Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Phylum: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Myrtales
Family: Onagraceae
Ludwigia decurrens
Common name: Winged water primrose, wingleaf primrose-willow
Distribution: Central and Eastern United States, Africa, Europe, temperate
and tropical Asia
Habitat: Wet habitats
Description: It is an erect and perennial herb growing to a maximum height
of 2 m. The linear leaves are alternately arranged and the lowers are
with four or ive petals each.
Ludwigia abyssinica
Common name: Water primrose
Distribution: Tropical Africa, South Africa, Madagascar
Habitat: Swampy places
Description: It is a perennial herb growing to a maximum height of 3 m. Its
leaves are elliptic or lanceolate and the yellow lowers are in clusters.
Compounds and activities: The n-butanol extracts of leaves of these spe-
cies have alkaloids and tannins as bioactive compounds, which possess
antibacterial properties against
Escherichia coli
and
Staphylococcus
aureus
with a maximum zone of inhibition (32 mm).
The minimum
inhibitory concentrations (MICs) exhibited by this extract against the
said bacterial species range between 0.625 and 5.0 mg/ml. The killing
rates of minimum bacterial concentration (MBC) of n-butanol extract
of these species on
E. coli
and
S. aureus
were 99.3 and 98.2%, respec-
tively, in 120 min (Oyedeji et al.,
2011). These species are also used
in traditional medicines for the treatment of skin, gastrointestinal, and
bone joint disorders. While the leaf sap is used for pregnancy as an
antiabortifacient, the root is used as a vermifuge.
