Natural toxins and One Health: a review.

Background: The One Health concept considers the interconnectivity, interactions and interdependence of humans, animals and the environment. Humans, animals and other organisms are constantly exposed to a wide range of natural toxins present in the environment. Thus, there is growing concern about the potential detrimental effects that natural toxins could pose to achieve One Health.

Volatile phenolics: A comprehensive review of the anti-infective properties of an important class of essential oil constituents.

Historically, essential oils and their lead molecules have been extensively recognised for their anti-infective properties. In this context, certain volatile phenolics (VPs) have emerged as important antimicrobial compounds with excellent inhibitory activity against pathogenic bacteria and fungi, which further extends to drug-resistant and biofilm-forming micro-organisms. In this review, we aim to collate and discuss a number of published papers on the anti-infective activities of naturally occurring VPs with special emphasis on eugenol, isoeugenol, thymol and carvacrol, using Scopus Web of Science and PubMed databases.

Investigating antimicrobial compounds in South African Combretaceae species using a biochemometric approach.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Many species within the family Combretaceae are popular medicinal plants that are used traditionally to treat various conditions, of which many are related to bacterial infections. Global concerns regarding the increasing resistance of pathogens towards currently available antibiotics have encouraged researchers to find new drugs with antibacterial activity, particularly from plant sources.

Aim Of The Study: This study was aimed at exploring the broad-spectrum antibacterial potential of methanol extracts of species representing four genera of Combretaceae (Combretum, Pteleopsis, Quisqualis, Terminalia), indigenous to South Africa, using a biochemometric approach.

Acetone leaf extracts of some South African trees with high activity against Escherichia coli also have good antimycobacterial activity and selectivity index.

Background: Tuberculosis is a world-wide problem affecting humans and animals. There is increasing development of resistance of the pathogens to current antimycobacterial agents. Many authors have investigated activities of extracts and isolated compounds from plants.

The antibacterial activity of extracts of nine plant species with good activity against Escherichia coli against five other bacteria and cytotoxicity of extracts.

Background: The development of antibiotic resistant bacteria stems from a number of factors, including inappropriate use of antibiotics in human and animal health and their prolonged use as growth promoters at sub-clinical doses in poultry and livestock production. We were interested in investigating plants that could be useful in protecting humans or animals against diarrhoea. We decided to work on extracts of nine plant species with good activity against Escherichia coli based on earlier work in the Phytomedicine Programme.

Potency and selectivity indices of acetone leaf extracts of nine selected South African trees against six opportunistic Enterobacteriaceae isolates from commercial chicken eggs.

Background: The rise in antimicrobial resistance in a plethora of nosocomial and opportunistic bacterial pathogens often isolated from commercial eggs, poses a serious public health concern. The existence of these contaminants may also serve as a drawback in the current efforts of improving the well-being of immunocompromised patients. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of plant extracts that had good activity on Escherichia coli in previous word on pathogens isolated from eggs for possible use in combating pathogens from eggs.

The anti-arthritic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant activity and relationships with total phenolics and total flavonoids of nine South African plants used traditionally to treat arthritis.

Background: Oxidative stress predisposes the human and animal body to diseases like cancer, diabetes, arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis and chronic inflammatory disorders. Hence, this study seeks to determine the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic activities of acetone leaf extracts of nine South African medicinal plants that have been used traditionally to treat arthritis and inflammation.

Methods: The anti-inflammatory activity of the extracts was determined by investigating inhibition of nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide activated RAW 264.

The efficacy and safety of nine South African medicinal plants in controlling Bacillus anthracis Sterne vaccine strain.

Background: Anthrax is a zoonotic disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, a Gram-positive spore-forming bacterium. The presence of the bacteria and the toxins in the blood of infected hosts trigger a cascade of pathological events leading to death. Nine medicinal plants with good activities against other bacteria were selected to determine their in vitro antibacterial activity against Bacillus anthracis Sterne strain.

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in the treatment of animal diarrhoea in Plateau State, Nigeria.

Background: The use of medicinal plants in the treatment of diseases has generated renewed interest in recent times, as herbal preparations are increasingly being used in both human and animal healthcare systems. Diarrhoea is one of the common clinical signs of gastrointestinal disorders caused by both infectious and non-infectious agents and an important livestock debilitating condition. Plateau State is rich in savannah and forest vegetations and home to a vast collection of plants upheld in folklore as having useful medicinal applications.