Organic Chemistry: Current Research
Open Access

From ethnopharmacology to Green Chemistry: “Primum non nocere”

2^nd International Conference on Past and Present Research Systems of Green Chemistry

September 14-16, 2015 Orlando, USA

Na�?¯rouz Benzeggouta

University of M��?sila, Algeria

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: Organic Chem Curr Res

Abstract :

Ethnopharmacological principles are always present in the search of new treatment for the reason that itâ�?�?s an inexhaustible source of informations. It was, may be, Hippocratesâ�?�? idea who said one day: â�?�?Donâ�?�?t blush to borrow from people what may be useful in the art of healingâ�?. With green chemistry there is no exception in its fifth principle concerning â�?�?safer, non toxic and environmentally friendly solventsâ�? when using water or vegetable oils for plants extraction under different conditions of heating. â�?�?Herbal teasâ�? and â�?�?oily macerationsâ�? methods were the most used in traditional medicine and still to be favourable worldwide to treat many illnesses, especially with the return of natural healing. Within the search of new natural antibacterial agents, more powerful and less harmful, from Algerian ethnopharmacological knowledge, one methodology combining tradition - water as solvent - and modernity - using superheated technique- was used in comparison with herbal decoctions of clove buds, obtained extracts are called â�?�?totumâ�? or the whole chemical composition. Antibacterial activity was tested on resistant and multi-resistant clinically isolates. Results of superheated water extracts were remarkable compared to decoctions, with total inhibition of gram positive bacteria, and about 95% of inhibition of gram negative bacteria. The antibacterial effect was more bactericidal than bacteriostatic. The phytochemical screening indicates the presence of phenolics as major compounds in both extracts; however, the supercritical extract concentration of compounds is higher than decoction. Decoctions and superheated water extracts are less abundant than other green techniques in scientific literature, but they are confirming their efficiency. Green chemistry takes their origin from Ethnopharmacology and symbolizes a natural way of extracting medicines in its fifth principle, it really respects: â�?�?Primum non nocere, deinde curareâ�?.

Biography :

Email: nairouzb@gmail.com