Aflatoxins and Aflatoxicosis in Human and Animals

Abstract

The genus Ranunculus has been reviewed for distribution in the world, traditional uses, isolated chemical constituents and their pharmacological activities of some common species. Almost 600 species belong to the genus Ranunculus. It is distributed throughout the northern hemisphere and southern temperate regions in the tropic where they usually limited to higher altitude. The most common use of Ranunculus species in traditional medicines are anti-rheumatism, intermittent fever and rubefacient. The findings in some Ranunculus species of, for example, Protoanemonin (21), anemonin (3), may justify the uses of these species against fever, rheumatism and rubefacient in Asian traditional medicines. The aim of the present paper is to review the comprehensive knowledge of the plants of this genus including the traditional uses, chemical constituents and pharmacology.