The determination of safety of Muhanse M4®, a traditional herbal preparation used to treat HIV/AIDS-related conditions and diseases in Tanzania

Muhanse M4® is a traditional herbal preparation that has been in use in Tanzania for the past 17 years to improve the quality of life among people living with HIV/AIDS. This study was carried out to determine the safety of the extract Muhanse M4® in animal models. The qualitative test to identify alkaloids and saponins compounds was carried out. The toxicity tests in Swiss albino mice and rats were done according to WHO guidelines of 1993. Muhanse M4® was dissolved homogeneously in distilled water and was administered both intraperitonially and orally for 14 days for sub-acute test and 24 hours for acute test. Qualitatively, the extract was found to contain no alkaloids or saponins. In rats intraperitoneal doses that caused 100% lethality were 758.55 mg/kg and 553.7415mg/kg when administered singly and repeated, respectively. Single oral dose up to 3034.200mg/kg did not cause any death in the tested mice or rats. NOEL during intraperitoneal repeated doses for liver in rats was 424.788mg/kg, and NOAEL was 455.130mg/kg. In rats LD10%, LD50% and LD100% were 485.472mg/kg, 526.4337mg/kg and 553.7415mg/kg, respectively. In conclusion, Muhanse M4® extract is considered to be safe in laboratory animals. Keywords: Muhanse M4®, toxicity, medicinal plants, traditional medicine, HIV/AIDS Tanzania Health Research Bulletin Vol. 7(3) 2005: 168-17

Use of traditional medicines in the management of HIV/AIDS opportunistic infections in Tanzania: a case in the Bukoba rural district

Kisangau DP, Lyaruu HVM, Hosea KM, Joseph CC. Use of traditional medicines in the management of HIV/AIDS opportunistic infections in Tanzania: a case in the Bukoba rural district. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. 2007;3(1): 29.Background: Ethnobotanical surveys were carried out to document herbal remedies used in the management of HIV/AIDS opportunistic infections in Bukoba Rural district, Tanzania. The district is currently an epicenter of HIV/AIDS and although over 90% of the population in the district relies on traditional medicines to manage the disease, this knowledge is impressionistic and not well documented. The HIV/AIDS opportunistic conditions considered during the study were Tuberculosis (TB), Herpes zoster (Shingles), Herpes simplex (Genital herpes), Oral candidiasis and Cryptococcal meningitis. Other symptomatic but undefined conditions considered were skin rashes and chronic diarrhea. Methods: An open-ended semi-structured questionnaire was used in collecting field information. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the ethnobotanical data collected. Factor of informant consensus (Fic) was used to analyze the ethnobotanical importance of the plants. Results: In the present study, 75 plant species belonging to 66 genera and 41 families were found to be used to treat one or more HIV/AIDS related infections in the district. The study revealed that TB and oral candidiasis were the most common manifestations of HIV/AIDS opportunistic infections affecting most of the population in the area. It unveils the first detailed account of ethnomedical documentation of plants focusing the management of HIV/AIDS related infections in the district. Conclusion: It is concluded that the ethnopharmacological information reported forms a basis for further research to identify and isolate bioactive constituents that can be developed to drugs for the management of the HIV/AIDS opportunistic infections