Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Ghanaian Medicinal Plants

Medicinal plants continue to be used in various cultures of the world as safe therapeutic agents against various issues including pain and inflammation which underlie almost every disease process. In Ghanaian traditional medicine, various parts of several plants have been used alone or in combination of therapies for the treatment of various painful inflammatory conditions. In this chapter, the anti-inflammatory and analgesic (antinociceptive) properties of selected medicinal plants from Ghana are reviewed. Evidence of pharmacological activities of crude extracts and fractions in in-vitro and in-vivo models, bioactive anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive compounds isolated as well as possible mechanisms of anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive action are discussed

Authentication and quality control of Uapaca heudelotii Baill. - An investigation of pharmacognostic, phytochemical and physicochemical properties of its leaves and stem bark

Uapaca heudelotii Baill. is well known in various African cultures for its application in the treatment of infections and inflammatory conditions. This study was focused on providing standard identification parameters for authentication and quality assurance of U. heudelotii through morphological observations, screening of phytochemical constituents, fluorescence, spectroscopic and physicochemical analysis. U. heudelotii leaves are simple, elliptic and arranged in whorls. The bark is greyish-brown with longitudinal striations on the outer surface and pale red on the inner surface. Leaf lamina microscopy displayed anticlinal polygonal straight-walled epidermal cells, with anisocytic stomata found only on the abaxial surface. Leaf surface constants were determined. Microscopy of powdered leaves and barks revealed the presence of epidermal cells, starch grains, calcium oxalate, sclereids and pitted vessels. Alkaloids, flavonoids, coumarins, saponins, triterpenoids, phytosterols and tannins were identified in both stem bark and leaves. The total phenolic content for the leaf and bark were 219.2 ± 10.013 and 153.9 ± 1.602 mg/g gallic acid equivalent respectively. The total ?avonoid contents were recorded as 1036 ± 33.37 and 310.2 ± 79.00 mg/g quercetin equivalent for the leaf and bark respectively. The total ash for the leaf and bark was 6.41 ± 0.208 and 5.01 ±0.258 respectively. The pH values for the aqueous and alcoholic extracts were slightly acidic (3-5). In elemental analysis, lead (Pb) was detected within the acceptable limit (0.0019-0.0025 mg/kg). In conclusion, the current results have provided standard parameters for the correct identification and quality assessment of U. heudelotii

Analyzing Variations in Size and Intensities in Land Use Dynamics for Sustainable Land Use Management: A Case of the Coastal Landscapes of South-Western Ghana

Land use/land cover change (LULCC) studies are gaining prominence among environmentalist and land use planners. This is due to the effects of LULCCs on natural ecosystems and livelihoods. In the coastal landscape of south-western Ghana, there exist knowledge gaps in the variations in size and intensities in LULCCs and the degree of change among land cover types in LULCC studies. Such studies are important for identifying periods of rapid land cover transitions and their implications on the landscape. Using change detection, intensity analysis and informal stakeholder conversations, the land use system dynamics of the study landscape was analyzed over a 34-year period to assess the variations in size and intensities in LULC transitions and its implications. The results showed a dynamic landscape driven primarily by rubber and settlement expansions. Rubber and settlement increased threefold (172.65%) and fourfold (449.93%) in the 34-year period mainly due to rubber outgrower scheme and onshore infrastructural developments, respectively. Gains in rubber and settlement targeted arable lands. The LULCC implies local food insecurity issues, declines in ecosystem services and compromised livelihoods, hence, the enforcement of the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act (2016) is recommended in land use planning in the coastal landscapes of south-western Ghana.German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)Peer Reviewe

Macaranga barteri stem bark extract exerts anti-inflammatory and anti-hyperalgesia activity in murine models

This study was undertaken to evaluate the anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperalgesia and antioxidant activity of the hydro-alcoholic stem bark extract of Macaranga barteri (MBE). The carrageenan-induced foot oedema and Hargreaves thermal hyperalgesia models in rats were used to examine the anti-inflammatory and anti-hyperalgesic effects respectively. The 2, 2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl hydrate (DPPH) free radical scavenging and total antioxidant capacity assays were used to determine the antioxidant activity. In a curative protocol, MBE (30, 100, 300 mg kg-1, p.o.) dose dependently and significantly inhibited carrageenan-induced foot oedema by 37.01 ± 13.08, 53.01 ± 9.87 and 64.11 ± 9.05% respectively (ED50 = 89.37 ± 7.52 mg kg-1). The extract further attenuated cutaneous hyperalgesia by prolonging paw withdrawal latencies towards an external heat stimulus with an ED50 of 105.5 ± 4.22 mg kg-1. MBE was found to possess a total antioxidant capacity of 531.62 ± 10.98 mg g-1 dry weight (Gallic acid equivalent) and scavenged DPPH free radicals with an IC50 of 19.45 ± 1.46 µg/mL. The results provide the first report on the anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antioxidant activity of M. barteri stem bark and partly justify its traditional use in the management of inflammation and pain. This could be attributed to phytochemicals such as tannins, terpenoids, sterols, coumarins and flavonoids which were identified in preliminary phytochemical studies of the stem bark

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Analyzing Variations in Size and Intensities in Land Use Dynamics for Sustainable Land Use Management: A Case of the Coastal Landscapes of South-Western Ghana

Land use/land cover change (LULCC) studies are gaining prominence among environmentalist and land use planners. This is due to the effects of LULCCs on natural ecosystems and livelihoods. In the coastal landscape of south-western Ghana, there exist knowledge gaps in the variations in size and intensities in LULCCs and the degree of change among land cover types in LULCC studies. Such studies are important for identifying periods of rapid land cover transitions and their implications on the landscape. Using change detection, intensity analysis and informal stakeholder conversations, the land use system dynamics of the study landscape was analyzed over a 34-year period to assess the variations in size and intensities in LULC transitions and its implications. The results showed a dynamic landscape driven primarily by rubber and settlement expansions. Rubber and settlement increased threefold (172.65%) and fourfold (449.93%) in the 34-year period mainly due to rubber outgrower scheme and onshore infrastructural developments, respectively. Gains in rubber and settlement targeted arable lands. The LULCC implies local food insecurity issues, declines in ecosystem services and compromised livelihoods, hence, the enforcement of the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act (2016) is recommended in land use planning in the coastal landscapes of south-western Ghana

Corrigendum: The Ghanaian Flora as a Potential Source of Anthelmintic and Anti-Schistosomal Agents

Parasitic infections including schistosomiasis and soil transmitted helminthiasis are the most commonly encountered Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in the world. These diseases remain a major public health concern affecting millions of people especially those living in poor regions where access to effective conventional health care is a challenge. Interventions to control these infections in endemic areas have not been successful due to the high cost of drugs, limited availability as well as inequity of access to preventive chemotherapies. Another problem is the development resistance to the limited number of recommended medications due to their intensive use in both human and live-stock. There is an increasing awareness of the potential of natural products as chemotherapeutic agents to combat parasitic infections. Natural products may offer an unlimited source of chemically diverse drug molecules which may be safe, efficient, less toxic, less expensive and readily available for use especially in low-income countries. The Ghanaian flora provides such a ready source for new therapeutic interventions for the local population. Several researches have provided evidence of the anti-parasitic activity of Ghanaian medicinal plants. This chapter provides a review with special focus on medicinal plants collected from Ghana with anthelmintic and anti-schistosomal activity. Evidence of pharmacological activities of crude extracts, fractions and bioactive phytoconstituents as well as possible mechanisms of action where investigated are discussed

Indigenous Medicinal Plants as Biofilm Inhibitors for the Mitigation of Antimicrobial Resistance

The majority of indigenes in the rural areas of Ghana use herbal medicines for their primary health care. In this study, an ethnobotanical survey was undertaken to document medicinal plants used by traditional healers in the Ejisu-Juaben district in the Ashanti region of Ghana to treat infections and to further investigate the antibiofilm formation properties of selected plants in resisting pathogenic bacteria. Seventy medicinal plants used by traditional practitioners for the treatment of skin infections and wounds were documented from the ethnobotanical survey. Forty out of the seventy plants were collected and their methanol extracts evaluated for antimicrobial activity by the agar diffusion assay. Extracts that showed antibacterial activity were tested for biofilm inhibitory activity, and the most active plant was subsequently purified to obtain the active constituents. Biofilm formation was significantly mitigated by petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, and methanol extracts of Holarrhena floribunda stem bark. Bioassay-guided fractionation of an alkaloidal extract prepared from the methanol fraction led to the isolation of three steroidal alkaloids, namely, holonamine, holadienine, and conessine. The isolated compounds demonstrated varying degrees of biofilm formation inhibitory properties. The current study reveals that screening of indigenous medicinal plants could unravel potential leads to salvage the declining efficacy of conventional antibiotics. Holarrhena floribunda stem bark extract has strong biofilm formation inhibition properties, which could be attributed to the presence of steroidal alkaloids

Ethnobotanical Survey and Cercaricidal Activity Screening of Medicinal Plants Used for Schistosomiasis Treatment in Atwima-Nwabiagya District, Ashanti Region, Ghana

This study focused on documenting and evaluating the cercaricidal activity of medicinal plants used for schistosomiasis treatment in an endemic area in Ghana. Through semistructured questionnaires, personal interviews with herbalists in communities surrounding the Barekese dam in the Atwima-Nwabiagya district, where the disease is endemic, were carried out. Thirty medicinal plants distributed in 19 families were reported to be used for schistosomiasis treatment in the survey. Information on the plants, including scientific names, common names, families, and the used plant part were recorded. The families Apocynaceae and Euphorbiaceae recorded the highest number of plants (14% each), followed by Asteraceae (10%), Loranthaceae (7%), and Rubiaceae (7%). In vitro cercaricidal activity of methanol extracts of nine out of the thirty plants was performed by exposing human Schistosoma mansoni cercariae obtained from Biomphalaria pfeifferi to various concentrations of extracts over a duration of 240 minutes. All the plants tested demonstrated time- and concentration-dependent cercaricidal activity. With lethality being set at  Balanites aegyptiaca (LC50 = 7.1) > Xylia evansii (LC50 = 11.14) > Jathropha multifida (LC50 = 12.9) > Justicia flava (LC50 = 22.9) > Anopyxis klaineana (LC50 = 182.81) > Ximenia americana (LC50 = 194.98) > Loranthus lecardii (LC50 = 223.87) > Bridelia tenufolia (LC50 = 309.03) > Zanthoxylium zanthoxyloides (LC50 = 851.94). Phytochemicals, including alkaloids, tannins, triterpenes, saponins, phytosterols, and flavonoids were identified in the plants. The result of this study gives scientific credence to the traditional use of these plants in the treatment of schistosomiasis and proves that the rich botanical knowledge of medicinal plants provides an incredible starting point for the discovery of new anti-schistosomal drugs for the local population

In Vivo Antiplasmodial Activity of Different Solvent Extracts of Myrianthus libericus Stem Bark and Its Constituents in Plasmodium berghei-Infected Mice

The emergence and resurgence of P. falciparum resistance to generations of antimalarial drugs have prompted the search for new, effective, and safe antimalarial agents. This study aimed at investigating the in vivo antiplasmodial activity of the 70% hydroethanolic extract and constituents of the stem bark of Myrianthus libericus based on its ethnomedicinal use as an antimalarial agent. The antiplasmodial activity was assessed in Swiss albino mice employing the 4-day suppressive and Rane’s tests. MLB significantly (p<0.0001) suppressed parasitaemia by 52.26%, 65.40%, and 77.11% at 50, 100, and 200 mg·kg−1 doses, respectively, in the 4-day suppressive test. In Rane’s test, the highest parasitaemia suppression of 72.50% was recorded at a dose of 200 mg·kg−1 of the extract. Fractionation of the bioactive ethyl acetate fraction by solvent-solvent partitioning and column chromatography led to the isolation of friedelan-3-one and stigmasterol being reported for the first time from this species. The compounds demonstrated remarkable antiplasmodial activity by suppressing parasitaemia by 65–72% in the suppressive test and 61–70% in the curative test at doses of 10–30 mg·kg−1. Both the extract and the isolated compounds significantly prolonged the survival time of infected mice and averted the cardinal signs associated with P. berghei-induced malaria including weight loss, hypothermia, and haemolysis. The results obtained confirm the prospect of M. libericus as an important source of new antimalarial compounds and justifies its folkloric use as an antimalarial agent