Dracaena and Sansevieria in my publications
My work includes Dracaena trifasciata, which many earlier papers call Sansevieria trifasciata. Kew’s Plants of the World Online treats the latter as a synonym. I use both names so readers can follow the same species across current taxonomy and older research.
I have also coauthored a review of Dracaena angolensis, a species described as Sansevieria cylindrica in earlier literature. The review gathers published findings on its phytochemistry and biological activity; it does not establish clinical effectiveness.
How I study plant compounds
In our 2024 experimental study, we extracted D. trifasciata leaf material by sonication, first with chloroform and then with ethanol. We tested the extracts against Staphylococcus aureus, measured antioxidant activity with the DPPH assay, and analyzed their chemical profiles with GC-MS.
Extraction choice mattered in that experiment. The ethanol extract had a higher yield and stronger measured antibacterial activity, while the chloroform extract had a lower IC50 in the DPPH assay. GC-MS analysis reported 47 compounds in the chloroform extract and 49 in the ethanol extract. These are laboratory findings for the tested materials, not evidence that the plant treats human infection.
What the reviews add
Our review of D. trifasciata examines reported phytochemicals, traditional uses, and studies of biological activity. The D. angolensis review covers a related species. Both identify gaps in pharmacological and safety evidence that need more investigation.
The selected publications below link each research question to its paper, abstract, source, and citation files.