Table 1. Traditional herbal medicine reported for treatment of ageing diseases.
No.
Plant species
Plant family
Voucher
No.
Part used
Collection site
1
Adhatoda vasica Nees
Acanthaceae
STDF-1
Aerial parts El-Orman garden ‫ادهاتودا‬
2
Aloe vera (L.)
Aloaceae
STDF-2
Dried juice
3
Anacyclus pyrethrum L.
Asteraceae
STDF-5
Roots
El-Orman garden ‫ص ِبر‬
َ
Herbal shop
‫عاق ُِرقَرْ حا‬
4
Boswellia sacra Flueck.
Burseraceae
STDF-6
Gum
Oman
‫ُك ْندُر‬
5
Brassica rapa ssp rapa
Brassicaceae
STDF-8
Root
Local market
‫ش َْلجَم‬
6
Brassica nigra L.
Brassicaceae
STDF-9
Seeds
Herbal shop
‫َخرْ دَل‬
7
Emblica officinalis Gaertn
Euphorbiaceae
STDF-10
Fruits
El-Fayom
‫أملَج‬
8
Ferula assafoetida Boiss. & Buhse
Apiaceae
STDF-12
Gum
Iran
‫حِ ْلتِيت‬
9
Melilotus officinalis (L.) Pall.
Fabaceae
STDF-13
Aerial parts Orman garden
‫َح ْندَقُ َوقي‬
10
Cassia fistula L.
Fabaceae
STDF-14
Fruits
Orman garden
‫ش ْنبَر‬
َ ‫خِ يار‬
11
Nerium oleander L.
Apocynaceae
STDF-15
Leaves
Orman garden
‫د ِْفلَي‬
12
Nigella sativa L.
Ranunculaceae
STDF-16
Seeds
Herbal shop
‫شُوْ نِيز‬
13
Peganum harmala L.
Zygophyllaceae
STDF-21
Seeds
South Sinai
‫حَرْ مل‬
14
Piper nigrum L.
Piperaceae
STDF-22
Seeds
Herbal shop
‫فلفل اسود‬
15
Rheum palmatum L.
Polygonaceae
STDF-23
Stem
Herbal shop
‫او ْند‬
َ ‫َر‬
16
Rosmarinus officinalis L.
Lamiaceae
STDF-24
Aerial parts Orman garden
‫إكليل الملك‬
17
Ruta graveolens L.
Rutaceae
STDF-25
Leaves
‫سذب‬
18
Salvia triloba L.
Lamiaceae
STDF-26
Aerial parts Sinai (El-A`rish) ‫مرمرية‬
19
Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merrill &
Perry
Myrtaceae
STDF-27
Pud
Herbal shop
‫قَ َر ْنفُل‬
20
Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) Wight &
Arn.
Combretaceae
STDF-28
Fruits
El-Fayom
‫هليلج أسود‬
21
Terminalia chebula Retz.
Combretaceae
STDF-29
Fruits
El-Giza
‫هليلج أصفر‬
22
Teucrium polium L.
Lamiaceae
STDF-30
Aerial parts South Sinai
‫جعده‬
23
Zingiber officinale Roscoe
Zingeberaceae
STDF-31
Rhizome
‫زنجبيل ابيض‬
Local market
Local market
(Mepaco)
Arabic
name
Table 2. Anti-ageing traditional uses of Egyptian herbal medicines.
No.
Plant species
Traditional uses
1
A. vasica
No traditional claims in Egyptian medicine.
2
A. vera
Topically for the remedy of various skin disorders, cleanses the head and other body organs from toxins, improves
mental capacity, benefits vitality, cure incontinence, anti-depressant [12]. Used by pharaohs for soothing chest
pains and the remedy of headaches, skin diseases and allergies, [21]
3
A. pyrethrum
Nerve tonic, aphrodisiac, increase the blood circulation in the head, remedy for paralysis and epileptic individuals
from toxins in their heads [12].
4
B. sacra
Anti-depressant, enhances and increases mental capacity, removes mucus, sharpens the mind, and cure frequently
forgetfulness, [12]. Strengthens the stomach weakness, Stimulate hair growth with mushrooms [14]. Boswellia sp.
was used by ancient Egyptians for the remedy of headaches and rheumatism, eczema, joint pain and remove facial
wrinkles [21].
5
B. rapa ssp.
rapa
Aphrodisiac, anti-ageing, increases semen, the remedy of dyspepsia and hearing disorders, as appetizer and it is of
great nutrient value [12].
6
B. nigra
Anti-ageing, enhances blood circulation in the head, relieves joints inflammation and chronic pain, strengthens the
vitality, increases semen, sharpens the sight, and removes numb [21]. Aphrodisiac, removes chronic cough and
thick sputum, the remedy of asthma, joints disorders, shaking and chest pain [11]. Cuts the phlegm and improves
color of the skin face, relieves joints pain, and restorative for sexual desire [13, 14]. The Pharaohs used mustard to
ameliorate muscle and joint aches and relieve chest pains [21].
7
E. officinalis
Improves memory and sight, strengthens the hair and keeps it dark, enhances “feel good” sensation and therefore
benefits the mind and memory, stimulant, restoratives for all organs [21].
8
F. assafoetida
Stimulant, strong aphrodisiac, strong nerve tonic, relieves on-going mental and physical fatigue, joints
inflammation, depression and sadness [12]. Treat weakness of sexual desire and nerves [11].
9
M. officinalis
Aphrodisiacs, relieves joints pain, softens and soothes the skin [12].
10
C. fistula
Strengthens the body, used as ointment for gout and arthritis, relieves constipation and skin disorders, safes laxative
even of pregnant and children, cleanses the body from toxins [12]. Removes bad phlegm, cleansing the brain and
chest [11]. Relieves nerve and joints inflammations [13, 14].
11
N. oleander
Highly toxic, remedy of psoriasis and with caution memory, relieves knee and back aches [12].
12
N. sativa
Stimulant, memory activator, purgative, resolvent, tonic, relieves head chronic pain, skin and hair disorders,
considered as adaptogen [12].
13
P. harmala
Hallucinogenic, sexual disorders, epilepsy, mental and nervous illnesses, removes toxins from the body, benefits
the brain and the body from cold related diseases, improves skin color, relieves joints inflammation [12]. Cure
headaches, strokes, numbness, epilepsy, abdominal cramps, dropsy and forgetfulness, improves skin color [11].
14
P. nigrum
Stimulant, appetizer, improves blood circulation, skin color, benefits memory and sharpen the mind, aphrodisiac,
relaxant, relieves strokes [12]. Sharpen the mind and stimulates sexual desire [11]. Piper sp. (Piper cubeba) used
by pharaohs against different type of infections and for headaches relieve [21].
15
R. palmatum
Anti-ageing, appetizer, in small doses; tonic for dyspepsia, breaks up congealed blood, relieves abdominal pain,
improves memory, maintains healthy mind [12].
16
R. officinalis.
Sharpen the mind, anti-depressant, remedy of nervousness, anxiety, headaches, hair disorders, weak circulation,
vertigo, poor memory, poor appetite, cold extremities and rheumatoid arthritis [11, 12].
17
R. graveolens
Strength memory, relieves of strokes, tremors, convulsion and epilepsy, the remedy of chest and joints pains,
sharpens sights [12].
18
S. triloba
Anti-inflammatory, nerve tonic, improves the memory [11].
19
S. aromaticum
General tonic and stimulant, improves memory [12]. Strengthens and cleanses brain, improves sexual desire,
sensory stimulant, anti-depressant, expectorant of phlegm [11].
20
T. arjuna
21
T. chebula
Highly recommended for ageing diseases, restoration of skin, hair color and mentality, strengthens the nerve,
improves memory and brain function, keeps the brain young and healthy, regular use improves the skin color, and
prevents graying [12]. Strengthens the senses and the brain and improves memory, prevents gray hair if it is taken
daily [11, 13].
22
T. polium
Improves mental performance, and concentration, benefits from forgetfulness and black jaundice [12].
23
Z. officinale
Improves blood circulation and sharpens memory, remedy of joints inflammations, increases semen, removes colds
from the head and throat and if chewed with mastic it removes toxins from head [11 - 13].
Table 3. Biological activities of Egyptian herbal medicines against different bioassays related to AD.
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
Plant species
A.vasica
A. vera.
A. pyrethrum L.
B. sacra
B. alba
B. nigra.
E. officinalis
F. assafoetida
M. officinalis
C. fistula.
N. oleander.
N. sativa.
P. harmala.
P. nigrum.
R. palmatum .
R. officinalis.
R. graveolens.
S. triloba.
S. aromaticum
T. arjuna
T. chebula
T. polium
Z. officinalis
Galanthamine
Indomethancin
ACHEa
86.0
21.0
-46.0
16.0
19.0
3.0
-49.0
-16.0
5.0
92.0
34.0
-20.0
10.0
8.0
47.0
-10.0
13.0
16.0
-45.0
n/a
n/a
% inhibition
COX-1b
15.1 ± 5.7
52.3± 2.1
10.9 ± 1.6
96.7 ± 1.3
19.2 ± 4.8
55.4 ± 8.8
11 ± 5.4
80.3 ± 0.9
68.2 ± 3.1
n/a
n/a
DPPHb
19.0
31.0
90.0
8.0
24.0
42.0
97.0
17.0
6.0
66.0
60.0
19.0
41.0
30.0
95.0
82.0
69.0
93.0
89.0
96.0
95.0
51.0
47.0
n/a
n/a
ACHE
294
N.D
N.D
N.D
N.D
N.D
N.D
N.D
N.D
N.D
N.D
68
N.D
N.D
N.D
N.D
N.D
N.D
N.D
N.D
N.D
N.D
9.4
n/a
IC50 (µg/ml)
COX-1
N.D
N.D
N.D
N.D
N.D
N.D
N.D
3.2
N.D
N.D
N.D
N.D
N.D
N.D
N.D
N.D
N.D
N.D
34.9
N.D
N.D
N.D
33.6
n/a
0.61
DPPH
>100
>100
26.3
>100
>100
>100
6.3
>100
>100
75.0
64.5
>100
>100
>100
14.2
19.4
61.0
20.7
15.9
3.1
2.2
96.4
>100
n/a
n/a
Reference DPPH scavengers:
t-BHQ
Gallic acid
Quercetin
aat
1000 g/ml, bat 100 g/ml, N.D = not detected, n/a=not applicable
2.8
1.2
4.5