Brahmadeo Dewprashad, Kwame Amin, Maria Greene, Latifa Hadir, Richard Hendriks, Anthony Bradford, Joel Moroccho, Vishnu Tiwari and Sheuli Zakia
Department of Science, BMCC/City University of New York, USA
In the Caribbean, there is a tradition of reliance on herbal remedies for acute and/or chronic medical conditions and immigrants from these countries have continued this practice. This presentation will discuss the results of an evaluation of the efficacy and safety of some of the commonly used herbal medications in the Caribbean immigrant community in New York City. The presentation will discuss the conditions for which they are used, and the results of our investigation of possible scientific basis for their purported efficacy and safety.
An extract from Manihot esculenta is used to flavor and preserve cooked meat. Our investigation found that the extract was active against both gram-positive and gram-negative organisms and that it does prevent bacterial and fungal growth on cooked meat, but that its use has likely safety concerns. Extracts from Doliocarpus brevipedicellatus are used as stimulants and as treatment for ED. We found that the plant has stimulant properties and that it does increase the rate of blood vessel pulsation in blackworms, similar to the effect of yohimbine. In addition, the results of identification of its major chemical constituent and toxicity studies on brine shrimp will be presented. An extract from the bark of Columbrina arborescens is used to lower blood pressure. The results of our investigation on its effect of the blood vessel pulsation rate of blackworms will be presented. In addition, the results of the chemical analysis of various barks that are sold as “bitters” and used to treat a variety of conditions, will be presented.