The anti-mycobacterial activity of Lantana camara a plant traditionally used to treat symptoms of tuberculosis .

Tuberculosis continues to be a devastating public health problem. Many communities in Uganda use medicinal plants to treat various infections, including respiratory tract infections. There are claims that some can treat tuberculosis. Verifying some of these claims could lead to discovery of lead compounds for development of a TB drug.

Plants have been a source of effective chemotherapeutic agents for various infectious diseases and there is a growing interest in the development of drugs of plant origin. Many communities in East Africa, in general, and Uganda in particular, traditionally use plants to treat various infections, including respiratory tract infections. There are claims that some can, actually, treat tuberculosis. Lantana camara is one of the plants claimed to treat tuberculosis6  and is widely used in some parts of South-western Uganda. L. camara is a shrub that belongs to the family of Verbanaceae. It is reported to have its origins in the tropics of the Americas but is now found in many African countries including some arid regions, and is widespread in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania after its introduction as ornamental plant about 300 years ago.7  It is highly invasive and currently occupies a large percentage of the vegetation cover wherever it was introduced. Its growth poses a threat to other biodiversity.

Chemical compounds isolated from extracts of leaves of L. camara are reported to have shown to exhibit antimicrobial, fungicidal, insecticidal and nematicidal activity.7  There are also reports that lantana compounds isolated from the extracts can be applied as weed killers and have been tested on the water hyacinth with some success.7 It is further reported that verbacoside, a compound isolated from lantana extract has been demonstrated to possess anti microbial immunosuppressive and anti tumour activities.7 Use of lantana oil in treatment of skin itches and as an antiseptic for wounds and externally for leprosy and scabies is also reported. 7 Use of lantana extracts in folk medicine for the treatment of cancers, chicken pox, measles, asthma, ulcers, swellings, eczema, tumors, high blood pressure, bilious fevers, catarrhal infections, tetanus, rheumatism, malaria and atoxy of abdominal viscera, is also reported.7 In this study we investigated the antimycobacterial activity of leaf extracts from L. camara .

 Plants have been a source of effective therapeutic agents for various diseases. Globally, there is a growing interest in the development of drugs of plant origin. Lantana camara (Family Verbenaceae)

common name lantana, is one of the plants known to have great therapeutic potential.

It is an erect or subscandent, vigorous shrub which can grow to about 2-3 m in height forming a dense thicket in a variety of environments. The leaf is simple, ovate or ovate oblong, and arranged oppositely along the stem. The leaves are bright green, rough, finely hairy, with serrate margins and emit a pungent odour when crushed. The flowers are in clusters consisting of numerous small tubular flowers.
These flower clusters are borne on stalks and can be in a wide variety of colours (white, cream, yellow, orange, red, pink, and purple) and are usually made up of three circles of florets with each one commonly of a different colour. The fruits are fleshy, ovoid, purple or black when fully ripe and about 5 mm long.

The stem bark of Lantana camara is astringent and used as a lotion in leprous ulcers and other skin eruptions. The freshly harvested leaves are boiled and applied externally to alleviate body swellings.
The leaves are aromatic with a minty taste, they have a cooling nature, are antiphlogistic (have potential to reduce inflammation), anti-dermatosic, diaphoretic, febrifuge, pectoral, stimulant, tonic, and vulnerary. An infusion of the leaves and flowering tops is used in the treatment of fevers, constipation, tuberculosis, and bronchitis. Furthermore, the leaves  are also used  to  treat  cuts, rheumatisms,  ulcers, catarrhal  infection,  tetanus,  malaria,  cancer, asthma,  swelling,  tumour, sores,  cold  and  high  blood  pressure. Combined with the leaves of Cymbopogon citratus, the leaves are used as an infusion to treat colds, high blood pressure and malarial fever. Externally, the leaves and stems are used as a wash to treat dermatitis, eczema, pruritus, measles and chickenpox rashes. They are applied as a poultice to treat sprains, wounds and contusions. As a douche, they are used to treat inflammations of the uterus.