Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
TYPES OF BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS FROM
FRESHWATER PLANTS AND THEIR ACTIVITIES
The bioactive compounds produced by different freshwater plants include glycosides,
glucosinolates, saponins, anthroquinone glycosides, lavonoids, proanthocyanidins,
tannins, mono- and sesquiterpenoids, phenyl propanoids, diterpenoids, tropane alka-
loids, pyrrolizadine alkaloids, isoquinoline alkaloids, methylxanthine alkaloids,
pseudoalkaloids, furocoumarines, naphthodianthrones, and proteins and peptides
(Wangchuk, 2004). The broad activities of these bioactive compounds vary from
antimicrobial and antiviral activity to cytotoxicity and immunomodulatory activ-
ity. The speciic activities of different bioactive compounds produced by freshwater
plants are given below:
1. Antimicrobial (antibacterial, antimycobacterial-antitubercular, and antifungal)
2. Antiprotozoal (antimalarial-antiplasmodial, antitrypanosomal, and
antileishmanial)
3. Antihelmentic (nematocidal)
4. Antiviral (antiretroviral and antiherpetic)
5. Anticancer (antitumor, antiproliferative, antileukemic, antineoplasmic, anti-
mitotic, and cytotoxic)
6. Antioxidant
7. Anti- inlammatory and analgesic
8. Antidiabetic, antidiuretic, diuretic, and uretic
9. Blood-related activities such as anticoagulant (anticlotting or antithrom-
botic), antiplatelet, platelet aggregation, hematopoietic, granulopoietic and
hypocholesterolemic (hypolipidemic)
10. Central nervous system (CNS)-related disorders such as antiepileptic
(anticonvulsant), anxiolytic (antianxiety, tranquilizing, and sedative),
and antiparkinsonian
11. Miscellaneous activities such as antihepatitis (hepatoprotective), anti-
pyretic, antiulcerogenic, protease inhibitor, etc.
Though considerable progress has been made in the isolation of bioactive com-
pounds from freshwater plants, constraints such as collection of pharmaceutical
freshwater plants and their identiication (freshwater bioprosecting) need to be miti-
gated through concerted efforts and advancements in research.
