Anticholinesterase and Antioxidant Activities of Spilanthes filicaulis Whole Plant Extracts for the Management of Alzheimer’s Disease

Background: Spilanthes filicaulis is a tropical herb implicated as a memory enhancer in ethnomedicine. Objective: The study investigated acetyl/butyryl cholinesterase inhibitory and antioxidant activities of different extracts of S. filicaulis whole plant and correlated them to its phytochemical constituents. Methods: The powdered whole plant was successively extracted with n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol. Acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) and Butyryl cholinesterase (BuChE) inhibitory activity were evaluated by Ellman colorimetry assay. Antioxidant activity was tested using 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, ferric reducing power and nitric oxide scavenging assays. Total phenolic, flavonoid and tannin were estimated using standard methods. Correlation was determined using Quest Graph™ Regression Calculator. Results: Various extracts exhibited concentration-dependent AChE and BuChE inhibitory activity with ethyl acetate extract being the highest with IC50 of 0.77 μg/mL and 0.92 μg/mL for AChE and BuChE respectively. The ethyl acetate extract also showed the highest reducing power when compared with the other extracts. The methanol extract had slightly higher phenolic and flavonoid content and showed the highest DPPH radical scavenging effect. DPPH scavenging, AChE and BuChE inhibition had high correlation with the total flavonoid content with R2 values of 1.00, 0.800 and 0.992 respectively while nitric oxide scavenging had high correlation with phenolics and tannins with R2 = 0.942 and 0.806 respectively. Conclusion: These results show that the extracts of the whole plant of S. filicaulis possess significant AChE/BuChE inhibitory and antioxidant properties, mostly due to its flavonoid content, suggesting the possible use of the plant in neurodegenerative diseases such as AD

SOIL TRANSMITTED NEMATODES IN CHILDREN IN BUEA HEALTH DISTRICT OF CAMEROON

Objective: To investigate the prevalence, intensity of infection and control of soiltransmittednematodes in primary school pupils of urban, suburban and rural localities.Setting: Buea Health District.Design: A cross section experimental study.Subjects: Three hundred and forty primary school children.Intervention: Mebendazole treatment complemented with health education.Results: The overall prevalence rate of soil-transmitted nematodes in the Buea HealthDistrict was 59.1%. The infection rate was significantly different in the urban, suburbanand rural localities of the health district (P<0.01), with the rural area having the highestrate of infection. Ascaris lumbricoides was the most predominant parasite. The intensityof infection with the various helminth species was not significantly different betweenchildren of urban, suburban and rural localities. Mebendazole treatment significantlyreduced the intensities of infection with Ascaris and Trichuris (P < 0.05). The treatment,however, was ineffective against hookworm infection. Re-infection rate with Ascaris andTrichuris was slower in children who additionally received health education than in thosewho received only anthelminthic treatment.Conclusion: Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and hookworms are the predominantnematodes reported in children of urban, suburban and rural localities in the healthdistrict. Health education is advocated as a complement to chemotherapy in the controlof soil-transmitted nematodes

Soil transmitted nematodes in Children in Buea Health district of Cameroon

Objective: To investigate the prevalence, intensity of infection and control of soiltransmitted nematodes in primary school pupils of urban, suburban and rural localities. Setting: Buea Health District Design: A cross section experimental study Subjects: Three hundred and forty primary school children Intervention: Mebendazole treatment complemented with health education Results: The overall prevalence rate of soil-transmitted nematodes in the Buea Health District was 59.1%. The infection rate was significantly different in the urban, suburban and rural localities of the health district (