Piloting a smartphone-based application for tracking and supply chain management of medicines in Africa.

A confounding factor for healthcare programmes in African countries is the inability of essential health tools to reach targeted locations and populations, due to poor Logistics Management Information System (LMIS). In a bid to contribute towards addressing these challenges, a pilot study was undertaken to evaluate the tracking ability, reliability and applicability of EASE App, a novel Smart Phone based Application. The App is designed to provide real-time tracking and tracing of commodities as well as curation of data in a cloud based database with restricted access which can be linked with other databases.

Simulation of metabolism-based herb-drug interaction: towards safe and efficacious use of NIPRD-AM1.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of NIPRD-AM1 on CYP3A4 in order to generate clinically significant data for its safe and efficacious use.

Materials And Methods: NIPRD-AM1 is a phytomedicine developed from aqueous root extracts of Nauclea latifolia Smith (Rubiaceae) for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria. The effect of NIPRD-AM1 on CYP3A4 was measured with and without the addition of NIPRD-AM1, by testing different concentrations of the product at 37 °C in reactive mixtures with ketoconazole (2.

Behavioral and anticonvulsant effects of the standardized extract of Ficus platyphylla stem bark.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Decoctions of Ficus platyphylla Del.-Holl (Family: Moraceae) are used in Nigeria׳s folk medicine for the management of epilepsy and their efficacies are widely acclaimed among the rural communities of northern Nigeria. The aim of the study is to examine the behavioral and anticonvulsant properties of the standardized methanol extract of Ficus platyphylla (FP) stem bark, in order to scientifically describe its potential values in the management of convulsive disorders.

Effect of NIPRISAN® on CYP3A4 activity in vitro.

NIPRISAN(®) is a phytomedicine developed from herbal products used in folkloric practice for the management of sickle cell disease (SCD). The effect of NIPRISAN(®) was tested on human cytochrome P4503A4 drug metabolising enzyme to generate clinically significant data for its safe and efficacious use. Inhibitory activity on CYP3A4 was measured with and without the addition of NIPRISAN(®), by testing different concentrations of the product at 37 °C in reactive mixtures with ketoconazole (2.

Ketamine-enhanced immobility in forced swim test: a possible animal model for the negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is a chronic and highly complex psychiatric disorder characterised by cognitive dysfunctions, negative and positive symptoms. The major challenge in schizophrenia research is lack of suitable animal models that mimic the core behavioural aspects and symptoms of this devastating psychiatric disorder. In this study, we used classical and atypical antipsychotic drugs to examine the predictive validity of ketamine-enhanced immobility in forced swim test (FST) as a possible animal model for the negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

Anticonvulsant properties of saponins from Ficus platyphylla stem bark.

Preparations of Ficus platyphylla have been used in Nigerian traditional medicine for the management of epilepsy for many years and their efficacy is widely acclaimed among the Hausa communities of northern Nigeria. The anticonvulsant properties of the saponin rich fraction (SFG) obtained from the methanol extract of F. platyphylla stem bark were studied on pentylenetetrazole-, strychnine- and maximal electroshock seizures in mice.

Behavioural effect of Pavetta crassipes extract on rodents.

The effects of the ethanol extract of Pavetta crassipes on the central nervous system (CNS) and on actions of some selected centrally acting drugs were studied in mice and rats. These studies were carried out using the spontaneous motor activity (SMA), amphetamine-induced hyperactivity and stereotyped behaviour, pentobarbital-induced hypnosis and exploratory activity, apomorphine-induced climbing and haloperidol-induced catalepsy in rats. The results demonstrated that the extract of P.

Hypotensive activity of the ethanol extract of Pavetta crassipes leaves.

Pavetta crassipes leaf is routinely used locally in Nigeria for the management of respiratory disorders and hypertension. The hypotensive and other cardiovascular effects of Pavetta crassipes were investigated in cats and rats. The effects of the extract on rat and cat blood pressures, isolated rat atria, rat portal vein, isolated rat aorta and rat vas deferens were studied.

Studies on the use of Cassia singueana in malaria ethnopharmacy.

Cassia singueana (Family: Fabaceae) is used in northern Nigeria for the treatment of acute malaria attack. We investigated the activities of the methanol extract of the root bark of this plant against rodent plasmodia infection, nociception, pyrexia and inflammation in mice and rats. The studies were carried out using acetic acid-induced writhing, hot plate algesia, rodent plasmodia (Plasmodium berghei) in mice; formalin test, yeast-induced pyrexia and egg-albumin-induced inflammation in rats.

Behavioural effects in rodents of methyl angolensate: a triterpenoid isolated from Entandrophragma angolense.

Behavioral effects of methyl angolensate were investigated in mice and rats. Spontaneous motor activity, pentobarbital sleeping time, amphetamine-stereotyped behaviour, exploratory activity and apomorphine-induced climbing studies in mice were evaluated. The results revealed that methyl angolensate reduced spontaneous motor activity in mice, prolonged the duration of pentobarbital sleeping time in rats and attenuated amphetamine-induced stereotype behaviour in rats.