Background: The current treatment of onchocerciasis relies on the use of ivermectin which is only microfilaricidal and for which resistant parasite strains of veterinary importance are increasingly being detected. In the search for novel filaricides and alternative medicines, we investigated the selective activity of crude extracts of Margaritaria discoidea and Homalium africanum on Onchocerca ochengi, a model parasite for O. volvulus. These plants are used to treat the disease in North West Cameroon.
Methods: Sixteen crude extracts were prepared from various parts of M. discoidea and H. africanum using different organic solvents. The filaricidal activities were determined in vitro. Cytotoxicity of the active extracts was assessed on monkey kidney epithelial cells in vitro and the selectivity indices (SI) of the extracts determined. Acute toxicity of the promising extracts was investigated in mice.
Results: Four out of the 16 extracts showed microfilaricidal activity based on motility reduction, whereas, none showed macrofilaricidal activity based on the MTT/formazan assay. The methylene chloride extract of H. africanum leaves (HLC) recorded the lowest IC50 of 31.25 μg/mL and an IC100 of 62.5 μg/mL. The SI for the active extracts ranged from 0.5 - 2.63. No form of acute toxicity was observed in mice. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of anthraquinones, sterols and terpenoids in the promising extracts.
Conclusions: The non-polar extracts of M. discoidea and H. africanum are potential sources of new microfilaricidal lead compounds, and the results support their use in traditional medicine.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-10-62 | DOI Listing |
J Health Organ Manag
January 2025
Amrita School of Business - Amritapuri Kollam Campus, Kollam, India.
Purpose: This paper aims to delve into the critical aspect of supplier selection in the healthcare sector, emphasizing the significance of strategic sourcing in enhancing operational efficiency and quality of services. The primary aim is to develop a comprehensive framework for supplier evaluation that aligns with the unique requirements of hospitals, ultimately improving procurement processes and patient care outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach: The study leverages the renowned Carter's 7 C model as a foundational framework for supplier assessment, supplemented by insights gathered from interviews with experts in the New Product Introduction, Purchasing and Procurement departments of a leading hospital in India.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int
January 2025
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Delhi Technological University, Delhi, 110042, India.
The present study summarises recent developments in solar-assisted extraction systems for distillation of essential oil from aromatic and medicinal plants. Various solar integrated essential oil extraction systems are compared based on performance parameters such as essential oil yield and system efficiency along with their potential effects on the domains of renewable energy. Solar steam distillation is an environmentally beneficial and energy-efficient technology of desalination that is especially ideal for areas with plentiful sun resources.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Comput Assist Radiol Surg
January 2025
Medical Informatics, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562, Lübeck, Germany.
Purpose: Semantic segmentation and landmark detection are fundamental tasks of medical image processing, facilitating further analysis of anatomical objects. Although deep learning-based pixel-wise classification has set a new-state-of-the-art for segmentation, it falls short in landmark detection, a strength of shape-based approaches.
Methods: In this work, we propose a dense image-to-shape representation that enables the joint learning of landmarks and semantic segmentation by employing a fully convolutional architecture.
Lasers Med Sci
January 2025
Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.
This systematic review aimed to compare postoperative pain in endodontic treatments using PIPS Er: YAG laser-activated irrigation (LAI) versus conventional needle irrigation. An electronic search was conducted to identify randomized clinical trials (RCT) investigating postoperative pain in patients who underwent root canal treatments in permanent teeth using PIPS Er: YAG laser-activated irrigation or conventional needle irrigation. Two reviewers performed study selection, data extraction, risk of bias assessment (RoB 2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWorld J Pediatr
January 2025
Cardiac Arrhythmia Center, National Center for Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 167 Beilishi Road, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100037, China.
Background: Heart failure (HF) significantly impacts the cardiovascular health of children and adolescents. This study aims to assess epidemiologic trends in HF across sex, age, region, and time period.
Methods: The number and age-standardized rate (ASR) of prevalence and years lived with disability (YLDs) were derived from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.
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