Antibacterial activity of Moringa oleifera methanolic leaves extracts against some Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial isolates

Background: Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae) found to be very useful tree in tropical countries. In folklore and Ayurvedic all parts of the tree used in different healing procedures for different diseases. The plant leaves are very good nutrient supplement for malnutrition and also used as an antibiotic. Methods: Phytochemical analysis of the leaf in solvents of varying polarity; viz., Aqueous and Methanol were also carried out. The phytochemical screening indicated the presence of phenolics, flavonoids, tannins, glycosides etc. Results: The antibacterial activity of Moringa oleifera leaf extracts against four microorganisms, viz. Escherichia coli, Shigella Staphylococcus aureus and streptococcus, The Methanolic extract was active against E.coli, Shigella, Staphylococcus aureus whereas the aqueous extract exhibited an inhibitory effect on Pneumonia, E. coli and Shigella only at different zone of inhibition levels of extracts. Well diffusion method was used to assess the antibacterial effect of the extracts on both Gram positive and Gram negative micro-organisms. Moreover, the statistically, results were not significant at both 1% and 5% level of significances. Conclusion: It became obvious that, the higher reducing power of the aqueous extract could be due to the better solubility of the antioxidant components in water whereas the predominant antibacterial activity in organic solvent extracts as compared to aqueous extracts, indicated that the active components responsible for the bactericidal activity are more soluble in organic solvents. This study provided an evidence to support traditional medicinal uses of the plant

Molecular Detection of Influenza A(H1N1)Pdm09 Virus Among Chronic Kidney Disease Patients: A Peripheral Blood Sample Approach and Assessment of the Associated Risk Factors

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive loss of functional nephron characterized by various risk factors. Influenza virus has been found to cause rhabdomyolysis, which is toxic to the kidneys and can initiate or worsen CKD. This study aims to investigate the frequency and molecular detection of Influenza A(H1N1)Pdm09 Virus gene among CKD patients attending University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.Materials and Methods: Peripheral blood samples were collected from 150 CKD patients. One-step RT-PCR was performed for detection of influenza virus using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention protocol. Relevant clinical data were collected in standardized questionnaires from each patient, and medical history was obtained from their hospital records.Results: Conventional PCR analysis revealed that 16% of the CKD patients tested positive for Inf A/Pdm H1N1. The virus frequency was found to be higher among patients in CKD stage 5 (end-stage CKD) and lower in CKD stage 3 (moderate CKD). Additionally, female CKD patients and those in the age group of 55-64 years showed a higher susceptibility to Inf A/Pdm H1N1 infection.Discussion: The study provides evidence of the presence of Inf A/Pdm H1N1 in CKD patients, aligning with previous research showing its involvement in kidney disease aggravation. CKD patients often exhibit immune dysregulation, which might facilitate the virus's invasion and persistence. Conclusion: This study provides evidence of an association between Influenza A(H1N1)Pdm09 viraemia and decreased kidney function among CKD patients. The findings highlight the importance of monitoring and preventing influenza infection in CKD patients to prevent further kidney damage