Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
THE PROBLEM
a large family of dicotyledons, with about 300 genera and over 5,000 species. Here in
gatas in some provinces. It is also known as Asthma weed or Snake weed in the United
States. The plants of 3 different species share Phoretic variations, these plants are:
(1) Mutha (Cyperus rotundus), (2) Gatas-gatas (Euphorbia hirta) and (3) Botoncillo
(Gomphena globosa).
A simple weed scattered in sunny lawns, waste places and open grasslands. It is
pantropic in distribution.
The plant is an annual, hairy herb, usually branched from the base, spreading
up to 40 cm long. The stem is slender and often reddish and purplish in color, covered
with yellowish bristly hairs especially in younger parts. The leaves are oppositely
and blotched with purple in the middle. In the axils appear numerous involucres,
purplish or greenish, dense, axillary, short stalk clusters or crowded cymes, about 1
mm long. The capsules are broadly ovoid, hairy, three-angled, about 1.5 cm. The small
stem and the leaves produce white or milky juice when cut.
In some parts of Africa, extract of the plant are used in the treatment of asthma
and respiratory tract inflammations. The plant contains relatively abundant white latex.
The white latex is capable of causing dermatitis. The plant shows antibiotic activity.
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Upon reading some medical research studies on Euphorbia hirta revealed that the
plant is very popular amongst its specie; Euphorbia hirta as an herbal medicinal plant
has been presumed to possess therapeutic virtues, thus there is a need to determine
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CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter presents related concepts on the risk factors and daily practices
prevention and control are presented to provide basis that these factors contribute
significantly to the occurrence of disease. The effects of Tawa-Tawa were cited in the
study on MIC, Agar Diffusion, and Animal Inoculation Assays to identify their possible
Medicinal Plants
Medicinal plants are a source of great economic value in the Philippine Island.
Nature has bestowed on us a very rich botanical wealth and a large number of
diverse types of plants grow in different parts of the country. Philippines is rich in all
the 3 levels of biodiversity, namely; species, genetic diversity and habitat diversity.
In Philippines, thousands of species are known to have medicinal value and the
use of different parts of several medicinal plants to cure specific ailments has been in
vogue since ancient times. Herbal medicine is still the mainstay of about 75-80% of
the whole population, mainly in developing countries, for primary health care because
of better cultural acceptability, better compatibility with the human body and fewer side
effects. However, the last few years have seen a major increase in their use in the
developed world.
disease. In addition to this problem, antibiotics are sometimes associated with adverse
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effects on the host including hypersensitivity, immune-suppression and allergic
reactions. This situation forced scientists to search for new antimicrobial substances.
there is a constant need for new and effective therapeutic agents. Therefore, there is
diseases from medicinal plants and random screenin of active plants for active
chemicals is important.
white or brown. The stem is round, solid, hairy, with abundant milk sap. Stipules are
present. The leaves are simple, not lobed or divided, opposite, sessile or stalked,
elliptic, less than 2 cm long/wide, hairy on both sides, denser pilosity along the veins
in the lower face, more scattered on the upper side; leaf base asymmetric, margin
finely dentate, apex acute, base acute, 3-veined not to the top. Flowers are unisexual,
solitary or grouped together in an axillary cyme, stalked, and petals are absent.
Medicinal Uses
Euphorbia hirta has traditionally been used in Asia to treat bronchitic asthma
and laryngeal spasm, though in modern herbalism it is more used in the treatment of
intestinal amoebic dysentery. It should not be used without expert guidance, however,
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The aerial parts of the plant are harvested when in flower during the summer
and can be dried for later use. The stem, which is taken internally, is famed as a
treatment for asthma, bronchitis and various other lung complaints. The herb relaxes
the bronchioles but apparently depresses the heart and general respiration. It is
usually used in combination with other anti-asthma herbs such as Grindelia camporum
The whole plant is decocted and used in the treatment of athlete's foot, dysentery,
enteritis and skin conditions. It has been used in the treatment of syphilis.
The sap is applied to warts in order to destroy them. The treatment needs to be
Cultivation details
sunny position. It is not very tolerant of frost, though it can probably be grown
of this genus. The ripe seed is released explosively from the seed capsules. Members
of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits. This genus has
been singled out as a potential source of latex (for making rubber) for the temperate
Propagation
Germination usually takes place within 2 - 3 weeks at 20°c. It might be best to sow the
seed in a cool greenhouse in early March. When they are large enough to handle,
prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant out the seedlings in late May. This
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CHAPTER 3
RESEARCH METHODS
RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT
The results of the research holds true only during the time the research was
done. Any modifications and further study maybe conducted to obtain more accurate
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INSTRUMENTS
Fresh roots of Euhorbia hirta (tawa-tawa) were collected within the campus of
Cordero, a B.S. Agriculture major in Agronomy. The fresh roots were air-dried and cut
finely into pieces. One hundred grams (100g) of the finely cut roots were weighed into
1000ml of distilled water in a beaker. This was boiled using Bunsen burner, and then
allowed to evaporate and reduced half of the volume of the distilled water (500ml),
stirred from time to time. The 500ml solution, which is the concentrated one, is cooled
to 40˚C and filtered using Whatman filter paper into 500ml volumetric flask. The filtrate
was sterilized using autoclave. Figure1 illustrates the schematic presentation of the
Broth and agar cultures of the test organism (Staphylococcus aureus) were
prepared 24 hours before the procedure was commenced. The microorganism is from
Direct laboratory method was used to grow bacteria on Luria Agar Slant.
Peptone, yeast, NaCl, and agar are all the ingredients that were weighed and
computed by ratio and proportion to make a Luria Agar Slant. Table 1 shows the
components of Luria agar. In 1000 ml distilled water, all ingredients were mixed and
diluted in appropriate amount of distilled water in an Erlenmeyer flask with cotton plug,
and then placed the media into the water bath for heating until clear. The media is then
sterilized at 115 psi for 15 minutes, and allowed to cool to 40˚C before dispensing it to
sterile test tubes with cotton plugs and allowed to satisfy in a slant manner. The agar
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slant was cultivated by using Staphylococcus aureus and was streaked into the agar
slant aseptically. The Luria agar with the culture was incubated for 18-24 hours at
room temperature and good for 72 hours consumption. Figure 2 illustrates schematic
Luria broth to used as working culture, same ingredients were used with the same
ratio and proportion as to the composition of Luria agar except for the agar. All
ingredients were weighed and computed as well, mixed and diluted in distilled water
in an Erlenmeyer flask with cotton plug. The solution was heated in a water bath until
clear, sterilized at 115 psi for 15minutes, allowed to cool to 40˚C a loopfull of inoculum
from the Luria agar slant was taken and was aseptically transferred to the Luria broth.
The Luria broth with the culture was incubated at room temperature for 18-24 hours
Experimental methodology
The materials and methods for this study are divided into three experiments.
The first experiment is the establishment of MIC, which investigates the inhibition of
the tawa-tawa, against Staphylococcus aureus. The last experiment investigates the
effect of tawa-tawa to the platelet count of mice using albino mice as the model
species.
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CHAPTER 4
DATA ANALYSIS
This chapter presents the data collected using the research methodology, and
the analysis and interpretation of data using the prescribed statistical tool for the
experiment design.
The first experiment investigates the highest concentration of the extract that does
not produce significant reversion on the test organism- Staphylococcus aureus. Table
1: Shows the MIC of the Euphorbia hirta extract against Staphylococcus aureus.
With 3 trials in every 10 serial dilutions used per trial for this experiment, in
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The antibacterial screening of the extract was established using the cap
cylinder method with the test isolates- Staphylococcus aureus where 90% of the
concentration were used for the test control. The results show that the extract did not
Streptomycin was used for the ( + ) control and showed zone of growth inhibition of 3.59 mm
in circumference as a total mean value of the 3 trials, in triplicates, was exhibited. Table 2:
shows the zones of inhibition for the 3 trials.
Sensitivity
A. 4.0 0 0 0
B. 3.8 0 0 0
C. 3.4 0 0 0
Sensitivity
Second trial Streptomycin Distilled water T1 T2
A. 4.0 0 0 0
B. 3.0 0 0 0
C. 3.5 0 0 0
Sensitivity
Third trial Streptomycin Distilled water T1 T2
A. 3.5 0 0 0
B. 3.7 0 0 0
C. 3.4 0 0 0
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The results of the platelet count analysis of the blood samples of mice
general, although the values obtained for platelet count in determining the effects of
(α=0.05) from the values obtained from the control for this parameter.
For the values obtained from the mice before treatment of aspirin and extract,
there was no significant difference from those mice treated from control. But there was
significant difference from the value obtained from those mice treated with other
administering aspirin and the increase in platelet count after administering tawa-tawa
extract at different concentrations plus a control of which distilled water was used.
Concentrations of Extract, before taking Aspirin and tawa-tawa Extract, After Aspirin
Table 3
Platelet Count Analysis
Tail Blue 57 40 36
Total mean 96 42 32
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Concentration of Before Aspirin After Aspirin After Tawa-tawa
Extract and Tawa-tawa
Total mean 98 26 56
Total mean 80 27 63
plus a control were used in order to know the test concentration lethal to the Albino
mice. This experiment yields the survival/ mortality curve for Albino mice, as well as
the test solutions median lethal concentration. Table 4: Shows the result of mortality
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Table 4
Result of mortality exhibited after 24 hours of exposure to the extract
this concentration that lethal effects of the extract on Albino mice survival after
With ten mice used per treatment for this experiment, in triplicates, the number
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CHAPTER 5
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
CONCLUSION
Using the statistical analysis of the data, these are the results of the study:
2. Crude extract concoction of Tawa- Tawa roots does not posses any anti-
concentration.
concoction of Tawa- Tawa roots, thus does not affect the platelet count.
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Further testing of the test substance should be made, this time utilizing
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3. Conduct a research by using the other parts of Euphorbia hirta to be
by Euphorbia hirta.
REFERENCES
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- Daniel D Price, MD. (1998). Dangerous Medicine.
- http://www.fau.edu/research/ovs/VetData/mouse.php. Handling Techniques.
- http://www.fau.edu/research/ovs/VetData/mouse.php. Physiological and
General Data of Albino Mouse, Husbandry.
- Clinical Hematology, Principles, Procedures, Correlations. Thrombocytopenia.
- www.eMedicine.com. Dengue fever.
- Akujobi et al. (2004). Euphorbia hirta inhibits the growth of various
microorganisms.
- Chanda S., Turk J Biol. (2005). Crude extract of Euphorbia hirta was inactive
against the gram-positive bacteria.
- Braude. (1982). No growth exhibited by the extract against Staphylococcus
aureus.
- Singleton. (1999). Staphylococcus aureus produces the enzyme penicillinase.
- Igoli et al. (2005). Euphorbia hirta is commonly used traditionally in the
production of platelet count.
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