J Ethnopharmacol. 1997 Apr; 56(2): 117-21.

Biological studies of Bolax gummifera, a plant of the Falkland Islands used as a treatment of wounds.

Mongelli E, Desmarchelier C, Coussio J, Ciccia G.

Catedra de Microbiologia Industrial y Biotecnologia, Facultad de Farmacia v Bioquimica, Universidad de Buenas Aires, Argentina.

Aqueous and dichloromethane extracts of Bolax gummifera (Lam.) Sprengel (Apiaceae), a plant of the Falkland Islands used as a treatment of wounds, were studied in order to support the ethnopharmacological information related to the medicinal use of this plant. The antimicrobial, antioxidant and red blood cells membrane stabilizing activities were analyzed. The antimicrobial bioassay was carried out using the test turbidity method (OD 620 nm), the aqueous extract showing an 82% inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus but no activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The dichloromethane extract inhibited both microorganisms: S. aureus in 94% and P. aeruginosa in 32%. No antioxidant activity could be observed using hydroperoxide-initiated chemiluminescence in rat liver homogenates. Investigations into the membrane stabilizing activity of the extracts were carried out using human red blood cells subjected to hypotonic- and heat-induced lyses. The aqueous extract showed an important stabilizing activity of the red blood cell membrane.