47 research outputs found
In Vitro Antiplasmodial Activity and Cytotoxicity of Extracts of Selected Medicinal Plants Used by Traditional Healers of Western Cameroon
Medicinal plants play a key role in malaria control in Africa, especially in remote areas where health
facilities are limited. In order to assess their acclaimed potentials, eleven extracts were prepared from
seven selected plants commonly used in Western Cameroon, and tested both for their antiplasmodial
activity and cytotoxicity. The antiplasmodial activity was assessed using Lactate Dehydrogenase
Assay (pLDH) and the cytotoxicity estimated on LLC-MK2 monkey kidney epithelial cells. Seven
extracts from five different plants were significantly active, with very weak or no cytotoxicity. The
Dacryodes edulis leaves showed the highest activity (IC50 of 6.45 μg/mL on 3D7 and 8.2 μg/mL on
DD2) followed by the leaves of Vernonia amygdalina (IC50 of 8.72 and 11.27 μg/mL on 3D7 and
DD2 resp.) and roots of V. amygdalina (IC50 of 8.72 μg/mL on 3D7), Coula edulis leaves
(IC50 of 13.80 μg/mL and 5.79 μg/mL on 3D7 and DD2 resp.), Eucalyptus globulus leaves
(IC50 of 16.80 μg/mL and 26.45 μg/mL on 3D7 and DD2) and Cuviera longiflora stem bark (IC50 of
20.24 μg/mL and 13.91 μg/mL on 3D7 and DD2). These findings justify the use of five of the seven
plants in malaria treatment by traditional healers of Western Cameroon
THE ANTIMALARIAL POTENTIAL OF MEDICINAL PLANTS USED FOR THE TREATMENT OF MALARIA IN CAMEROONIAN FOLK MEDICINE
Malaria remains one of the leading public health problems in Cameroon as in other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. In the past decades, this situation has been aggravated by the increasing spread of drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum strains. New antimalarial drug leads are therefore urgently needed. Traditional healers have long used plants to prevent or cure infections. This article reviews the current status of botanical screening efforts in Cameroon as well as experimental studies done on antimalarial plants. Data collected from 54 references from various research groups in the literature up to June 2007 shows that 217 different species have been cited for their use as antimalarials in folk medicine in Cameroon. About a hundred phytochemicals have been isolated from 26 species some among which are potential leads for development of new antiamalarials. Crude extracts and or essential oils prepared from 54 other species showed a wide range of activity on Plasmodium spp. Moreover, some 137 plants from 48 families that are employed by traditional healers remain uninvestigated for their presumed antimalarial properties. The present study shows that Cameroonian flora represents a high potential for new antimalarial compounds. Further ethnobotanical surveys and laboratory investigations are needed to fully exploit the potential of the identified species in the control of malaria
Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from Yaoundé, Cameroon, 2019 to 2020
This study investigated antimicrobial resistance (AMR) phenotypes and genotypes exhibited by Neisseria gonorrhoeae from Yaoundé, Cameroon. AMR to tetracycline, penicillin and ciprofloxacin was observed although none of the isolates had reduced susceptibility to azithromycin, cefixime or ceftriaxone. Whole genome sequence (WGS) data were obtained and, using a threshold of 300 or fewer locus differences in the N. gonorrhoeae core gene multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) scheme, four distinct core genome lineages were identified. Publicly available WGS data from 1355 gonococci belonging to these four lineages were retrieved from the PubMLST database, allowing the Cameroonian isolates to be examined in the context of existing data and compared with related gonococci. Examination of AMR genotypes in this dataset found an association between the core genome and AMR with, for example, isolates belonging to the core genome group, Ng_cgc_300 : 21, possessing GyrA and ParC alleles with amino acid substitutions conferring high-level resistance to ciprofloxacin while lineages Ng_cgc_300 : 41 and Ng_cgc_300 : 243 were predicted to be susceptible to several antimicrobials. A core genome lineage, Ng_cgc_300 : 498, was observed which largely consisted of gonococci originating from Africa. Analyses from this study demonstrate the advantages of using the N. gonorrhoeae cgMLST scheme to find related gonococci to carry out genomic analyses that enhance our understanding of the population biology of this important pathogen
Ten Simple Rules for Organizing a Virtual Conference—Anywhere
Etienne P. de Villiers and Sheila C. Ommeh are ILRI author
VUELTA CICLISTA A ESPAÑA [Material gráfico]
Copia digital. Madrid : Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte, 201
Integrated strategies for control of devastating transmissible diseases in Cameroonian urban areas: The case of malaria, tuberculosis and waterborne diseases.
The recent, fast and poorly handled rural to urban migrations of people has led to unplanned settlement patterns, overcrowding and insufficient sanitation facilities, shortages of potable water, and general an unhealthy environment. The emerging cities have thus become areas where the most devastating scourges (malaria, tuberculosis and water borne diseases) continue undermine the socio-economic development of the urban areas. Herein, we discuss the current health challenges in major Cameroonian cities and argue that only a multidisciplinary approach including diagnosis and treatment, environmental care, and health education, is likely to address the health challenges in the emerging urban settings. From a recent publication by Titanji (2014) on lessons learned from the recent Ebola crisis in West African countries, some key elements of an integrated strategy for addressing health challenges in major Cameroonian cities are discussed.Key words: Malaria, Tuberculosis, waterborne diseases, Cameroon cities, integrated approac
The Antimalarial Potential Of Medicinal Plants Used For The Treatment Of Malaria In Cameroonian Folk Medicine
Malaria remains one of the leading public health problems in Cameroon
as in other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. In the past decades, this
situation has been aggravated by the increasing spread of
drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum strains. New antimalarial drug
leads are therefore urgently needed. Traditional healers have long used
plants to prevent or cure infections. This article reviews the current
status of botanical screening efforts in Cameroon as well as
experimental studies done on antimalarial plants. Data collected from
54 references from various research groups in the literature up to June
2007 shows that 217 different species have been cited for their use as
antimalarials in folk medicine in Cameroon. About a hundred
phytochemicals have been isolated from 26 species some among which are
potential leads for development of new antiamalarials. Crude extracts
and or essential oils prepared from 54 other species showed a wide
range of activity on Plasmodium spp. Moreover, some 137 plants from
48 families that are employed by traditional healers remain
uninvestigated for their presumed antimalarial properties. The present
study shows that Cameroonian flora represents a high potential for new
antimalarial compounds. Further ethnobotanical surveys and laboratory
investigations are needed to fully exploit the potential of the
identified species in the control of malaria
In vitro and in vivo studies on anti-malarial activity of Commiphora africana and Dichrostachys cinerea used by the Maasai in Arusha region, Tanzania
Abstract Background Traditional medicinal plants are one of the potential sources of anti-malarial drugs and there is an increasing interest in the use and development of traditional herbal remedies for the treatment of malaria and other ailments. This study was carried out with the aim to investigate the phytochemical screening, cytotoxic effect and antiplasmodial activities of Dichrostachys cinerea and Commiphora africana. Both plants are used by the Maasai in Tanzania in suspected malaria and other diseases. No previous work appears to have investigated the potential anti-malarial activity of the two plants. Methods This study aimed to investigate the in vitro anti-malarial activity of methanol and dichloromethane extracts of the two plants against chloroquine sensitive (D6) and chloroquine resistant (Dd2) strains of Plasmodium falciparum. The anti-malarial property was assessed by the lactate dehydrogenase method (pLDH). The in vivo anti-malarial study was carried out using the Peters’ 4-day suppressive test in Plasmodium berghei in Balb/c mice. Cytotoxic tests were carried out using monkey kidney epithelial cell line in [3(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] (MTT) assay. Qualitative phytochemical screening was carried out using standard methods of analysis. Results The phytochemical screening of plant extracts revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, steroids, triterpenoids, glycosides and saponins. However, alkaloids were absent in most plant extracts. The dichloromethane extracts of C. africana (stem bark); D. cinerea (stem bark) and methanol extracts of D. cinerea (whole stem) all showed promising in vitro anti-malarial activities. All other extracts did not show any significant anti-malarial activity. The two most promising extracts based on in vitro studies, DCM extracts of C. africana (stem bark) and D. cinerea (stems bark), equally exhibited very significant anti-malarial activities in the mouse model. They exhibited parasite suppression rates of 64.24 and 53.12%, respectively, and considerable improvement in weight and survival rate. Most plant extracts were not cytotoxic except for DCM extract of D. cinerea (whole stem) CC50 (29.44 µg/mL). Conclusion The findings of this study provide scientific evidence supporting the traditional use of the plants in the treatment of malaria by the Maasai in Arusha region, Tanzania. Consequently, further work including bioassay-guided fractionation and advanced toxicity testing may yield new anti-malarial drug candidates from the two plants
<it>Hypericum lanceolatum </it>(Hypericaceae) as a potential source of new anti-malarial agents: a bioassay-guided fractionation of the stem bark
Abstract Background Malaria is a major public health threat in Africa, and traditional medicine continues to play a key role in its control especially in rural areas. A bioassay-guided fractionation was carried out in order to evaluate the anti-malarial potential and the safety of the methanol extract of the Hypericum lanceolatum stem bark. Methods The anti-plasmodial activity was assayed by the lactate dehydrogenase method (pLDH) against the multidrug-resistant W2mef laboratory strain, and a field isolate (SHF4) of Plasmodium falciparum. Cytotoxicity tests were carried out using the LLC-MK2 monkey kidney epithelial cells. Results Five compounds were isolated from the most active and least cytotoxic ethylacetate sub-extract: betulinic acid (HLT1), 2,2',5,6'-tetrahydroxybenzophenone (HLT2), 5-hydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone (HLT3), 3-hydroxy-5-methoxyxanthone (HLT4) and HLT0 (yet to be identified). Three of the tested compounds presented significant anti-plasmodial activities (with 50% inhibitory concentration, IC50 50 of 25 μg/mL. Conclusions These findings justify the use of H. lanceolatum stem bark as anti-malarial by traditional healers of Western Cameroon, and could constitute a good basis for further studies towards development of new drug candidates or phytomedicines for malaria.</p