo","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Nat. Sci. Res."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/S0189-7241(15)30070-9","article-title":"Evaluation of Chemical Properties of Mistletoe Leaves from Three Different Trees (Avocado, African Oil Bean and Kola)","volume":"31","author":"Ishiwu","year":"2013","journal-title":"Niger. Food J."},{"key":"ref_30","first-page":"7","article-title":"Phytochemical Analysis of Methanolic Extract of Mistletoe Leaf","volume":"5","author":"Tabe","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int. J. Adv. Res. Chem. Sci."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"45","DOI":"10.1016\/S0165-022X(02)00091-X","article-title":"The detection of radical scavenging compounds in crude extract of borage (Borago officinalis L.) by using an on-line HPLC-DPPH method","volume":"53","author":"Bandonien","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. Biochem. Biophys. Methods"},{"key":"ref_32","unstructured":"Harborne, J.B. (1973). Phytochemical Methods, Springer."},{"key":"ref_33","unstructured":"Sofowora, A. (1993). Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicinal in Africa, Spectrum Books Ltd.. [2nd ed.]."},{"key":"ref_34","unstructured":"Evans, W.C. (2002). Trease and Evans Pharmacognosy, Sanders Co., Ltd.. [15th ed.]."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"685","DOI":"10.5897\/AJB2005.000-3127","article-title":"Phytochemical constituents of some Nigerian medicinal plants","volume":"4","author":"Edeoga","year":"2005","journal-title":"Afr. J. Biotechnol."},{"key":"ref_36","first-page":"1","article-title":"Ueber cholesterin","volume":"1","author":"Salkowski","year":"1871","journal-title":"Z. Phys. Chem. (N F)"},{"key":"ref_37","first-page":"907","article-title":"Die kupterprobe aat Gallensaure im Harn [The copper test for acids in urin]","volume":"12","author":"Keller","year":"1993","journal-title":"Linische Wochenschr."}],"container-title":["Plants"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2223-7747\/12\/10\/2016\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T19:37:25Z","timestamp":1760125045000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2223-7747\/12\/10\/2016"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,18]]},"references-count":37,"journal-issue":{"issue":"10","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,5]]}},"alternative-id":["plants12102016"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/plants12102016","relation":{},"ISSN":["2223-7747"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2223-7747","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,18]]}}}