Isolation, characterization and antiplasmodial activity of phytochemical constituents from Monanthotaxis parvifolia (Oliv.) Verdc ssp. kenyensis Verdc

Fractionation of the methanol extract of the leaves of Monanthotaxis parvifolia (Oliv.) Verdc ssp. kenyensis Verdc (Annonaceae) by preparative high performance liquid chromatography yielded seven fractions from which two phytochemical constituents were isolated and identified as quercetin-3-O-β-galactopyranoside (hyperoside) and quercetin-3-O-α-arabinofuranoside (avicularin) on the basis of spectroscopic data analysis and comparison with published data for the known compounds. This is the first report of the isolation of these compounds from Monanthotaxis parvifolia. Hyperoside and avicularin exhibited moderate antiplasmodial activity against chloroquine sensitive (D10) and chloroquine resistant (Dd2) Plasmodium falciparum strains (IC50 = 10.85 - 38.07 μg/ml). Hyperoside had selectivity index greater than 10 when assayed for cytotoxicity on Chinese hamster ovarian cell line.Keywords:  Monanthotaxis parvifolia (Oliv.) Verdc ssp. kenyensis Verdc, quercetin glycosides, antiplasmodial activity, cytotoxicit

Distance learning approach to train health sciences students at the University of Nairobi

Background: The University of Nairobi (UoN) College of Health Sciences (CHS) established Partnership for Innovative Medical Education in Kenya (PRIME-K) programmeme to enhance health outcomes in Kenya through extending the reach ofmedical training outside Nairobi to help health sciences students enhance their handson skills. The institution partnered with 18 hospitals in rural and urban centers as the UoN teaching hospitals referred to as decentralised training sites and appointed medical staff from these sites as adjunct faculty of the University of Nairobi to train health sciences students on hands-on skills. Webcasts  presentations were conducted by undergraduate students from all the schools at the College of Health Sciences during their elective term and clinical rotations at the decentralised training sites to present on the ground health issues.Objective: To describe how the University of Nairobi (UoN) used the distance  learning platform from the Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) grant to outspread medical education to the underserved communities located in rural and urban surroundings across the country.Design: A cross-sectional studySetting: The University of Nairobi College of Health SciencesSubjects: Health Sciences students of the College of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi and Hospital staff in 18 hospitals in rural and urban centersResults: A total of 670 health sciences students participated in the decentralised learning, a total of 549 health sciences  students participated in webcast presentations over a period of four years from 2012 to 2015, and a total of 48 medical  consultants and specialists from the decentralised training sites were appointed as Adjunct Faculty of the College of Health Sciences – University of Nairobi.Conclusion: Webcast presentations provided information on priority health conditions afflicting the communities at the  decentralised sites which would not be the case in the institution’s teaching hospital. Adjunct faculty at the decentralised training sites provided a platform enabling students to enhance their practical skills in line of  health profession and offered mentorship on coping in rural settings where there is scarcity of medical equipment and disposable materials in the health facilities and lack of constant electric power supply and clean water among other

Quantification of three macrolide antibiotics in pharmaceutical lots by HPLC: Development, validation and application to a simultaneous separation

A new validated high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method with rapid analysis time and high efficiency, for the analysis of erythromycin, azithromycin and spiramycin, under isocratic conditions with ODB RP18 as a stationary phase is described. Using an eluent composed of acetonitrile –2-methyl-2-propanol –hydrogenphosphate buffer, pH 6.5, with 1.5% triethylamine (33:7: up to 100, v/v/v), delivered at a flow-rate of 1.0 mL min-1. Ultra Violet (UV) detection is performed at 210 nm. The selectivity is satisfactory enough and no problematic interfering peaks are observed. The procedure is quantitatively characterized and repeatability, linearity, detection and quantification limits are very satisfactory. The method is applied successfully for the assay of the studied drugs in pharmaceutical dosage forms as tablets and powder for oral suspension. Recovery experiments revealed recovery of 97.13–100.28%

Phytosterols from the stem bark of Combretum fragrans

Combretum fragrans F. Hoffm belongs to the Combretaceae (Combretum) family. The plant grows in wooded or bushy grassland [1]. The powdered bark is used for the treatment of wounds, diarrhoea, syphilis and gonorrhoea [2] and also in fungal, bacterial and inflammatory conditions [3-4]. Only limited pharmacological studies have been carried out on the plant. Methanolic extracts of C. fragrans significantly reduced the activity of the enzyme neuraminidase from Clostridium chauvoei in a dose dependent fashion [5]. There are no reports of any compounds isolated from the plan