Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Myrtales Family: Onagraceae
Common name: Red ludwigia, waterprimrose
Distribution: Central America, Northern America, Caribbean Islands
Habitat: Ditches, rivers, lakes, ponds
Description: It is an evergreen amphibious, polymorphic, mat-forming peren-
nial herb with a creeping stem of 30 cm length. The leaves are oppositely
arranged, and lowers are yellow with four petals each.
Compounds and activities: The methanolic extracts of this species have been
reported to possess sedative and analgesic activities. Further, the extracts of
this species may also have anxiolytic, sedative, or central nervous system-
depressant activities. The methanolic leaf extract of this species decreased
the locomotor activity of mice in hole cross, open-ield, and elevated-plus
maze tests. Further, the extract signiicantly minimized onset of sleep and
maximized the duration of sleeping time when administered with thiopen-
tal sodium. The extract further produced a signiicant (
p
< 0.05) reduction
of pain in all three models (Uddin et al., 2012).
NYMPHAEA ALBA
LINNAEUS
Phylum: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Nymphaeles
Family: Nymphaeceae
Common name: White water lily
Distribution: Europe, North Africa, Southwest Asia, India, China, Russia
Habitat: Large ponds, lakes
Description: This species grows in moderately deeper waters (0.5-1.5 m) and is
rooted in mud. The circular loating leaves, which measure 30 cm in diam-
eter, are dark green above and reddish below. The loating lowers are white.
Compounds and activities: The bioactive compounds isolated from this species
include gallic acid, tannic acid, alkaloids, sterols, lavonoids, glycosides,
hydrolyzable tannins, and high molecular weight polyphenolic compounds.
The ethanolic extracts of this plant possess anxiolytic properties and are
