Phytomedicinal potential of tropical cloudforest plants from Monteverde, Costa Rica

Rev Biol Trop. 2003 Sep-Dec;51(3-4):647-73.

Abstract

A pharmacological survey of plants from Monteverde, Costa Rica, including 165 species representing 61 families has been carried out. Crude plant extracts have been tested for in-vitro bactericidal and fungicidal activity as well as cytotoxic and anti-herpes activity. Of these, 123 extracts exhibited notable cytotoxicity, 62 showed antibacterial activity, 4 showed antifungal activity, and 8 showed promising antiviral activity. Thus, 101 of the plant species examined in this work, or 62%, showed marked bioactivity in one or more bioassays. These results underscore the phytomedicinal potential of Neotropical cloud forests.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Infective Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / pharmacology*
  • Costa Rica
  • Cricetinae
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plants, Medicinal / chemistry
  • Plants, Medicinal / classification*
  • Trees

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Plant Extracts