Abstract: This study was conducted to evaluate occurrence of organochlorine pesticide residues in... more Abstract: This study was conducted to evaluate occurrence of organochlorine pesticide residues in Oreochromis niloticus fish reared by aquaculture in Kiambu and Machakos Counties. A total of 213 fish organ samples were analyzed for organochlorine pesticide residues from Kiambu and Machakos Counties in Kenya using gas-liquid chromatography. Overall, betahexachlorocyclohexane (BHC) group, the cyclodiens, aldrin, heptachlor, dieldrin, endrin and the Dichlodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) group of compounds were detected in fish samples. p,p′-DDT and its metabolite p,p′-DDD were detected in the muscle, liver and gonad and their concentration ranged between not detectable (ND) to 0.916 μg kg −1 for p,p′-DDT and ND to 1.684 μg kg −1 for p,p′-DDD. Brain had the highest concentration of DDT metabolites o, p′-DDT (2.098 ± 4.097 μg kg ). Organochlorine pesticide residues were generally higher in Kiambu County compared to Machakos County but there was no significant difference. The residue levels...
One of the immediate challenges that Africa is facing in the fight against malaria is spread of t... more One of the immediate challenges that Africa is facing in the fight against malaria is spread of the parasite s drug resistance. As a result of this trend, Kenya among other endemic sub-Saharan countries would have to turn to other more expensive drugs, for example artemisinin or combinations of drugs. 1 here is therefore an urgent need to step up research effort to develop effective drugs that are affordable to low income population. The objective of this study was to determine in vivo antimalarial effect on P. bergheiinfected mice and their acute toxicity using Brine shrimp lethality test, of five selected aqueous plant extracts, Azadirachta indica (L), Burm (Meliaceae) root bark extract, voucher specimen number JN08; Dichrostachys cinerea,(L) Wight et Am (Mimosaceae), root extract, JN16; Grewia trichocarpa Hochst ex A. Rich (Tiliaceae), root extract, JN022; Tamarindus indica L., (Caesalpiniaceae), stem bark extract, JN038; and Acacia seyal (Del), (Mimosaceae), root extract, JN01. ...
Biofarmasi Journal of Natural Product Biochemistry
Chalo DM, Lukhoba C, Fidahussein DS, Nguta JM. 2017. Antimicrobial activity, toxicity and phytoch... more Chalo DM, Lukhoba C, Fidahussein DS, Nguta JM. 2017. Antimicrobial activity, toxicity and phytochemical screening of selected medicinal plants of Losho, Narok County, Kenya. Biofarmasi (Rumphius J Nat Prod Biochem) 15: 29-43. In Kenya, microbial infections are a major cause of morbidity. The effectiveness of antibiotic is threatened by the increase of resistance of pathogenic microbes against most available drugs because new pathogens continue to emerge. Nowadays, herbal remedies offer hope since they are readily available and cheap. The aim of this research was to investigate the activity of antimicrobial, the lethality of brine shrimp and phytochemical composition of crude extracts of four selected plants namely Schrebera alata (Oleaceae), Ormocarpum kirkii (Papilionoideae), Helichrysum forskahlii (Asteraceae) and Cussonia holstii (Araliaceae) that are medicinally used by herbalists from Losho, Narok County Kenya for treatment of ear, nose and throat infections, gastrointestinal d...
The rationale for the use of Ocimum americanum var. americanum in herbal medicine is largely base... more The rationale for the use of Ocimum americanum var. americanum in herbal medicine is largely based on the longstanding experience of traditional medicine practitioners. The genus Ocimum is extensively used in Eastern Africa in folkloric practice against a wide range of illnesses. The present paper intends to bring a comprehensive overview of O. americanum var. americanum in regard to its biological activities, ethnopharmacological uses, phytochemical and toxicological effects. The literature search was conducted using Google, Google Scholar, Chemical abstracts, Sciverse; JSTOR, Medline, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus and Springer Link. O. americanum var. americanum extracts have been shown to have antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiproliferative, insecticidal, and repellent activities. Literature on the activity of O. americanum var. americanum extracts against metabolic syndromes such as diabetes, hyperlipidaemias and hypertension is scanty. Toxicological data is also limited; however...
Pain is the most widely diagnosed and managed symptoms of human diseases, with various debilitati... more Pain is the most widely diagnosed and managed symptoms of human diseases, with various debilitating effects. Current analgesics agents have shown low efficacy, are inaccessible, unaffordable, and elicit deleterious side effects which limit their use, thereby warranting the need for alternative and complementary strategies. Mystroxylon aethiopicum is widely utilized in the Agikuyu community of Kenya to treat stomachache, chronic pain, coughs, among other conditions; however, its analgesic efficacy and safety data are scanty, hence the present study. The analgesic activity of the aqueous and methanolic stem bark extracts of M. aethiopicum were determined using the standard acetic acid-induced writhing technique. Further, qualitative phytochemical screening for various phytocompounds in the studied plant extracts was done following standard phytochemical screening methods. The aqueous and methanolic extracts of M. aethiopicum possess noteworthy analgesic activity as demonstrated by the...
Pathogenic microbes are the major causes of morbidity and mortality globally, especially in child... more Pathogenic microbes are the major causes of morbidity and mortality globally, especially in children and in immunocompromised individuals. Despite the successes of antimicrobial therapy, various challenges, including antimicrobial resistance, therapeutic failure, deleterious side effects, high costs, and inaccessibility, hinder health and wellbeing, necessitating the need for alternative and complementary approaches. Medicinal plants have, for a long time, played an integral role in meeting the primary healthcare needs of over 80% of the global population, especially in lowand middle-income countries. However, despite the rich ethnomedical evidence of utilization there are insufficient empirical scientific data to validate and authenticate the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants. Physalis peruviana (Solanaceae) is used by the Agikuyu community of Kenya to treat malaria, pneumonia, typhoid, among other health conditions. Even though this plant has been used since antiquity to t...
......................................................................................xxi CHAPTER... more ......................................................................................xxi CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................. 1
Background: Hypovitaminosis A and zinc deficiency were diagnosed in a 7-year-old Friesian cow fro... more Background: Hypovitaminosis A and zinc deficiency were diagnosed in a 7-year-old Friesian cow from a small milking herd comprising of thirty Friesian cows in a zero grazing unit in Muranga County in Kenya, on Friday, November 15, 2019. The cow was weighing approximately 500 kilograms and had calved four months ago. The daily production of milk was tweny five litres. The cow had a history of sudden inappetance, reduced weight, sternal recumbency, convulsions and heavy lacrymation. Clinical examination revealed slight clouding of the cornea, and dilated pupils which did not respond to light. The menace response was almost absent but palperal and corneal reflexes were present. The cow was not apparently blind. Methods: The clinical examination of the skin revealed a fungal infection. Skin scrapings and hair from the lesions were examined for fungal species by direct microscopy in 10% KOH and lactophenol. Collected samples were inoculated on mycobiotic agar. The inoculum was incubated a...
Background Increasing antimicrobial resistance has led to an arduous search for new potent drugs ... more Background Increasing antimicrobial resistance has led to an arduous search for new potent drugs from nature. In this search, plants have proved to be rich reservoirs of efficacious medicinal components that manage ailments. The current study is designed to investigate the phytochemical composition, antimicrobial activity, and the cytotoxicity of the crude root extracts of Croton dichogamus, a shrub that is commonly used in the eastern Africa for the management of infectious diseases. Methods The roots of Croton dichogamus were obtained, dried, ground, and extracted using three solvents (acetone, distilled water, and 50% ethanol). The antimicrobial activity was tested using agar well diffusion and microbroth dilution techniques against five human pathogens. The brine shrimp lethality assay was used to assess the toxic effect. Results The phytochemical screening indicated the presence of terpenoids, flavonoids, tannins, phenols, polyuronides, saponins, and anthracenes. The brine shri...
Essential trace elements in the most up-to-date and complete trace element text book available. I... more Essential trace elements in the most up-to-date and complete trace element text book available. It has set the standard for concise and easy to read, yet comprehensive coverage of trace elements. The text's blending of basic and clinical science makes it well suited for an integrated organ-system based curricula as well as the more traditional curricula. The organization of the book is simple, and the text is divided into five chapters. Cross reference has been made in the text for better comprehension of the subject. The many diagrammatic illustrations and tables summarize the text material for quick revision. Essential trace elements is especially useful for professionals in basic and applied sciences, professionals and students of biological and physical sciences, human and animal nutritionists, food scientists, in-organic chemists, agricultural scientists, animal feed manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies, human and veterinary professionals, animal scientists, undergrad...
Herbalism (“herbology” or “herbal medicine”) is the use of plants for medicinal purposes, and the... more Herbalism (“herbology” or “herbal medicine”) is the use of plants for medicinal purposes, and the study of such use. Plants have been the basis for medical treatments through much of human history, and such traditional medicine is still widely practiced today. Modern medicine recognizes medical plants as a form of alternative medicine, as the practice of herbalism is not strictly based on evidence-gathered scientific method. Modern medicine, does, however, make use of many plant-derived compounds as the basis for evidence-tested pharmaceutical drugs, and phytotherapy works to apply modern standards of effectiveness testing to herbs and medicines that are derived from natural sources. In the present book, twelve typical literatures about medical plants in infectious diseases published on international authoritative journals were selected to introduce the worldwide newest progress, which contains reviews or original researches on medical science, herbalism, virology, epidemiology, e...
Acute sickness involving dairy cattle (n = 5) with a morbidity of 100% occurred in a farm in Naku... more Acute sickness involving dairy cattle (n = 5) with a morbidity of 100% occurred in a farm in Nakuru, Kenya. A case study was undertaken with the objective of establishing the cause of the sickness. Samples of blood, soil and industrial waste contained high levels of lead. The symptoms, results of postmortem and history of the case were used to establish the diagnosis of acute lead poisoning. This is a forensic case in court between the owner of the animals and a lead recycling company that dumped the industrial waste that was associated with the poisoning. There could be many unreported cases of lead poisoning in Kenya areas with heavy industrial activities since data on of lead poisoning in Kenya is scanty.
Background: Nitrate-nitrite toxicosis associated with the consumption of duckweed (Portulaca oler... more Background: Nitrate-nitrite toxicosis associated with the consumption of duckweed (Portulaca oleracea L.) (Portulacaceae) was diagnosed in a small herd comprising of 11 sheep in Korayo Sub Location, Rangwe Sub County of Homabay County in Kenya. Methods: The clinical signs were dyspnea, froth from the mouth, labored breathing, incoordination, tachycardia, increased urination, neck, fore and hind limb distension, aggressive movements, bloat, convulsions, and coma, before death. Results: All the 11 sheep died of intoxication before institution of therapy. Brownish mucous membranes and chocolate colored and poorly clotted blood were the significant necropsy observations. Mild pulmonary edema was characterized by the presence of limited froth in the trachea and bronchioles. At postmortem, the liver of the sheep was grossly congested, and the cardiac pericardium was inflamed. There was gastritis, enlarged, and congested kidneys with pin-point hemorrhages. Diphenylamine tests carried out o...
Croton dichogamus Pax (Euphorbiaceae) has been used widely in traditional ethnopharmacological pr... more Croton dichogamus Pax (Euphorbiaceae) has been used widely in traditional ethnopharmacological practices against a wide number of ailments. The pharmacological activities, phytochemical composition and its safety aspects have been covered in a number of articles. The present review aims to provide a comprehensive literature overview regarding botanical description, phytochemical composition, local uses, pharmacology and toxicological effects of crude extracts, fractions and isolated compounds obtained using different solvent systems. The review was compiled through a thorough literature search from authentic resources using Google, Google Scholar, Medline, PubMed, Chemical abstracts, Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, peer reviewed articles, books and thesis. Croton dichogamus is an important ethnomedicinal plant used traditionally for the treatment of tuberculosis and other respiratory tract infections, stomach ache, fever, sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis and go...
There are over 500 species in the Hypericum genus worldwide. Crude extracts from Hypericum specie... more There are over 500 species in the Hypericum genus worldwide. Crude extracts from Hypericum species have been reported in folkloric medicine as analgesics, anthelmintics, astringents, antidepressants, diuretics, and anti-inflammatories. The current review aims to provide an in-depth analysis of local uses, pharmacological activities, and phytochemical composition of different extracts generated from Hypericum species. The review data was collected via literature search from Google, Google Scholar, Medline, Pubmed, Mendeley, Science Direct, Chemical s, Web of Science, and Scopus. The most studied of the entire Hypericum genus is H. perforatum, approved to manage mild depression. Other species that have been reported to have ethnomedicinal value are H. erectum, H. monogynum, H. attenuatum, H. japonicum, H. beanii, H. monantheum, H. wightianum, H. scabrum, H. monogynum, H. monogynum, H. geminiflorum, H. ascyron, H. seniawinii, H. elodeoides, H. petiolulatum, H. wightianum, H. hengshanen...
Aims and objectives: Tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex remains a lea... more Aims and objectives: Tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The zoonotic infectious condition represents a never-ending challenge towards which drug discovery efforts are needed. The current study was designed to evaluate the in vitro antimycobacterial activity of ethanolic extracts from roots, stem bark, leaves and unripe fruits derived from Solanum torvum, a shrub traditionally used against respiratory tract illnesses, including tuberculosis. Methods: The phenotypic colorimetric micro plate alamar blue assay (MABA) was used to study the antimycobacterial activity of the ethanolic extracts against six mycobacterial strains. Each experiment was run in triplicate. Data generated was analyzed using descriptive statistics to obtain mean minimum inhibitory concentration values. Results: The roots, stem bark, leaves and unripe fruits exhibited minimum inhibitory concentration values of 1.250 mg/mL, 0.078 mg/mL, 1.250 mg/mL and 0.625 mg/mL against the pathogenic mycobacterial strain, M. tuberculosis H37Rv (ATCC 27294) respectively. Conclusions: In conclusion, Solanum torvum stem bark has demonstrated moderate activity against the pathogenic Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain. This observation validates the ethno pharmacological use of the plant species against tuberculosis. Further studies are required to isolate, elucidate the structure and characterize the antimycobacterial compounds responsible for the observed activity. These will potentially contribute towards bioprospecting for a new class of ligands with activity against sensitive and drug resistant strains of M. tuberculosis.
Background Respiratory diseases cause many deaths in children under 5 years of age particularly i... more Background Respiratory diseases cause many deaths in children under 5 years of age particularly in Africa. The efficacy of current treatment differs among respiratory diseases and adverse effects may depend on dosage, duration of treatment, and the type of drug. Poor access to healthcare in rural areas makes many people in such communities to rely on traditional medicine. Most knowledge on traditional medicine makes use of indigenous remedies which are often undocumented and are at risk of being lost. Ethnobotanical data on medicinal plants used in managing diseases of the respiratory system may facilitate the search for new pharmaceutical agents. Methods Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect information from 30 traditional medicine practitioners in Kisumu East Sub County. The sociodemographic characteristics of the informants, the local names of the plants used, their habit, active parts, indications, and methods of preparation, as well as routes of administration, sc...
Abstract: This study was conducted to evaluate occurrence of organochlorine pesticide residues in... more Abstract: This study was conducted to evaluate occurrence of organochlorine pesticide residues in Oreochromis niloticus fish reared by aquaculture in Kiambu and Machakos Counties. A total of 213 fish organ samples were analyzed for organochlorine pesticide residues from Kiambu and Machakos Counties in Kenya using gas-liquid chromatography. Overall, betahexachlorocyclohexane (BHC) group, the cyclodiens, aldrin, heptachlor, dieldrin, endrin and the Dichlodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) group of compounds were detected in fish samples. p,p′-DDT and its metabolite p,p′-DDD were detected in the muscle, liver and gonad and their concentration ranged between not detectable (ND) to 0.916 μg kg −1 for p,p′-DDT and ND to 1.684 μg kg −1 for p,p′-DDD. Brain had the highest concentration of DDT metabolites o, p′-DDT (2.098 ± 4.097 μg kg ). Organochlorine pesticide residues were generally higher in Kiambu County compared to Machakos County but there was no significant difference. The residue levels...
One of the immediate challenges that Africa is facing in the fight against malaria is spread of t... more One of the immediate challenges that Africa is facing in the fight against malaria is spread of the parasite s drug resistance. As a result of this trend, Kenya among other endemic sub-Saharan countries would have to turn to other more expensive drugs, for example artemisinin or combinations of drugs. 1 here is therefore an urgent need to step up research effort to develop effective drugs that are affordable to low income population. The objective of this study was to determine in vivo antimalarial effect on P. bergheiinfected mice and their acute toxicity using Brine shrimp lethality test, of five selected aqueous plant extracts, Azadirachta indica (L), Burm (Meliaceae) root bark extract, voucher specimen number JN08; Dichrostachys cinerea,(L) Wight et Am (Mimosaceae), root extract, JN16; Grewia trichocarpa Hochst ex A. Rich (Tiliaceae), root extract, JN022; Tamarindus indica L., (Caesalpiniaceae), stem bark extract, JN038; and Acacia seyal (Del), (Mimosaceae), root extract, JN01. ...
Biofarmasi Journal of Natural Product Biochemistry
Chalo DM, Lukhoba C, Fidahussein DS, Nguta JM. 2017. Antimicrobial activity, toxicity and phytoch... more Chalo DM, Lukhoba C, Fidahussein DS, Nguta JM. 2017. Antimicrobial activity, toxicity and phytochemical screening of selected medicinal plants of Losho, Narok County, Kenya. Biofarmasi (Rumphius J Nat Prod Biochem) 15: 29-43. In Kenya, microbial infections are a major cause of morbidity. The effectiveness of antibiotic is threatened by the increase of resistance of pathogenic microbes against most available drugs because new pathogens continue to emerge. Nowadays, herbal remedies offer hope since they are readily available and cheap. The aim of this research was to investigate the activity of antimicrobial, the lethality of brine shrimp and phytochemical composition of crude extracts of four selected plants namely Schrebera alata (Oleaceae), Ormocarpum kirkii (Papilionoideae), Helichrysum forskahlii (Asteraceae) and Cussonia holstii (Araliaceae) that are medicinally used by herbalists from Losho, Narok County Kenya for treatment of ear, nose and throat infections, gastrointestinal d...
The rationale for the use of Ocimum americanum var. americanum in herbal medicine is largely base... more The rationale for the use of Ocimum americanum var. americanum in herbal medicine is largely based on the longstanding experience of traditional medicine practitioners. The genus Ocimum is extensively used in Eastern Africa in folkloric practice against a wide range of illnesses. The present paper intends to bring a comprehensive overview of O. americanum var. americanum in regard to its biological activities, ethnopharmacological uses, phytochemical and toxicological effects. The literature search was conducted using Google, Google Scholar, Chemical abstracts, Sciverse; JSTOR, Medline, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus and Springer Link. O. americanum var. americanum extracts have been shown to have antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiproliferative, insecticidal, and repellent activities. Literature on the activity of O. americanum var. americanum extracts against metabolic syndromes such as diabetes, hyperlipidaemias and hypertension is scanty. Toxicological data is also limited; however...
Pain is the most widely diagnosed and managed symptoms of human diseases, with various debilitati... more Pain is the most widely diagnosed and managed symptoms of human diseases, with various debilitating effects. Current analgesics agents have shown low efficacy, are inaccessible, unaffordable, and elicit deleterious side effects which limit their use, thereby warranting the need for alternative and complementary strategies. Mystroxylon aethiopicum is widely utilized in the Agikuyu community of Kenya to treat stomachache, chronic pain, coughs, among other conditions; however, its analgesic efficacy and safety data are scanty, hence the present study. The analgesic activity of the aqueous and methanolic stem bark extracts of M. aethiopicum were determined using the standard acetic acid-induced writhing technique. Further, qualitative phytochemical screening for various phytocompounds in the studied plant extracts was done following standard phytochemical screening methods. The aqueous and methanolic extracts of M. aethiopicum possess noteworthy analgesic activity as demonstrated by the...
Pathogenic microbes are the major causes of morbidity and mortality globally, especially in child... more Pathogenic microbes are the major causes of morbidity and mortality globally, especially in children and in immunocompromised individuals. Despite the successes of antimicrobial therapy, various challenges, including antimicrobial resistance, therapeutic failure, deleterious side effects, high costs, and inaccessibility, hinder health and wellbeing, necessitating the need for alternative and complementary approaches. Medicinal plants have, for a long time, played an integral role in meeting the primary healthcare needs of over 80% of the global population, especially in lowand middle-income countries. However, despite the rich ethnomedical evidence of utilization there are insufficient empirical scientific data to validate and authenticate the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants. Physalis peruviana (Solanaceae) is used by the Agikuyu community of Kenya to treat malaria, pneumonia, typhoid, among other health conditions. Even though this plant has been used since antiquity to t...
......................................................................................xxi CHAPTER... more ......................................................................................xxi CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................. 1
Background: Hypovitaminosis A and zinc deficiency were diagnosed in a 7-year-old Friesian cow fro... more Background: Hypovitaminosis A and zinc deficiency were diagnosed in a 7-year-old Friesian cow from a small milking herd comprising of thirty Friesian cows in a zero grazing unit in Muranga County in Kenya, on Friday, November 15, 2019. The cow was weighing approximately 500 kilograms and had calved four months ago. The daily production of milk was tweny five litres. The cow had a history of sudden inappetance, reduced weight, sternal recumbency, convulsions and heavy lacrymation. Clinical examination revealed slight clouding of the cornea, and dilated pupils which did not respond to light. The menace response was almost absent but palperal and corneal reflexes were present. The cow was not apparently blind. Methods: The clinical examination of the skin revealed a fungal infection. Skin scrapings and hair from the lesions were examined for fungal species by direct microscopy in 10% KOH and lactophenol. Collected samples were inoculated on mycobiotic agar. The inoculum was incubated a...
Background Increasing antimicrobial resistance has led to an arduous search for new potent drugs ... more Background Increasing antimicrobial resistance has led to an arduous search for new potent drugs from nature. In this search, plants have proved to be rich reservoirs of efficacious medicinal components that manage ailments. The current study is designed to investigate the phytochemical composition, antimicrobial activity, and the cytotoxicity of the crude root extracts of Croton dichogamus, a shrub that is commonly used in the eastern Africa for the management of infectious diseases. Methods The roots of Croton dichogamus were obtained, dried, ground, and extracted using three solvents (acetone, distilled water, and 50% ethanol). The antimicrobial activity was tested using agar well diffusion and microbroth dilution techniques against five human pathogens. The brine shrimp lethality assay was used to assess the toxic effect. Results The phytochemical screening indicated the presence of terpenoids, flavonoids, tannins, phenols, polyuronides, saponins, and anthracenes. The brine shri...
Essential trace elements in the most up-to-date and complete trace element text book available. I... more Essential trace elements in the most up-to-date and complete trace element text book available. It has set the standard for concise and easy to read, yet comprehensive coverage of trace elements. The text's blending of basic and clinical science makes it well suited for an integrated organ-system based curricula as well as the more traditional curricula. The organization of the book is simple, and the text is divided into five chapters. Cross reference has been made in the text for better comprehension of the subject. The many diagrammatic illustrations and tables summarize the text material for quick revision. Essential trace elements is especially useful for professionals in basic and applied sciences, professionals and students of biological and physical sciences, human and animal nutritionists, food scientists, in-organic chemists, agricultural scientists, animal feed manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies, human and veterinary professionals, animal scientists, undergrad...
Herbalism (“herbology” or “herbal medicine”) is the use of plants for medicinal purposes, and the... more Herbalism (“herbology” or “herbal medicine”) is the use of plants for medicinal purposes, and the study of such use. Plants have been the basis for medical treatments through much of human history, and such traditional medicine is still widely practiced today. Modern medicine recognizes medical plants as a form of alternative medicine, as the practice of herbalism is not strictly based on evidence-gathered scientific method. Modern medicine, does, however, make use of many plant-derived compounds as the basis for evidence-tested pharmaceutical drugs, and phytotherapy works to apply modern standards of effectiveness testing to herbs and medicines that are derived from natural sources. In the present book, twelve typical literatures about medical plants in infectious diseases published on international authoritative journals were selected to introduce the worldwide newest progress, which contains reviews or original researches on medical science, herbalism, virology, epidemiology, e...
Acute sickness involving dairy cattle (n = 5) with a morbidity of 100% occurred in a farm in Naku... more Acute sickness involving dairy cattle (n = 5) with a morbidity of 100% occurred in a farm in Nakuru, Kenya. A case study was undertaken with the objective of establishing the cause of the sickness. Samples of blood, soil and industrial waste contained high levels of lead. The symptoms, results of postmortem and history of the case were used to establish the diagnosis of acute lead poisoning. This is a forensic case in court between the owner of the animals and a lead recycling company that dumped the industrial waste that was associated with the poisoning. There could be many unreported cases of lead poisoning in Kenya areas with heavy industrial activities since data on of lead poisoning in Kenya is scanty.
Background: Nitrate-nitrite toxicosis associated with the consumption of duckweed (Portulaca oler... more Background: Nitrate-nitrite toxicosis associated with the consumption of duckweed (Portulaca oleracea L.) (Portulacaceae) was diagnosed in a small herd comprising of 11 sheep in Korayo Sub Location, Rangwe Sub County of Homabay County in Kenya. Methods: The clinical signs were dyspnea, froth from the mouth, labored breathing, incoordination, tachycardia, increased urination, neck, fore and hind limb distension, aggressive movements, bloat, convulsions, and coma, before death. Results: All the 11 sheep died of intoxication before institution of therapy. Brownish mucous membranes and chocolate colored and poorly clotted blood were the significant necropsy observations. Mild pulmonary edema was characterized by the presence of limited froth in the trachea and bronchioles. At postmortem, the liver of the sheep was grossly congested, and the cardiac pericardium was inflamed. There was gastritis, enlarged, and congested kidneys with pin-point hemorrhages. Diphenylamine tests carried out o...
Croton dichogamus Pax (Euphorbiaceae) has been used widely in traditional ethnopharmacological pr... more Croton dichogamus Pax (Euphorbiaceae) has been used widely in traditional ethnopharmacological practices against a wide number of ailments. The pharmacological activities, phytochemical composition and its safety aspects have been covered in a number of articles. The present review aims to provide a comprehensive literature overview regarding botanical description, phytochemical composition, local uses, pharmacology and toxicological effects of crude extracts, fractions and isolated compounds obtained using different solvent systems. The review was compiled through a thorough literature search from authentic resources using Google, Google Scholar, Medline, PubMed, Chemical abstracts, Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, peer reviewed articles, books and thesis. Croton dichogamus is an important ethnomedicinal plant used traditionally for the treatment of tuberculosis and other respiratory tract infections, stomach ache, fever, sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis and go...
There are over 500 species in the Hypericum genus worldwide. Crude extracts from Hypericum specie... more There are over 500 species in the Hypericum genus worldwide. Crude extracts from Hypericum species have been reported in folkloric medicine as analgesics, anthelmintics, astringents, antidepressants, diuretics, and anti-inflammatories. The current review aims to provide an in-depth analysis of local uses, pharmacological activities, and phytochemical composition of different extracts generated from Hypericum species. The review data was collected via literature search from Google, Google Scholar, Medline, Pubmed, Mendeley, Science Direct, Chemical s, Web of Science, and Scopus. The most studied of the entire Hypericum genus is H. perforatum, approved to manage mild depression. Other species that have been reported to have ethnomedicinal value are H. erectum, H. monogynum, H. attenuatum, H. japonicum, H. beanii, H. monantheum, H. wightianum, H. scabrum, H. monogynum, H. monogynum, H. geminiflorum, H. ascyron, H. seniawinii, H. elodeoides, H. petiolulatum, H. wightianum, H. hengshanen...
Aims and objectives: Tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex remains a lea... more Aims and objectives: Tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The zoonotic infectious condition represents a never-ending challenge towards which drug discovery efforts are needed. The current study was designed to evaluate the in vitro antimycobacterial activity of ethanolic extracts from roots, stem bark, leaves and unripe fruits derived from Solanum torvum, a shrub traditionally used against respiratory tract illnesses, including tuberculosis. Methods: The phenotypic colorimetric micro plate alamar blue assay (MABA) was used to study the antimycobacterial activity of the ethanolic extracts against six mycobacterial strains. Each experiment was run in triplicate. Data generated was analyzed using descriptive statistics to obtain mean minimum inhibitory concentration values. Results: The roots, stem bark, leaves and unripe fruits exhibited minimum inhibitory concentration values of 1.250 mg/mL, 0.078 mg/mL, 1.250 mg/mL and 0.625 mg/mL against the pathogenic mycobacterial strain, M. tuberculosis H37Rv (ATCC 27294) respectively. Conclusions: In conclusion, Solanum torvum stem bark has demonstrated moderate activity against the pathogenic Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain. This observation validates the ethno pharmacological use of the plant species against tuberculosis. Further studies are required to isolate, elucidate the structure and characterize the antimycobacterial compounds responsible for the observed activity. These will potentially contribute towards bioprospecting for a new class of ligands with activity against sensitive and drug resistant strains of M. tuberculosis.
Background Respiratory diseases cause many deaths in children under 5 years of age particularly i... more Background Respiratory diseases cause many deaths in children under 5 years of age particularly in Africa. The efficacy of current treatment differs among respiratory diseases and adverse effects may depend on dosage, duration of treatment, and the type of drug. Poor access to healthcare in rural areas makes many people in such communities to rely on traditional medicine. Most knowledge on traditional medicine makes use of indigenous remedies which are often undocumented and are at risk of being lost. Ethnobotanical data on medicinal plants used in managing diseases of the respiratory system may facilitate the search for new pharmaceutical agents. Methods Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect information from 30 traditional medicine practitioners in Kisumu East Sub County. The sociodemographic characteristics of the informants, the local names of the plants used, their habit, active parts, indications, and methods of preparation, as well as routes of administration, sc...
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