Exploring nature's antidote: unveiling the inhibitory potential of selected medicinal plants from Kisumu, Kenya against venom from some snakes of medical significance in sub-Saharan Africa.

The present study investigated the efficacy of and against venom (BAV), venom (NAV), and venom (NSV). 40 extracts and fractions were prepared using n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and methanol. efficacy against snake venom phospholipase A (svPLA) was determined in 96-well microtiter and agarose-egg yolk coagulation assays.

Ginkgo biloba attenuated detrimental inflammatory and oxidative events due to Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense in mice treated with melarsoprol.

Background: The severe late stage Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) caused by Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense (T.b.r) is characterized by damage to the blood brain barrier, severe brain inflammation, oxidative stress and organ damage.

Acute oral toxicity, cognitive-enhancing and anti-lipid peroxidation efficacy, and qualitative phytochemistry of the aqueous aerial part extract of (Hochst. ex. Oliv. &Hiern) C. Jeffrey.

At present, there is no cure for dementia or its related cognitive impairments. Available treatments only provide symptomatic relief and do not alter the disease's progression and they suffer serious drawbacks limiting their clinical use, hence the need for alternative therapies. Although has been used traditionally to treat cognitive deficits, its pharmacological efficacy and safety have not been empirically validated, prompting this study.

Phytochemical Screening, Toxic Effects, and Antimicrobial Activity Studies of (Hochst. ex A.Rich.) Stapf (Poaceae) Rhizome Extracts against Selected Uropathogenic Microorganisms.

In Kenya, the rhizome's decoction is traditionally used to treat urinary tract infections (UTIs), mainly gonorrhea and candidiasis. UTIs are the most severe public health problems that affect over one hundred and fifty million people worldwide annually. They are caused by a wide range of microorganisms where is known to be the main causative pathogen.

Effects of aqueous seed extracts on reproductive traits of heat-stressed New Zealand white female rabbits.

Heat stress is reported to have deleterious effects on rabbit physiology by impairing reproductive performances arising from free radical production due to oxidative stress. Plant extracts have been listed among efficient and healthy strategies for alleviating the effects of free radicals in the body of an animal. Numerous studies have documented the medicinal value of on various body functional systems although most of these data have not been scientifically validated.

Subacute Toxicity Effects of the Aqueous Shoot Extract of (K. Schum.) W.C.Lin in Sprague Dawley Rats: An Appraisal of Its Safety in Ethnomedicinal Usage.

Plant-based medicines have effectively managed several ailments in humans and animals since prehistoric times. However, the pharmacologic efficacy and safety of many plants currently used in traditional medicine have not been explored empirically, which raises serious public health concerns, derailing further research and their integration into the conventional healthcare system. Despite the longstanding ethnomedicinal usage of shoot extract to treat inflammation, microbial infections, and diarrhoea, among other diseases, there is insufficient scientific data to appraise its toxicity profile and safety.

Preliminary Phytochemical Composition and Anthelmintic Activity of Aqueous and Ethanol Extracts of against Mixed Gastrointestinal Worms in Dogs.

is used by some indigenous communities in Kenya to control gastrointestinal worms in animals. Plant-based anthelmintics are gaining popularity globally in the control of gastrointestinal worms in animals. The egg hatch inhibition assay was used to assess the anthelmintic efficacy of aqueous and ethanol leaf extracts of against the eggs of mixed gastrointestinal helminths in dogs.

Molecular Characterization of ESBLs and QnrS Producers From Selected Strains Isolated From Commercial Poultry Production Systems in Kiambu County, Kenya.

Background: The emergence and spread of Extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) in through the plasmid-mediated exchange have become a major threat to public health by complicating the treatment of severe infections in both animals and humans. Therefore, the current study focused on evaluating the manifestation of ESBLs production from the fecal isolates of , , , and in commercial poultry production systems of Kiambu County, Kenya.

Materials And Methods: Out of 591 isolates identified as , , , and from 437 fecal samples, only 78 were phenotypically suggestive to be ESBL producers.

Preclinical efficacy testing of three antivenoms against venom-induced lethality.

This study aimed to determine the efficacy of Inoserp, Vins bioproducts, and South African Institute of Medical Research (SAIMR) polyvalent antivenoms in neutralizing venom-induced lethality in mice. The neutralization efficacy of the antivenoms were expressed as effective dose, median effective ratio, potency, normalized potency, volume, and the number of vials of antivenom required to neutralize 100 mg of venom (NAV).

Ethnobotanical Documentation, Phytochemical Screening, and Cytotoxicity Evaluation of Medicinal Plants Used to Manage Snakebite Envenomation in Mwingi West Subcounty, Kenya.

Snakebite envenomation (SBE) is a life-threatening global public health problem affecting over 2.7 million persons annually, with a bigger burden lying in the developing world. Despite the successful management of SBE by antivenom therapy in conventional medicine, it is of low efficacy due to the diverse venom composition across snake types, which limits its usefulness.

as an animal model for the preliminary evaluation of snake venom-induced toxicity.

Lethality and cytotoxicity assays of snake venoms and their neutralization by antivenom require many mice for the experiments. Recent developments have prompted researchers to seek alternative strategies that minimize the use of mice in line with Russel and Burch's 3Rs philosophy (Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement). is an animal model widely used for toxicity screening.

Medicinal plants used in managing diseases of the respiratory system among the Luo community: an appraisal of Kisumu East Sub-County, Kenya.

Background: Poor access to healthcare in rural communities causes many people to seek herbalists who use medicinal plants for the treatment of various disease conditions. Most knowledge of traditional herbal medicine makes use of indigenous remedies which are often undocumented and are at risk of being lost. The preservation of this knowledge may facilitate scientific inquiry into promising new therapeutic molecules.

Acute Oral Toxicity and Anti-inflammatory and Analgesic Effects of Aqueous and Methanolic Stem Bark Extracts of (Schumach.).

Inflammation and pain are devastating conditions characterizing many diseases. Their manifestation ranges from mild body discomfort, to a debilitating experience, which may culminate in organ failure or death. In conventional medicine, corticosteroids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opioids, and adjuvants are utilized to manage symptoms related to pain and inflammation.

Enzymatic activity and brine shrimp lethality of venom from the large brown spitting cobra (Naja ashei) and its neutralization by antivenom.

Objective: Naja ashei is a snake of medical importance in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, and Tanzania. Little is known about the enzymatic (snake venom phospholipases A; svPLA's) and toxic (lethal) activities of N. ashei venom and crucially, the safety and capacity of available antivenom to neutralize these effects.

Epidemiology of snake bites in selected areas of Kenya.

Introduction: Snake bites are a silent public health problem in Kenya. Previous studies on snake bites in the country have mainly focused on identifying offending snake species, assessing the severity of envenomation and testing the efficacy of antivenom. Factors associated with snake bites in the country are yet to be fully understood.

The legislative and regulatory framework governing herbal medicine use and practice in Kenya: a review.

Complementary and alternative medicine is an integral component of primary healthcare in Kenya. This is because the infrastructural health setup in the country is inadequate in catering for all the medical needs of the population. This particularly holds true in the rural areas where many rural folk rely on products of herbal origin to offset their healthcare needs.

A 56-Day Oral Toxicity Study of the Aqueous Extract of (L.) Mez in Rats.

is a tropical tree that is extensively utilized in African traditional medicine to treat helminthiases, tuberculosis, and heart-water. As with many other medicinal plants, there is insufficient information regarding the safety of therapeutic extracts. An aqueous extract of stem bark was administered to Sprague Dawley rats at doses of 100 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg, and 1000 mg/kg for 56 days to characterize its potential toxicity after prolonged dosing.

Knowledge and demand for medicinal plants used in the treatment and management of diabetes in Nyeri County, Kenya.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Non communicable diseases are currently a major health challenge facing humanity. Nyeri County has one of the highest diabetes prevalence in Kenya (12.6%), compared to the country's prevalence of 5.

Evaluation of the use of Ocimum suave Willd. (Lamiaceae), Plectranthus barbatus Andrews (Lamiaceae) and Zanthoxylum chalybeum Engl. (Rutaceae) as antimalarial remedies in Kenyan folk medicine.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Crude extracts from the leaves of Ocimum suave Willd (Lamiaceae) and the root barks of Plectranthus barbatus Andrews (Lamiaceae) and Zanthoxylum chalybeum Engl. (Rutaceae) were studied to ascertain the ethnopharmacological standing of their antimalarial usage in Kenyan folk medicine.

Materials And Methods: Aqueous and Chloroform: Methanol (1:1) extracts of the plants were used in this study.

Brine shrimp cytotoxicity and antimalarial activity of plants traditionally used in treatment of malaria in Msambweni district.

Context: In Kenya, most people use traditional medicine and medicinal plants to treat many diseases including malaria. To manage malaria, new knowledge and products are needed. Traditional herbal medicine has constituted a good basis for antimalarial lead discovery and drug development.

Sub-acute toxicity of the chloroformic extract of Rapanea melanophloeos (L.) Mez in rats.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Cape beech (Rapanea melanophloeos) is an important medicinal plant that is widely used in most of Africa. Currently, little toxicological information is available on its safety following prolonged use.

Aim Of The Study: In this study, we sought to evaluate the oral sub-acute toxicity of Rapanea melanophloeos stem bark chloroformic extract using Sprague Dawley rats.

Medicinal plants used in treatment and management of cancer in Kakamega County, Kenya.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Traditional medicine plays a critical role in treatment of chronic debilitating and life threatening conditions and diseases. Cancer is one such condition whose therapeutic intervention is commonly through inexpensive traditional herbal remedies. Increasingly industrialised societies are developing drugs and chemotherapeutics from these traditional herbal plants.

Forensic case of lead poisoning from a battery manufacturing company in Nakuru, Kenya.

Acute sickness involving dairy cattle (n = 5) with a morbidity of 100% occurred in a farm in Nakuru, Kenya. A case study was undertaken with the objective of establishing the cause of the sickness. Samples of blood, soil and industrial waste contained high levels of lead.

Ethnodiagnostic skills of the digo community for malaria: a lead to traditional bioprospecting.

Malaria is a major public health problem that is presently complicated by the development of resistance by Plasmodium falciparum to the mainstay drugs. Thus, new drugs with unique structures and mechanism of action are required to treat drug-resistant strains of malaria. Historically, compounds containing a novel structure from natural origin represent a major source for the discovery and development of new drugs for several diseases.

Screening of some Kenyan medicinal plants for antibacterial activity.

Eleven medicinal plants used by traditional healers in Machakos and Kitui District were screened, namely: Ajuga remota Benth, Aloe secundiflora Engl, Amaranthus hybridus L, Cassia didymobotrya Fes, Croton macrostachyus Del, Entada leptostachya Harms, Erythrina abyssinica DC, Harrisonia abyssinica Oliv, Schkuhria pinnata O. Ktze, Terminalia kilimandscharica Engl and Ziziphus abyssinica Hochst for potential antibacterial activity against four medically important bacterial strains, namely: Bacillus cereus ATCC 11778, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Micrococcus lutea ATCC 9341 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853. The antibacterial activity of methanol extracts was determined as the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC).