Comparative evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 serological tests shows significant variability in performance across different years of infection and between the tests.

Introduction: While the global COVID-19 pandemic is slowly coming under control, current efforts are focused on understanding the epidemiology of endemic SARS-CoV-2. The tool of choice for doing so remains serological tests that detect SARS-CoV-2 induced antibodies. However, the performance of these tests should be evaluated to ensure they comply with the specific performance criteria desired by each country that they are used in.

Anti-hepatitis C virus activity of crude extract and fractions of Entada africana in genotype 1b replicon systems.

Entada africana (Ea) is a medicinal plant from the family of Fabaceae, used in Western and Central Africa regions to treat liver diseases. Antiviral properties of this plant were reported against Hepatitis B virus, while effects against Hepatitis C virus (HCV) remained unknown. This study reports for the first time, the effects of Ea crude extract and fractions on HCV replication.

Entada africana fraction CH₂Cl₂/MEOH 5% inhibits inducible nitric oxide synthase and pro-inflammatory cytokines gene expression induced by lipopolysaccharide in microglia.

Background: Inflammatory response in the CNS mediated by microglia cells play an important role in host defense and is implicated in the pathology of neurodegenerative diseases. We investigated the capacity of Entada africana to protect microglia from inflammatory insults by exploring the effect of the CH₂Cl₂/MEOH 5% fraction (Ea5) on pro-inflammatory cytokines mRNA expression. Finally, we studied the effect of Ea5 on the inhibition of p38 MAPK Kinase.

A fraction of stem bark extract of Entada africana suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 cells.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Entada africana is a plant used in African traditional medicine for the treatment of stomachache, fever, liver related diseases, wound healing, cataract and dysentery.

Aims Of The Study: This study aimed at evaluating the anti-inflammatory activity of fractions of the stem bark extract of the plant using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophages model.