James Ombega

Phytochemistry and Biological Activity of Hypericum Keniense Shweinf: Pharmacognostic, Antimicrobial, Brine Shrimp Lethality Test, Acute Toxicity and Chromatographic Studies James Ombega

The study of Hypericum revolutum subspecies keniense (Schweinf) of family Hypericaceae, hereafter referred as Hypericum keniense is crucial to validate folklore use. The objective of the study is to report on pharmacognostic and phytochemical investigations of the plant constituents, screen it for biological activity and its phytochemistry. The study and publication is meant to avail general information for all students who wich to work on medicinal plants. The findings show that the leaves, flowers, stem and stem bark contain saponins, tannins, cardiac glycosides, anthracene glycosides, flavonoids, volatile oils, coumarins and carotenoids but alkaloids and cyanogenic glycosides were absent. Extracts also are active against tested bacteria and fungal strains indicating that more activity is in the methanolic and aqueous extracts, LC50 values ranging from 100-5011 ?g/ml using brine shrimp lethality test. The extracts are safe used for a short period and betulinic acid is present in the plant and therefore more research is necessary for other claimed activities.