Doña Aurora
CHAPTER 2
THE RESEARCH QUESTIONS
2.1. Review of the Literature
2.1.1. Taxonomical Classification
Kingdom: Plantae Subkingdom: Tracheobionta Superdivision: Spermatophyta Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Subclass: Asteridae Order: Rubiales Family: Rubiaceae Genus: Mussaenda L. Species: Mussaenda philippica A. Rich
2.1.2. Botanical Description
Doña Aurora (Mussaenda philippica A. Rich.), also known as the “Queen of the Philippines”, is a tropical ornamental plant, which belongs to the Rubiaceae family. It is cultivated for its showy habit, colourful scarlet, white or pink sepals and yellow petals. It has bushy shrub with white and pink variety that grows up to two meters …show more content…
Its leaves grow from four to six inches, which are often pubescent that is covered with short, fine hairs and prominently veined. Its small flowers are produced in terminal clusters which are composed of five fused petals that form a tubular orange-yellow corolla and five greatly enlarged sepals. The sepals are commonly mistaken as bracts, because of its leaf-like structure. It has small that grows into ¾ inches, fleshy, slightly elongated berry, and seed-containing fruits (Brown, 2012).
2.1.3. Economic Importance
Mussaenda philippica A.Rich. is exploited by humans in many ways. It is mainly used in the community as an ornamental plant where it is the source of income for some people (Olosunde, 2007). Traditionally, it is used by the local people as a treatment for dysentery, jaundice and snake bites (Kar, 2014). It also helps in curing stomach aches as well as, chest and lung infections (Stuartxchange.com, 2015).
The genus Mussaenda contains phytochemicals such as, iridoids, triterpenes and flavonoids, which can be a source of medicinal natural products. The species in which the largest number of compounds has been identified is Mussaenda pubescens. Some studies have described lesser known plants of the genus based on its cytotoxicity, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant and antibacterial …show more content…
Histopathological Studies
An article entitled “The neuropathological changes associated with normal brain aging”, examined the presence of neuropathological lesions in cerebral aging which are more significant in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It reviewed non-demented cases and compared them to mild cognitive impairment cases and Alzheimer’s cases. The study was based on the main pathological hallmarks of AD, which is often found in the brains of non-demented elderly individuals, the neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), senile plaques (SP) and synaptic loss.
Neurofibrillary tangles are accumulations and abnormal biochemical modification of components with the neuronal cytoskeleton. While senile plaques are composed of dystrophic neuritis and glial elements, with or without a central amyloid core. The researchers surveyed the autopsy series that included 1,144 non-demented cases from Geriatrics Hospital of the University of Geneva School of Medicine, Switzerland, coming from the decade
THE RESEARCH QUESTIONS
2.1. Review of the Literature
2.1.1. Taxonomical Classification
Kingdom: Plantae Subkingdom: Tracheobionta Superdivision: Spermatophyta Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Subclass: Asteridae Order: Rubiales Family: Rubiaceae Genus: Mussaenda L. Species: Mussaenda philippica A. Rich
2.1.2. Botanical Description
Doña Aurora (Mussaenda philippica A. Rich.), also known as the “Queen of the Philippines”, is a tropical ornamental plant, which belongs to the Rubiaceae family. It is cultivated for its showy habit, colourful scarlet, white or pink sepals and yellow petals. It has bushy shrub with white and pink variety that grows up to two meters …show more content…
Its leaves grow from four to six inches, which are often pubescent that is covered with short, fine hairs and prominently veined. Its small flowers are produced in terminal clusters which are composed of five fused petals that form a tubular orange-yellow corolla and five greatly enlarged sepals. The sepals are commonly mistaken as bracts, because of its leaf-like structure. It has small that grows into ¾ inches, fleshy, slightly elongated berry, and seed-containing fruits (Brown, 2012).
2.1.3. Economic Importance
Mussaenda philippica A.Rich. is exploited by humans in many ways. It is mainly used in the community as an ornamental plant where it is the source of income for some people (Olosunde, 2007). Traditionally, it is used by the local people as a treatment for dysentery, jaundice and snake bites (Kar, 2014). It also helps in curing stomach aches as well as, chest and lung infections (Stuartxchange.com, 2015).
The genus Mussaenda contains phytochemicals such as, iridoids, triterpenes and flavonoids, which can be a source of medicinal natural products. The species in which the largest number of compounds has been identified is Mussaenda pubescens. Some studies have described lesser known plants of the genus based on its cytotoxicity, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant and antibacterial …show more content…
Histopathological Studies
An article entitled “The neuropathological changes associated with normal brain aging”, examined the presence of neuropathological lesions in cerebral aging which are more significant in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It reviewed non-demented cases and compared them to mild cognitive impairment cases and Alzheimer’s cases. The study was based on the main pathological hallmarks of AD, which is often found in the brains of non-demented elderly individuals, the neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), senile plaques (SP) and synaptic loss.
Neurofibrillary tangles are accumulations and abnormal biochemical modification of components with the neuronal cytoskeleton. While senile plaques are composed of dystrophic neuritis and glial elements, with or without a central amyloid core. The researchers surveyed the autopsy series that included 1,144 non-demented cases from Geriatrics Hospital of the University of Geneva School of Medicine, Switzerland, coming from the decade