Sudanese folk medicine represents a unique blend of indigenous cultures with Islamic, Arabic and African traditions. In addition, Sudan encompasses different terrains and climatic zones, ranging from desert and semi-desert in the north to equatorial with a short rainy season(semi-aridand semi-humid) in the centre to equatorial with a long rainy season(arid-humid and equatorialhumid) in the south. This variation contributes to the immense diversity of vegetation in the region. The flora of Sudan consists of 3137 species of flowering plants belonging to 170 families and 1280 genera. It is estimated that 15% of these plants are endemic to Sudan. The intersection of diverse cultures and the unique geography holds great potential for Sudanese herbal medicine. Medicinal and aromatic plants and their derivatives represent an integral part of life in Sudan. Indigenous remedies are the only form of therapy available to the majority of poor people. It has been estimated that only 11% of the population has access to formal health care. Therefore, research on the desired pharmacological effects and possible unwanted side effects or toxicity is required to improve efficacy and safety of Sudanese herbal medicine. In the future, it would be preferable to promote the use of traditional herbal remedies by conversion of raw plant material into more sophisticated products instead of completely replacing the traditional remedies with synthetic products from industrialized countries. The present review gives an overview of traditional Sudanese medicinal and aromatic herbs and their habitats, traditional uses, and phytochemical constituents.

Multiple drug resistant(MDR) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) have become increasingly prevalent as a community acquired infection. As a result limited treatment options are available with conventional synthetic antibiotics. Bioprospecting natural products with potent antimicrobial activity show promise for developing new drugs against this pathogen. In this study, we have investigated the antimicrobial activity of a purple violet pigment(PVP) from an Antarctic bacterium, Janthinobacterium sp. Ant5-2 on 15 clinical MDR and MRSA strains. The colorimetric resazurin assay was employed to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC₉₀) of PVP against MDR and MRSA. The MIC₉₀ ranged between 1.57 μg/mL and 3.13 μg/mL, which are significantly lower than many antimicrobials tested from natural sources against this pathogen. The spectrophotometrically determined growth analysis and total microscopic counts using Live/dead® BacLight^TM fluorescent stain exhibited a steady decrease in viability of both MDR and MRSA cultures following treatment with PVP at the MIC levels. In silico predictive molecular docking study revealed that PVP could be a DNA-targeting minor groove binding antimicrobial compound. The continued development of novel antimicrobials derived from natural sources with the combination of a suite of conventional antibiotics could stem the rising pandemic of MDR and MRSA along with other deadly microbial pathogens.

A detailed chemical investigation of the red resins from Dracaena cochinchinensis(Chinese dragon's blood) yielded five new flavonoid oligomers, named cochinchinenins D-H(1-5), together with a known biflavonoid, cinnabarone(6), and a mixture of two known biflavonoids, socotrin-4'-ol(7) and homoisosocotrin-4'-ol(8). Of these new compounds, 1-3 were biflavonoids and 4 and 5 were triflavonoids. Their structures were determined on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. The isolated compounds were tested for cytotoxicity(Cdc25), antibacterial(PEPT) and antifungal(YNG) activities.

Three new azaphilone compounds, isochromophilones X-XII(1-3), together with two known ones sclerotioramine(4) and isochromophilone VI(5) were isolated from the cultures of an endophytic fungus Diaporthe sp. The structures were elucidated by extensive HRESIMS and NMR spectroscopic analyses. All compounds were tested for their cytotoxicities against five human cancer cell lines by MTT method, among which compound 1 showed moderate inhibitory effects on these cell lines. This was the first report of azaphilones isolated from Diaporthe sp.

Four new monoterpenoid indole alkaloids, alstrostines C-F together with thirteen known alkaloids were isolated from the leaves and twigs of Alstonia rostrata. All structures of new compounds were elucidated based on NMR, FTIR, UV, and MS spectroscopic data. Alstrostines C-E might originate from keto-enol tautomerism of preakummicine during biogenetic pathway of akummicine.

Six β-carboline alkaloids including three new ones, trifilines A-C(1-3) were isolated from Trigonostemon filipes, along with a new β-carboline alkaloid, trigonoine C(7) isolated from Trigonostemon lii. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic techniques. Trifilines A(1) and B(2) showed weak anti-HIV-1 activity with EC₅₀ values of 54.61 μg/mL and 9.75 μg/mL, along with TI(Therapeutic index) values of 1.52 and 1.42, respectively. This is the first time to report the chemical constituents of Trigonostemon filipes.

Two novel fomannosane-type sesquiterpenoids, agrocybins H(1) and I(2), together with a known compound illudosin(3), were isolated from the culture broth of the mushroom Agrocybe salicacola. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis. The relative stereochemistry of 1 was determined by the use of single crystal X-ray crystallographic diffraction.

Three new sesquilignans, 1-3, a new sesquiterpenoid, 4, and three known compounds were isolated from the stem barks of Illicium simonsii. The structures of new compounds(1-4) were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. A biosynthetic pathway was proposed for simonsienols A-C(1-3). Anti-AChE activity and anti-BuChE activity were evaluated for all compounds except for α-cadinol ethyl ether(4). As a result, isodunnianol(7) exhibited anti-AChE activity with an IC₅₀ value of 13.0 μM.