Ethiopia schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthes control programme: progress and prospects

Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthes are among seventeen WHO prioritized neglected tropical diseases that infect humans. These parasitic infections can be treated using single-dose and safe drugs. Ethiopia successfully mapped the distribution of these infections nationwide. According to the mapping there are an estimated 37.3 million people living in schistosomiasis endemic areas, and 79 million in schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthes endemic areas. The Federal Ministry of Health successfully scaled up Schistosomiasis and schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthes intervention in endemic areas and treated over 19 million individuals in 2015. The Ministry of Health has made a huge effort to establish neglected tropical diseases, including schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthes program in the health system which helped to map majority of the woredas and initiate nationwide intervention. The National control programme is designed to achieve elimination for those diseases as a major public health problem by 2020 and aim to attain transmission break by 2025. The programme focuses on reaching those school-aged children who are not attending school, integration between neglected tropical diseases programme, and further collaboration with the WASH actors

In vivo Wound Healing Activity of 70% Ethanol Leaf Extract of Becium grandiflorum Lam. (Lamiaceae) in Mice

Becium grandiflorum Lam. (Lamiaceae)is used as a traditional medicine against malaria, “Mich” and for treatment of spider bite that culminates in wound. The present study evaluated the potential wound healing activity of the crude extract of B. grandiflorum using rodent wound models. Hydroalcoholic (70% ethanol) leaf extract of B. grandiflorum was formulated as 5% and 10% ointment and its activity was investigated in excision and incision wound models using simple ointment and nitrofurazone as a negative and positive control, respectively. In addition, histopathological analysis was performed. Parameters, including rate of wound contraction, period of complete epithelialization, and skin tensile strength were evaluated. Both 5% (w/w) and 10% (w/w) extract ointments (p < 0.001) and standard drug nitrofurazone (p < 0.001) significantly reduced wound area compared to the negative control. Similarly, both doses of the extract ointment preparations showed significant increase (p < 0.001) in wound tensile strength in the incision wound model. However, it was only 5% of the extract ointment and the standard that significantly shortened epithelialization time (p < 0.001) compared to controls. These findings collectively indicate that ointments prepared from 70% ethanol leaf extract of B. grandiflorum could facilitate the different phases of wound repair, providing support for the traditional claims of the plant in the treatment of wound.Keywords: wound healing, excision model, incision model, Becium grandiflorum, hydroalcoholic extrac

Multiple activities contribute to the wound healing effect of 80% methanol leaf extract of Discopodium penninervum Hochst (Solanaceae) in mice

Discopodium Penninervum Hochst is among the Ethiopian medicinal plants traditionally used for wound healing activity. However, to date, there is no scientific report on its wound healing activity. Thus, the main aim of this study was to investigate the wound healing activity of 80% methanol leaf extract of D. penninervum in mice. Wound healing activity was investigated using excision and incision wound models. Mice were randomly assigned and treated with simple ointment (negative control), nitrofurazone (positive control), 5%, and 10% of D. Penninervum extract. Parameters such as wound contraction, period of epithelialization and tensile strength were evaluated. In addition, anti-inflammatory test using carrageenan-induced hind paw oedema model, in vitro antibacterial activity using agar well diffusion technique against several common bacterial strains that cause wound infection and antioxidant activity studies were performed at different doses of the extract. Both 5% and 10% (w/w) ointments exhibited significant (p < 0.001) increase in wound contraction and shorter epithelization period in excision wound model. Animals treated with 5% and 10% (w/w) ointments showed about 97% and 98% wound closure, respectively, on day fifteen, while the closure of negative control was 88%. In addition, both preparations of the crude extract showed significant increase (p < 0.001) in wound tensile strength as compared to negative controls. Mice treated with 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg extract showed significant (p < 0.001) reduction in paw oedema starting from the 2nd h as compared to negative controls with maximum inhibition of 56.27%, 57.36% and 58.18%, respectively. The crude extract also showed antibacterial activity against both Gram- positive and Gram-negative bacteria, with the former being more sensitive than the latter. The lowest MIC values were observed for S. aureus, (2.6 µg/µl) and the highest (350 µg/µl) for all the studied Gram-negative organisms. The MICindex of the extract was found to be 2. The extract was effective in scavenging DPPH radicals and its IC50 value was 2.77 mg/ml. In addition, quantification of total flavonoid content revealed the presence of 43.03 mg quercetin equivalent flavonoids in the extract. In conclusion, the extract of D. penninervum is endowed with significant wound healing activity that could be attributed to antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of the plant.Keywords: Discopodium penninervum, wound healing, excision and incision models, antibacterial activity, anti-oxidant activit