49 research outputs found
Bioassay-Guided Isolation and Structure Elucidation of Cytotoxic Stilbenes and Flavonols from the Leaves of Macaranga barteri
Bioassay-guided fractionation of the leaves of Macaranga barteri collected from Nigeria led to the isolation of three previously undescribed cytotoxic stilbenes, macabartebenes A-C (1-3), together with six known compounds including prenylated stilbenes: vedelianin (4), schweinfurthin G (5), and mappain (7), prenylated flavonols: 8-prenylkaempferol (6), and broussoflavonol F (8), and the geranylated flavonol, isomacarangin (9). The cytotoxicity of the compounds was evaluated against four human cancer cell lines, with vinblastine as the positive control and DMSO vehicle as the negative control. Vedelianin (IC50 = 0.32 â 0.54 ÎŒM) displayed the greatest antiproliferative activity across the panel of cancer cell lines amongst the compounds, while macabartebene A (IC50 = 0.60 â 0.79 ÎŒM) was the most potent of the previously unreported compounds. The compounds displayed varying selectivity towards the cancer cell lines compared to the normal human prostate cell line. The findings of this study revealed that M. barteri leaves contain several cytotoxic compounds
Use of complementary and alternative medicines for children with chronic health conditions in Lagos, Nigeria
Antimalarial activity of 80Â % methanolic extract of Brassica nigra (L.) Koch. (Brassicaceae) seeds against Plasmodium berghei infection in mice
Plant-derived antimalarial agents: new leads and efficient phythomedicines. Part I. Alkaloids
International Consensus Statement on Rhinology and Allergy: Rhinosinusitis
Background: The 5 years since the publication of the first International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Rhinosinusitis (ICARâRS) has witnessed foundational progress in our understanding and treatment of rhinologic disease. These advances are reflected within the more than 40 new topics covered within the ICARâRSâ2021 as well as updates to the original 140 topics. This executive summary consolidates the evidenceâbased findings of the document. Methods: ICARâRS presents over 180 topics in the forms of evidenceâbased reviews with recommendations (EBRRs), evidenceâbased reviews, and literature reviews. The highest grade structured recommendations of the EBRR sections are summarized in this executive summary. Results: ICARâRSâ2021 covers 22 topics regarding the medical management of RS, which are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Additionally, 4 topics regarding the surgical management of RS are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Finally, a comprehensive evidenceâbased management algorithm is provided. Conclusion: This ICARâRSâ2021 executive summary provides a compilation of the evidenceâbased recommendations for medical and surgical treatment of the most common forms of RS
Use of Bitot's Spot in screening for Vitamin A difficiency in Nigerian children
A total of 2,905 children between 6 and 71 months of age were selected using a 2 stage stratified sampling method and screened for xerophthalmia using World Health Organisation (WHO) criteria and vitamin a deficiency (VAD) using serum retinol < 20 ”g/dl (low/marginal). Only 33 cases of xerophthalmia were seen representing a national prevalence of 1.1%. Only 8 children presented with Bitotâs spots (XIB) representing 0.3% of the total number of children screened for marginal VAD and 24.2% of xerophthalmic cases. Corneal xerosis (stage X2) was the commonest (0.8%) ocular presentation amongst the total number of children screened and also amongst cases of xerophthalmia where it was responsible for 66.7%. 3 children with VAD (serum retinol < 10 ”g/dl) presented with Bitotâs spot, corneal xerosis and corneal scar respectively. All of these 3 children were severely malnourished and sick while one of them was moribund. No cases of conjunctival xerosis (X1A), corneal ulcer (X3A) or keratomalacia (X3B) were encountered in the study. Corneal scars (XS) attributable VAD was responsible to 0.1%. Stages X3A (corneal xerosis) and XS (corneal scars attributable toVAD) of xerophthalmia were above the WHO cut-off points. The national prevalence of marginal VAD defined as serum retinol was 28.1%. Despite its low prevalence, Bitotâs spot can be a useful screening tool particularly in a field survey involving a large population of children because of the characteristic cluster distribution of VAD. The implication of this is that a single case of Bitotâs spot points to a whole community at risk of VAD
Antitrypanosomal activity of some medicinal plants from Nigerian ethnomedicine
Human African trypanosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease with complex clinical presentation, diagnosis, and difficult treatment. The available drugs for the treatment of trypanosomiasis are old, expensive, and less effective, associated with severe adverse reactions and face the problem of drug resistance. This situation underlines the urgent need for the development of new, effective, cheap, and safe drugs for the treatment of trypanosomiasis. The search for new antitrypanosomal agents in this study is based on ethnomedicine. In vitro antitrypanosomal activity of 36 plant extracts from 10 plant species from Nigerian ethnomedicine was evaluated against bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense STIB 900. Cytotoxic activity was determined against mammalian L6 cells. Alamar blue assay was used to measure the endpoint of both antitrypanosomal and toxicity assays. The ethyl acetate extract of leaves of Ocimum gratissimum Linn. (Labiatae) showed the highest antitrypanosomal activity (IC(50) of 2.08 +/- 0.01 mug/ml) and a high selective index of 29. Furthermore, the hexane, ethyl acetate, or methanol extracts of Trema orientalis (L.) Blume (Ulmaceae), Pericopsis laxiflora (Benth. ex Baker) Meeuwen, Jatropha curcas Linn. (Euphorbiaceae), Terminalia catappa Linn. (Combretaceae), and Vitex doniana Sweet (Verbenaceae) displayed remarkable antitrypanosomal activity (IC(50) 2.1-17.2 mug/ml) with high selectivity indices (20-80) for trypanosomes. The antitrypanosomal activity of T. catappa and T. orientalis against T. brucei rhodesiense (STIB 900) is being reported for the first time in Nigerian ethnomedicine, and these plants could be a potential source of antitrypanosomal agent
Antimalarial and cytotoxic properties of Chukrasia tabularis A. Juss and Turraea vogelii Hook F. Ex. Benth. Parasitol Res
In Vitro and In Vivo Antimalarial Activity of Ficus thonningii Blume (Moraceae) and Lophira alata Banks (Ochnaceae), Identified from the Ethnomedicine of the Nigerian Middle Belt
Drug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum requires that new drugs must be developed. Plants are a potential source for drug discovery and development. Two plants that used to treat febrile illnesses in Nigeria were tested for in vitro and in vivo antimalarial activity and cytotoxicity in cancer cell lines. Methanol, hexane, and ethyl acetate leaf extracts of Ficus thonningii and Lophira alata were active in in vitro assays against P. falciparum NF54 (sensitive) and K1 (multiresistant) strains. Hexane extracts of F. thonningii and L. alata were the most effective extracts in in vitro assays with IC50 of 2.7±1.6âÎŒg/mL and 2.5±0.3âÎŒg/mL for NF54 and 10.4±1.6âÎŒg/mL and 2.5±2.1âÎŒg/mL for K1 strain. All extracts were nontoxic in cytotoxicity assays against KB human cell line with IC50 of over 20âÎŒg/mL, demonstrating selectivity against P. falciparum. In vivo analysis shows that hexane extracts of both plants reduced parasitaemia. At the maximum dose tested, L. alata had a 74.4% reduction of parasitaemia while F. thonningii had a reduction of 84.5%, both extracts prolonged animal survival in mice infected with P. berghei NK65 when compared with vehicle treated controls. The antiplasmodial activity observed justifies the use of both plants in treating febrile conditions