In vivo efficacy of oral and intraperitoneal administration of extracts of Warburgia ugandensis (Canellaceae) in experimental treatment of old world cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania major.

The antileishmanial activity of extracts of Warburgia ugandensis Spraque (Canellaceae), a known traditional therapy in Kenya was evaluated in vivo. Treatment of infected BALB/c mice with W. ugandensis extracts orally resulted in a reduction of the size of lesions compared to the untreated control. The lesion sizes differed significantly for the four extracts (p=0.039) compared to the untreated control. For mice treated by intraperitoneal injection, the lesion sizes increased initially for the hexane, dichloromethane and ethyl acetate extracts and healed by day 42. The lesion sizes for mice treated with methanol increased steadily from 2.47mm to 3.57mm. The parasitic burden was significantly higher (

Factors that impact on access to water and sanitation for older adults and people with disability in rural South Africa: An occupational justice perspective

Limited access to water and sanitation is a risk to health, dignity, and ability to engage in occupations. This article aims to: 1) discuss the current and historical factors affecting access to water and sanitation in rural South Africa, and 2) explore the occupational implications of water access, particularly for older adults and people with disability in rural South Africa. A literature review was carried out through searching JSTOR, Scopus, and MEDLINE databases and using framework analysis to interpret the retrieved documents. This paper also reports a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews, conducted in 2012 in a rural area of South Africa. Environmental, political, social-economic and attitudinal factors were identified as impacting water access and occupation, in both the documentary analysis and the semi-structured interviews. Due to South Africa’s history, injustice has occurred in the forms of occupational apartheid and occupational deprivation. We argue that supply systems must enable people to easily access more water than is essential for survival, so that people can participate in meaningful and productive occupations. Therefore, access to water should be considered part of an occupational right. Recognising this right will be an integral step in ensuring that water supplies are improved to support better livelihoods, and to achieve economic and social empowerment, and quality of life for all, in line with many of the United Nations’ new Sustainable Development Goals

Kaempferol glycosides from <i>Albizia Versicolor</i>

Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 1996, 10(1), 47-51

Kaempferol glycosides from Albizia Versicolor

Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 1996, 10(1), 47-51

Traditional healers and the managment of malaria in Kisumu District, Kenya

No Abstract. East African Medical Journal Vol. 84 (2) 2007: pp. 51-5

Methotrexate and aminopterin lack in vivo antimalarial activity against murine malaria species

The antifolate anticancer drug methotrexate (MTX) has potent activity against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro. Experience of its use in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis indicates that it could be safe and efficacious for treating malaria. We sought to establish a murine malaria model to study the mechanism of action and resistance of MTX and its analogue aminopterin (AMP). We used Plasmodium berghei, Plasmodium yoelii yoelii, Plasmodium chabaudi and Plasmodium vinckei. None of these species were susceptible to either drug. We have also tested the efficacy of pyrimethamine in combination with folic acid in P. berghei, and data indicate that folic acid does not influence pyrimethamine efficacy, which suggests that P. berghei may not transport folate. Since MTX and AMP utilise folate receptor/transport to gain access to cells, their lack of efficacy against the four tested murine malaria species may be the result of inefficiency of drug transpor

Antimicrobial Activity of Pentacyclic Triterpenes Isolated from Acacia Mellifera

Acacia mellifera has been used widely in traditional African medicines against various diseases. Among the Kipsigis community of Kenya, water extracts from the plant is used for the treatment of skin diseases, coughs and gastrointestinal ailments. The aim of the study was to provide scientific rationale for the use of the plant in traditional medicine through bioassay-guided fractionation of A. mellifera stem bark. Bioactivity testing was done against selected microbes using disc diffusion technique as outlined in Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI). Structure elucidation of the isolated compounds was based primarily on 1D and 2D NMR analyses, including HMQC, HMBC, and NOESY correlations. Fractionation yielded three triterpenoids; (20S)-oxolupane-30-al, (20R)-oxolupane-30-al, and betulinic acid. The three compounds were active against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and only (20S)-oxolupane-30-al against clinical isolate of Microsporum gypseum. The three compounds had no activity against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Enterococcus feacalis, Candida albicans ATCC 90028, Cryptococcus neoformans, Trichophyton mentagrophyte, Candida krusei, Microsporum gypseum, and Sacharomyces cerevisiae. These results explain and support the use of A. mellifera stem barks for the treatment of infectious diseases in traditional Kenya medicine. It also shows that the antimicrobial activity is concentrated in the triterpenoid fractions