Phytochemical and anti-fungal activity of crude extracts, fractions and isolated triterpenoid from Ficus thonningii blume

Background: The importance of plants in human health cannot be overemphasized as plants have provided a good source of anti-infective agents in the fight against  microbial infections. Ficus thonningii Blume (Moraceae), a plant used  ethnomedicinally in West Africa for the treatment of some microbial infections was studied for its antifungal potentials.Objective: To investigate the phytochemical and in vitro antifungal activity of the extracts and isolated compound from leaf and stem bark of Ficus thonningii.Materials and Methods: Determination of phytochemical composition of Ficus thonningii leaf and stem bark and evaluation of the anti-fungal activity of the leaf and stem bark extracts using agar-diffusion technique. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) of the crude extracts, fractions and isolated compound were determined by agardilution. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the crude extracts was carried out using column chromatography.Results: The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids,  cardenolides, terpenoids, saponins, tannins and flavonoids. Crude extracts of F. thonningii demonstrated inhibitory activity on moulds and yeast but none against the dermatophytes (Trichophyton and Microsporium species). Hexane leaf extract was the most active inhibiting all the strains of Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, Penicillum chrysogenum and Rhizopus nigricans with an MIC range of 20-312  μg/mL. The MIC of the isolated triterpenoid (10 – 78μg/mL) compared favourably with that of the standard drug, tioconazole, used (10 - 20 μg/mL).Conclusion: The study showed that Ficus thonningii Blume is a good source of various phytochemicals includingantimicrobial compounds that showed the potential of being developed into a drug for treating relevant fungal infections.Keywords: Ficus thonningii, Antifungal activity, Triterpenoid, Phytochemical  screenin

Self-medication with antibiotics for the treatment of menstrual symptoms in southwest Nigeria: a cross-sectional study

Background: Self-medication with antibiotics is an important factor contributing to the development of bacterial antibiotic resistance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics for the treatment of menstrual symptoms among university women in Southwest Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to female undergraduate and graduate students (n = 706) at four universities in Southwest Nigeria in 2008. The universities were selected by convenience and the study samples within each university were randomly selected cluster samples. The survey was self-administered and included questions pertaining to menstrual symptoms, analgesic and antibiotic use patterns, and demographics. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Results: The response rate was 95.4%. Eighty-six percent (95% CI: 83-88%) of participants experienced menstrual symptoms, and 39% (95% CI: 36-43%) reported using analgesics to treat them. Overall, 24% (95% CI: 21-27%) of participants reported self-medicated use of antibiotics to treat the following menstrual symptoms: cramps, bloating, heavy bleeding, headaches, pimples/acne, moodiness, tender breasts, backache, joint and muscle pain. Factors associated with this usage were: lower levels of education (Odds Ratio (OR): 2.8, 95% CI: 1.1-7.1, p-value: 0.03); nonscience major (OR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.03-2.50, p-value: 0.04); usage of analgesics (OR: 3.17, 95% CI: 2.07-4.86, p-value: <0.001); and mild to extreme heavy bleeding (OR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.01-2.67, p-value: 0.05) and pimples/acne (OR: 1.57, 95% CI: 0.98-2.54, p-value: 0.06). Ampicillin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin and metronidazole were used to treat the most symptoms. Doctors or nurses (6%, 95% CI: 4-7%), friends (6%, 95% CI: 4-7%) and family members (7%, 95% CI: 5-8%) were most likely to recommend the use of antibiotics for menstrual symptoms, while these drugs were most often obtained from local chemists or pharmacists (10.2%, 95% CI: 8-12%). Conclusions: This is the first formal study to report that approximately 1 out of 4 university women surveyed in Southwest Nigeria self-medicate with antibiotics to treat menstrual symptoms. This practice could provide monthly, low-dose exposures to antibiotics among users. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the impacts of selfmedication on student health

Wastewater management in a Nigerian leper colony

Wastewater from infected leprosy patients is expected to contain considerably higher concentrations of pathogens than standard domestic wastewater and, therefore, is more infectious. Isolation of lepers' is thought to prevent the spread of a wide range of infectious diseases that could potentially be contacted through direct or indirect exposure from an infected person's wastewater in the surrounding environment. However, inappropriate management of wastewater and sewage from these camps has led to contamination of the surrounding environment, typical in Nigeria. This study aims to recommend safe, efficient and sustainable management of wastewater and sewage in a lepers' colony in Ogbomosho, south west Nigeria. The case study is privately owned, with three camps and a leprosarium. Information and data (primary and secondary) were collected from medical personnel (doctors, matrons and nurses), management staff and lepers in each camp, through hand- delivered and orally explained questionnaires and physical observations. Wastewater samples could not be collected for analysis because there were no septic tanks or drainage for sewage and wastewater disposal. Two of the camps have no sanitary disposal system, with the remaining camp occupying one pit latrine, which is inadequate in prevention of environmental pollution. The leprosarium itself uses the pit latrine as an improvised bathroom and for defecation. Therefore, a further aim of this work is to provide a sewage treatment facility to cope with the problem of unsanitary disposal of excreta. The majority of wastewater is generated from bathing, personal washing, ward clean-ups, patients' services and general house-keeping activities. The approximate quantity of water being used per head per day was found to be 64-79 litres, resulting in ~60 litres of wastewater that was discharged without treatment. To ameliorate environmental risks that leper colonies are responsible for, the pour-flush toilet was recommended based on its suitability for the physical condition of lepers, its ease of operation, maintenance and sustainability, minimum water usage for flushing and low construction costs. However, this must be fed into a well designed and sited septic tank and soak-away pit to receive foul sewage and sullage, respectively. Ideally, construction of a proper in-built bathroom is recommended for both the leprosarium and camps. © 2011 Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VGTU) Press Technika

Things must not fall apart: the ripple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children in sub-Saharan Africa

Zero to 19 year-old children in sub-Saharan Africa bear a disproportionate proportion of the global burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases. Significant public health gains have been made in the fight against these diseases, however, factors such as underequipped health systems, disease outbreaks, conflict, and political instability continue to challenge prevention and control. The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) introduces new challenges to public health programs in sub-Saharan Africa. Of particular concern are programs targeting major conditions among children, such as undernutrition, vaccine-preventable pneumonia and diarrhea, malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, and sickle cell disease. This article focuses on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on child health in sub-Saharan Africa. We review the epidemiology of major pediatric diseases and, referencing modeling projections, discuss the short- and long-term impact of the pandemic on major disease control. We deliberate on potential complications of SARS-CoV-2 co-infections/co-morbidities and identify critical social and ethical issues. Furthermore, we highlight the paucity of COVID-19 data and clinical trials in this region and the lack of child participants in ongoing studies. Lastly, approaches and interventions to mitigate the pandemic’s impact on child health outcomes are discussed