In ovo antiviral activity of Synadenium glaucescens (pax) crude extracts on Newcastle disease virus

Journal of Medicinal Plants Research 2013, 7(14): 863-870.Investigation on the effect of root bark and wood, stem bark and wood, leaves and sap of Synadenium glaucescens extracts against Newcastle disease (ND) virus was done using an in ovo assay. Viable 9 days embryonated chicken eggs were arranged into 25 treatment groups (n = 5). Groups 1 to 21 were challenged with a 13C/SUA virulent strain of ND virus treated with extract at concentration of 0.2 mg/ml. Un-inoculated group saved as negative control and groups inoculated with virus and diluent saved as positive controls. Haemagglutination test was used to quantify the amount for ND virus units. Embryo survival and embryo weight were significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) in groups treated with S. glaucescens extracts than the positive control. The root bark demonstrated significantly higher antiviral activities (P ≤ 0.05). Furthermore, treatments with ethanolic extract SE1 resulted into 100% embryo survival, 91.2% mean embryo weight and reduced viral load by 99.2%. The minimum dose of SE1 with the highest efficacy was 0.2 mg/ml. The percent mean embryo weight and haemagglutination test demonstrated negative correlation (R2 = 0.94). These findings validate the ethnoveterinary potential of S. glaucescens and the feasibility of its use for treatment and control of ND

In ovo antiviral activity of Synadenium glaucescens (pax) crude extracts on Newcastle disease virus

Journal of Medicinal Plants Research 2013, 7(14): 863-870.Investigation on the effect of root bark and wood, stem bark and wood, leaves and sap of Synadenium glaucescens extracts against Newcastle disease (ND) virus was done using an in ovo assay. Viable 9 days embryonated chicken eggs were arranged into 25 treatment groups (n = 5). Groups 1 to 21 were challenged with a 13C/SUA virulent strain of ND virus treated with extract at concentration of 0.2 mg/ml. Un-inoculated group saved as negative control and groups inoculated with virus and diluent saved as positive controls. Haemagglutination test was used to quantify the amount for ND virus units. Embryo survival and embryo weight were significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) in groups treated with S. glaucescens extracts than the positive control. The root bark demonstrated significantly higher antiviral activities (P ≤ 0.05). Furthermore, treatments with ethanolic extract SE1 resulted into 100% embryo survival, 91.2% mean embryo weight and reduced viral load by 99.2%. The minimum dose of SE1 with the highest efficacy was 0.2 mg/ml. The percent mean embryo weight and haemagglutination test demonstrated negative correlation (R2 = 0.94). These findings validate the ethnoveterinary potential of S. glaucescens and the feasibility of its use for treatment and control of ND

The role of antimalarial treatment in the elimination of malaria.

With declining transmission of malaria in several regions of the world and renewed interest in the elimination of malaria, strategies for malaria control using antimalarial drugs are being revisited. Drug-based strategies to reduce transmission of malaria need to target the asymptomatic carriers of infection. Drugs that are effective against gametocytes are few in number, but it may be possible to reduce gametocyte production by killing the asexual stages, for which more drugs are available. Drugs for use in large-scale programmes must be safe and tolerable. Strategies include improving access to treatment for malaria with an efficacious drug, intermittent-treatment programmes, and mass drug administration, with and without screening for malaria. Recent proposals have targeted high-risk groups for interventions. None of the strategies has been rigorously tested with appropriate control groups for comparison. Because of the lack of field evidence, modelling has been used. Models have shown, first, that for long-lasting effects, drug administration programmes should be linked with vector control, and second, that if elimination is the aim, programmes are likely to be more successful when applied to smaller populations of a few thousand or less. In order to sustain the gains following the scaling up of vector control and use of artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs), strategies that use antimalarials effectively need to be devised and evidence generated for the most cost-efficient way forward