Liver toxicity of Crude extract of Ficus natalensis traditionally used in South Western Uganda

Background: Traditional healers have used medicinal plants to treat infectious diseases since time immemorial. These natural products have not only played a vital role in healing, but have also contributed to the discovery of many pharmaceutically active agents. Objectives: This research was aimed at assessing the effects of crude extract of Ficus natalensis on the liver. Methodology: Test and control Wistar albino rats were fed on either Water or Ethanolic extract of Ficus natalensis and water-only (control) respectively and their serum harvested. Biochemical analysis of liver function tests was performed and Human Diagnostic Test Kits were used to assay for the enzymes ALT (alanine aminotransferase), (AST (serum aspartate aminotransferase) and γ-GT (gamma glutamyl transpeptidase).The organ body weight ratio was also recorded. Results: The cold water decoction once administered to the rats showed adverse effects leading to death of the experimental animals by day 3. The ethanolic extract results showed that there was a dose-dependent alteration in the indices of liver function as well as enlargement of the liver following feeding on the ethanolic extract of Ficus natalensis. All the serum enzyme activity of ALT, AST and GGT were increased in a dose-dependent manner and the groups of animals being fed on the ethanolic extract, showed a reduction in weight. Discussion: The cold water extraction might have extracted all the active ingredients including some that were toxic to the laboratory animals leading to their death. The ethanolic extracts exhibited alterations in the indices of liver function as well as enlargement of the liver in a dose-specific manner. All the serum enzyme activity of ALT, AST and GGT was increased in a dose-dependent manner. This could possibly be due to hepatotoxicity resulting from the metabolites of the Ficus natalensis. Key words: Ficus natalensis, Ethanolic extract, Liver toxicit

Investigation of Prader-Willi-like Phenotype using a Whole Genome Array

IntroductionPrader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is characterised byobesity, short stature, small hands and feet, neonatalhypotonia with difficulty in feeding at birth,hypogonadism and eye problems. At about two years ofage the feeding difficulties with poor suck are graduallyreplaced by hyperphagia and obsession with food,leading to the obesity. In addition to developmentaldelay which is manifested by short stature, small handsand feet, growth hormone deficiency andhypogenitalism/hypogonadism, there are alsobehavioural characteristics including learningdisabilities, temper tantrums, aggression, repetitivespeech, obsessive compulsive behaviour, sleep disorderand skin picking (Cassidy and Driscoll, 2009). Thisdisparate collection of symptoms led Holm et al (1993)to define the major and minor characteristics whichallowed a clinical diagnosis of this the most commongenetic form of obesity. Consensus diagnostic criteriawere defined and weighted scores in which the majorcriteria were awarded one point and the minor criteriahalf a point calculated. A score of 8 or more is clinicallydiagnostic for PWS.The majority of people with PWS have a paternallyderived deletion of approximately 5-7Mb in 15q11-q13,others have maternal disomy of chromosome 15(UPD15mat) and a minority have a defect of theimprinting centre located in exon 1 of the SNRPN genewhich leads to a maternal imprint on the paternallyderived chromosome. Any of these abnormalities willresult in loss of the paternal contribution to the Prader-Willi syndrome critical region (PWSCR), demonstratedby loss of a paternally derived unmethylated band at theimprinting centre and a lack of expression of the SNRPNgene. Although these do not differentiate between thedifferent genetic types of PWS they are diagnostic forthe syndrome (Cassidy and Driscoll, 2009; Ramsden etal, 2010; Zeschnigk et al, 1997).Within 15q11-q13 the complex imprintedSNURF/SNRPN gene hosts several untranslated snoRNAgenes located within intronic sequences. The finding ofa microdeletion involving SNORD116 in a boy with PWSled to the identification of this snoRNA as the candidategene for the syndrome (Sahoo et al, 2008).In the course of a large study of PWS in the UK(Whittington et al, 2001; Soni et al, 2007) three peoplewere identified who fulfilled the criteria for a clinicaldiagnosis of the syndrome but not the geneticlaboratory diagnostic criteria.The Affymetrix Cytogenetics Whole-Genome 2.7M arraywhile providing high resolution whole genome coveragereliably detects changes in copy number. Deletionsand/or duplications present in all three participants ifinvolved in annotated genes could potentiallycontribute to the Prader-Willi-like phenotype.Candidate genes can subsequently be evaluated toestimate their transcription levels and compared withthose shown by people with PWS and with unaffectedindividuals

In vitro antileishmanial activity and phytochemical analysis of Carissa edulis against Leishmania major

Background: However, there is need to carry out scientific studies in order to confirm the medicinal properties of many plants used traditionally. Carissa edulis Forskk. (Gentiales: Apocynaceae) used by local communities for the treatment of various diseases has showed antiviral, antibacterial and antiprotozoal properties although there are no studies demonstrating its antileishmanial activity. Objective: To investigate in vitro antileishmanial activity of extracts of Carissa edulis on promastigote and amastigote forms of Leishmania major. Methodology: Solvent extraction of the stem parts of C. edulis was performed using water, methanol, petroleum ether, dichloromethane and ethyl acetate. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), anti-amastigote and nitric oxide production assays were carried out to demonstrate antileishmanial activity of C. edulis extracts against the two forms of L. major parasite species: promastigote and amastigote. The extracts were also screened for phytochemical constituents present. Cytotoxicity assay was then done to assess their safe use as herbal medicinal products. Results: The C. edulis petroleum ether extract showed the strongest antileishmanial activity against L. major promastigotes (MIC=625μg/ml) with the water, dichloromethane and ethyl acetate extracts recording the weakest activity (MIC=2500μg/ml). The successive methanol extract reduced the number L. major amastigotes by 88.29% compared to the negative control (RPMI). The water (13.37μM), petroleum ether (12.93μM) and successive methanol extracts (12.82μM) produced nitrite values lower than the standard drugs Pentostam® (14.35μM) and Amphotericin B (14.13μM). Discussion: All C. edulis extracts have potential antileishmanial activity against L. major. Preliminary phytochemical screening of these extracts showed presence of alkaloids, terpenoids, phenols, anthraquinones and saponins. These phytochemicals were previously reported to have antileishmanial activity. Therefore, the plant extracts could offer an opportunity to develop cheaper antileishmanial alternatives to the more expensive pentavalent antimonials. Key words: C. edulis, L. major, promastigote, amastigot

Salivary α-Amylase of Stem Borer Hosts Determines Host Recognition and Acceptance for Oviposition by Cotesia spp. (Hymenoptera, Braconidae)

Foraging insect parasitoids use specific chemical cues to discriminate between host and non-host species. Several compounds have been identified in “host location and acceptance.” However, nothing is known about the molecular variations in these compounds that could account for host-range differences between parasitoid species. In a previous study, it was shown that during the host-finding process, contact between the braconid Cotesia flavipes and its host is crucial, and that α-amylase of oral secretions from the host plays a key role for host acceptance and oviposition by the parasitoid. The present study sought to establish whether the variations in this enzyme could explain specific host recognition in different host-parasitoid associations. Different species and populations of the C. flavipes complex specialized on graminaceous lepidopteran stemborers were used. Electrophoresis of α-amylase revealed different isoforms that mediate the parasitoid's oviposition acceptance and preference for a specific host. This discovery opens up new avenues for investigating the evolutionary processes at play in chemically-mediated host specialization in the species-rich Cotesia genus

Comprehensive transcriptome of the maize stalk borer, Busseola fusca, from multiple tissue types, developmental stages, and parasitoid wasp exposures

International audienc

An analysis of factors influencing farmers’ choice of green gram marketing channels in Mbeere south sub-county, Kenya

This study sought to contribute to a better understanding of market dynamics of green grams as a traditional crop within a resource poor producer community in Mbeere South sub-County, Kenya. The study aimed to characterize the green gram marketing channels and to evaluate the factors that influence the choice of green gram marketing channel by the producers. A multinomial logit model was estimated through data from households growing green grams. Results show that 70 percent of farmers in the study site grew green grams. On average, each household has 1 to 2 acres of land under green grams production each year. Farmers used three marketing channels, rural retailers (58 percent), wholesalers (14 percent) and assemblers (26 percent). The multinomial results showed that Age of the farmer (P=0.06), access to credit (p=0.065), price of green grams (p=0.079), and selling as individuals (p=0.000) positively influenced the choice of rural assembler marketing channel. Gender of the household head (p=0.001), production cost (p=0.000) and use of mobile phone to access marketing information (p=0.019) positively influenced the probability of choosing rural retailer over wholesaler marketing channel. In conclusion, farmers prefer marketing channels where they incur low production and transport cost and that offer higher prices to maximize profits. The study recommended first, identification and prioritization of unique farmer-trader relations that enhance adaptive resilience and increase farmers marketing options. Secondly, interventions to enhance market-based signals e.g. price should be reinforced

Diversity of Shallow-Water Species in Prawn Trawling: A Case Study of Malindi–Ungwana Bay, Kenya

Bottom trawling is a common fishing method that targets bottom-dwelling fisheries resources. It is non-selective and large amounts of by-catch are discarded, raising serious sustainability and ecosystem conservation concerns. In this study, a shallow-water bottom-trawl fishery was evaluated using logbook catch data between 2011 and 2019 and the species composition data collected by fisheries observers between 2016 and 2019. The logbook data showed a twenty-fold increase in the annual catches with a ten-fold increase in fishing effort and an increase in the proportion of retained catch from 2011 to 2019. The observer data showed that for prawn, the by-catch ratio ranged from 1:3 to 1:9 during the four years. Multivariate analysis revealed significant differences between the compositions of retained and discarded catches mainly attributed to Pellona ditchela, Nematopalaemontenuipes, and Secutor insidiator. There was no significant decline in species diversity and the trophic level of the catches over the 4-year observer period indicating no marked impact of trawling on the stock at the current level of fishing effort. This study provides baseline information on the prawn trawl fishery against which the performance of the management regulations may be evaluated towards the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries management

Diversity of Shallow-Water Species in Prawn Trawling: A Case Study of Malindi–Ungwana Bay, Kenya

Bottom trawling is a common fishing method that targets bottom-dwelling fisheries resources. It is non-selective and large amounts of by-catch are discarded, raising serious sustainability and ecosystem conservation concerns. In this study, a shallow-water bottom-trawl fishery was evaluated using logbook catch data between 2011 and 2019 and the species composition data collected by fisheries observers between 2016 and 2019. The logbook data showed a twenty-fold increase in the annual catches with a ten-fold increase in fishing effort and an increase in the proportion of retained catch from 2011 to 2019. The observer data showed that for prawn, the by-catch ratio ranged from 1:3 to 1:9 during the four years. Multivariate analysis revealed significant differences between the compositions of retained and discarded catches mainly attributed to Pellona ditchela, Nematopalaemontenuipes, and Secutor insidiator. There was no significant decline in species diversity and the trophic level of the catches over the 4-year observer period indicating no marked impact of trawling on the stock at the current level of fishing effort. This study provides baseline information on the prawn trawl fishery against which the performance of the management regulations may be evaluated towards the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries management

Sub-acute and sub-chronic toxicity assessment of the antimicrobial peptide Dermaseptin B2 on biochemical, haematological and histopathological parameters in BALB/c mice and Albino Wistar rats

Background: Dermaseptins (Drs) are peptides found in the skin secretions of a variety of Hylid frogs, particularly those belonging to the Agalychnis and Phyllomedusa families. Dermaseptin B2 (Drs B2), an amphipathic, α-helical polypeptide was reported as the most active of the Dermaseptin B family. We have previously shown that Drs B2 has strong anti-proliferative activities against RD cells in vitro and thus required further evaluations for future medical applications. Aim: The aim the study was to evaluate the 14-day sub-acute and 90-day sub-chronic toxicities Drs B2 in vivo. Materials and Methods: BALB/c mice were treated with increasing concentrations of 5–25 mg/kg of Drs B2. Rats were treated with 2, 4 and 10-fold concentrations of the calculated LD50 of Drs B2 following OECD recommendations. At the end of the experimentation periods, the animals were sacrificed and dissected to collect blood and selected organs for analysis of any effects caused by Drs B2 treatment on the biochemical, haematological, and histological parameters. Results: The 14-day sub-acute toxicity tests did not cause significant alteration in the biochemical, hematological and histological parameters. The 90-day sub-chronic toxicity study showed lower ALT and AST than control at doses 1.9 mg/kg and 4.6 mg/kg, respectively. Their haematology results also showed higher platelet count than the controls but the differences were not statistically significant. Histological analysis showed increased megakaryocytes in the spleen for both the mice and the rats. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that short term treatment of Drs B2 could be safe to the animals, however, long-term treatment can have mild effects on the liver parameters and cause an inflammatory response in the spleen