Anti-Helicobacter pylori activity and immunostimulatory effect of extracts from Byrsonima crassa Nied. (Malpighiaceae)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Several <it>in vitro </it>studies have looked at the effect of medicinal plant extracts against <it>Helicobacter pylori </it>(<it>H. pylori</it>). Regardless of the popular use of <it>Byrsonima crassa </it>(<it>B. crassa</it>) as antiemetic, diuretic, febrifuge, to treat diarrhea, gastritis and ulcers, there is no data on its effects against <it>H. pylori</it>. In this study, we evaluated the anti-<it>H. pylori </it>of <it>B. crassa </it>leaves extracts and its effects on reactive oxygen/nitrogen intermediates induction by murine peritoneal macrophages.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by broth microdilution method and the production of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and nitric oxide (NO) by the horseradish peroxidase-dependent oxidation of phenol red and Griess reaction, respectively.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The methanolic (MeOH) and chloroformic (CHCl₃) extracts inhibit, <it>in vitro</it>, the growth of <it>H. pylori </it>with MIC value of 1024 μg/ml. The MeOH extract induced the production H₂O₂and NO, but CHCl₃extract only NO.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Based in our results, <it>B. crassa </it>can be considered a source of compounds with anti-<it>H. pylori </it>activity, but its use should be done with caution in treatment of the gastritis and peptic ulcers, since the reactive oxygen/nitrogen intermediates are involved in the pathogenesis of gastric mucosal injury induced by ulcerogenic agents and <it>H. pylori </it>infections.</p

Antibacterial activity of traditional medicinal plants used by Haudenosaunee peoples of New York State

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The evolution and spread of antibiotic resistance, as well as the evolution of new strains of disease causing agents, is of great concern to the global health community. Our ability to effectively treat disease is dependent on the development of new pharmaceuticals, and one potential source of novel drugs is traditional medicine. This study explores the antibacterial properties of plants used in Haudenosaunee traditional medicine. We tested the hypothesis that extracts from Haudenosaunee medicinal plants used to treat symptoms often caused by bacterial infection would show antibacterial properties in laboratory assays, and that these extracts would be more effective against moderately virulent bacteria than less virulent bacteria.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>After identification and harvesting, a total of 57 different aqueous extractions were made from 15 plant species. Nine plant species were used in Haudenosaunee medicines and six plant species, of which three are native to the region and three are introduced, were not used in traditional medicine. Antibacterial activity against mostly avirulent (<it>Escherichia coli, Streptococcus lactis</it>) and moderately virulent (<it>Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus</it>) microbes was inferred through replicate disc diffusion assays; and observed and statistically predicted MIC values were determined through replicate serial dilution assays.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Although there was not complete concordance between the traditional use of Haudenosaunee medicinal plants and antibacterial activity, our data support the hypothesis that the selection and use of these plants to treat disease was not random. In particular, four plant species exhibited antimicrobial properties as expected (<it>Achillea millefolium, Ipomoea pandurata, Hieracium pilosella</it>, and <it>Solidago canadensis</it>), with particularly strong effectiveness against <it>S. typhimurium</it>. In addition, extractions from two of the introduced species (<it>Hesperis matronalis </it>and <it>Rosa multiflora</it>) were effective against this pathogen.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our data suggest that further screening of plants used in traditional Haudenosaunee medicine is warranted, and we put forward several species for further investigation of activity against <it>S. typhimurium </it>(<it>A. millefolium, H. matronalis, I. pandurata, H. pilosella, R. multiflora, S. canadensis</it>).</p

Household, community, sub-national and country-level predictors of primary cooking fuel switching in nine countries from the PURE study

Introduction. Switchingfrom polluting (e.g. wood, crop waste, coal)to clean (e.g. gas, electricity) cooking fuels can reduce household air pollution exposures and climate-forcing emissions.While studies have evaluated specific interventions and assessed fuel-switching in repeated cross-sectional surveys, the role of different multilevel factors in household fuel switching, outside of interventions and across diverse community settings, is not well understood. Methods.We examined longitudinal survey data from 24 172 households in 177 rural communities across nine countries within the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology study.We assessed household-level primary cooking fuel switching during a median of 10 years offollow up (∼2005–2015).We used hierarchical logistic regression models to examine the relative importance of household, community, sub-national and national-level factors contributing to primary fuel switching. Results. One-half of study households(12 369)reported changing their primary cookingfuels between baseline andfollow up surveys. Of these, 61% (7582) switchedfrom polluting (wood, dung, agricultural waste, charcoal, coal, kerosene)to clean (gas, electricity)fuels, 26% (3109)switched between different polluting fuels, 10% (1164)switched from clean to polluting fuels and 3% (522)switched between different clean fuels

EVALUATION OF THE ACTIVITY OF LEAF EXTRACTS OF TREES THAT HAVE BEEN USED TO TREAT DIARRHOEA IN HUMANS AND ANIMALS

The use of medicinal plants has been increasing exponentially over the last few years. The rural population of developing countries has always depended greatly on traditional herbal medicine, but also in the first world countries, alternative healing methods have been gaining more and more importance, especially in Europe after the restriction of antibiotic food additives for stock animals by the European Union. In this study 53 tree species were evaluated for their antibacterial activity and their tannin content in order to study the mechanisms of their uses as remedies against diarrhoea in humans and animals. The antibacterial activity was tested against one Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and one Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacterial strain using the microdilution assay. The assays were done in triplicate and were repeated three times. Furthermore bioautographic assays were done. The compounds were visualised using Thin Layer Chromatography. For the evaluation of the tannin content, the radial diffusion assay was used. Five selected tree species were collected and tested every month for their antibacterial activities and tannin content in the same manner in order to show possible seasonal variations.Those five plants were Acacia karoo, Acacia sieberiana, Peltophorum africanum, Trichilia emetica and Ziziphus mucronata. Samples of various different trees of the species Combretum molle were collected at different locations and analyzed in the same manner to show possible interspecies variation and possible variation due to the localization of the plant. The results of this study will help to understand which mechanism each plant employs to be used as an effective remedy against diarrhoea

Follow-up survey of cataract surgical coverage and barriers to cataract surgery at Nkhoma, Malawi.

PURPOSE: Nkhoma Eye Hospital, Malawi provides high volume, high quality free cataract surgery to people in its catchment region of Central-Malawi. However, a previous survey in 2000 indicated that only 1 in 7 people with bilateral blindness from cataract had received surgery in a 10-mile radius of Nkhoma. METHODS: We conducted a population-based survey in 2006 in the 32 villages within a 10-mile radius of Nkhoma Hospital in people aged ≥ 40 years in order to investigate the cataract surgical coverage (CSC) and barriers to cataract surgery. RESULTS: The prevalence of blindness (visual acuity [VA] <3/60 in better eye) in 835 people aged ≥ 40 was 1.3% (95% CI 0.5-2.1), of which 36.4% was due to cataract. Overall, the CSC was 83.3%, and for eyes (VA<3/60) was 66.0%. The CSC was lower in females compared to males (73.3% vs. 100.0%. P < 0.001). The most common barrier to surgery was cost (58%). CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate a 5-fold increase in coverage in the 6 years, primarily by increasing efficiency of the service provider and providing a community screening and referral service. Supporting the ophthalmic personnel with appropriate infrastructure and management has been central to this shift. Implementing an active case finding and referral mechanism has enabled this unit to provide regular high volume cataract surgery. There is a need to understand the factors influencing perceptions about cost as a barrier in this community and the disparity between need and access to services for women