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Félicien Mushagalusa Kasali,1– 3 Justin Ntokamunda Kadima,3 Jonans Tusiimire,2 Clement Olusoji Ajayi,1,2 Amon Ganafa Agaba4 1Pharm-Bio Technology and Traditional Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda; 2Department of Pharmacy, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda; 3Department of Pharmacy, Official University of Bukavu, Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo; 4Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, UgandaCorrespondence: Félicien Mushagalusa Kasali, Pharm-Bio Technology, and Traditional Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda, Tel +256 750919712, Email felicienkasali@gmail.comBackground: Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that poses a major global health threat. The current diabetes mellitus uses insulin and oral hypoglycemic agents, which have limitations, including adverse effects and secondary failures. Herbal medicine is being evaluated for its role in the pharmacotherapy of diabetes. This study was aimed to assess the anti-diabetic potential and short-term toxicity level of Chenopodium ambrosioides collected from Bukavu in Democratic Republic of Congo.Methods: Leaves of C. ambrosioides were extracted by infusion and maceration with distilled water and 95% methanol, respectively. Hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic potentials of the aqueous and methanolic were investigated in normoglycemic and intraperitoneal glucose-loaded rats at 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg body weight. An oral acute toxicity test was carried out on healthy female Wistar rats.Results: Acute toxicity test showed the mean lethal dose (LD50) for both aqueous and methanol extracts of C. ambrosioides to be more than 2000 mg/kg. The group treated with glibenclamide (5 mg/kg b.w) and aqueous extract of the plant (200 mg/kg b.w) showed a significant reduction (p< 0.0001 and p< 0.05) of fasting blood glucose by 46.91% and 16.72%, respectively, compared to control and all other treatment groups. In acute conditions, a single oral administration of the aqueous and methanolic extracts lowered fasting blood glucose in rats. Any manifestation and signs of toxicity and mortality have been recorded for 14 days of observation.Conclusion: Leaf aqueous and methanolic extracts of C. ambrosioides appeared safe at 2000 mg/kg. The plant demonstrated some anti-diabetic potential in rats, explaining its use as an anti-diabetic remedy locally.Keywords: Chenopodium ambrosioides, anti-diabetic activity, fasting blood glucose, IGTT, LD50

Background: Malaria continues to be among the leading causes of mortality in Africa including Uganda, with the emergence of parasite resistance to the first-line therapeutics (Artemisinin- based Combination Therapy). To find new therapeutics, this study has reported an in vivo antimalarial efficacy of combinations of Artemisia annua (Aa), Vernonia amygdalina (Va), and Microglossa pyrifolia (Mp) in mice model using factorial design., Methods: The Aa and Va were extracted by hot infusion, and Mp by cold maceration using distilled water. The dry extracts were screened for different phytochemicals, and later subjected to in vivo antimalarial activity using Peter's 4-day suppressive test. The 2 3 factorial design used Aa, Va, and Mp aqueous extracts as independent variables at two levels (-1 and 1), and the percentage chemo suppression and survival time as response variables. The data was analyzed using Design Expert 13 and GraphPad Prism employing ANOVA linear regression modelling and t-test respectively., Results: All the extracts had alkaloids, phenols, saponins, terpenoids, cardiac glycosides, tannins, steroids, and carbohydrates. The various combinations showed chemo suppression from 41.5 to 91.0% and survival time of 19 to 23 days. The first three combinations having lower levels of Aa (200 mg/kg) exhibited higher chemo suppression (> 90%) compared to Artemisinin-Lumefantrine positive control at 4 mg/kg with 87.5%. Lower levels of Aa in the combinations contributed to high chemo suppression while higher levels of Va prolonged survival times. Interactions between Aa and Mp showed higher chemo suppression, and that between Aa and Va increased survival time. An optimized prediction of 94.4% chemo suppression was made by the ANOVA model at lower levels of Aa and Va, and a higher level of Mp, which is similar to an experimental run which gave a response of 90. 6%., Conclusion: An optimum combination of the three plants as a natural herbal antimalarial therapy was obtained using factorial design, and it offers an alternative to first line Artemisinin based Combination Therapy (ACTs) as parasite resistance looms. This combination could be further developed into a standard phytopharmaceutical and subjected to Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs)., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate The research and animal experimental protocols used in this study were reviewed and approved at various levels at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (Uganda). The technical approvals were obtained at the department of pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacy, and Faculty Research Committee (FRC). The final research ethical approval/ permission for use of laboratory animals was obtained from Mbarara University of Science and Technology Research Ethical Committee (MUST-REC, MUST-2021–171). All the research assistants and technical staff who participated in conduct of the experiments received appropriate trainings in animal care and use, then on management of pain and distress in laboratory mice and rats. All the approved procedures in the protocol were performed and reported in accordance with Animal Research Reporting of In Vivo Experiments (ARRIVE) guidelines and regulations. Consent for publication The work does not contain any individual or personal data in form of images or videos that requires consent before publication. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background:   There is vast preclinical evidence that indicates that extracts from several Artemisia plant species have significant antidiabetic benefits. However, clinical evidence is limited to this effect., Objective:  We sought to evaluate the effectiveness of  Jena DM ®  (an  Artemisia annua -based poly-herbal formulation) on glycemic control (Hb A1C) and insulin metabolism (HOMA), when administered as a complementary therapy in type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study was supported by a research grant (JRD005) from Jena Herbals (U) Ltd, which is a local herbal medicines manufacturing facility in Uganda., Methods: We conducted a 12-week quasi-experimental study, involving 118 patients under routine follow-up at a diabetes and endocrinology clinic. Random assignment to either conventional or experimental study groups was done using a random number generator (Microsoft Excel version 16.0). Participant sociodemographic and clinical data as well as whole blood samples (3-5 mL) were obtained at scheduled clinic visits. Medication adherence was assessed using the Hill-Bone Scale, and adverse drug events (ADEs) using the Naranjo causality and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Division of AIDS (DAIDS) scales. Group differences in glycemic control (HbA1C), fasting serum insulin (FSI) indices (% HOMA2-B, HOMA-IR), and other cardiometabolic parameters were assessed using independent samples t-test, and Pearson chi-square statistical tests were used. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Ethical approvals were obtained before the study commencement., Results: 12-week daily complementary therapy with  Jena DM ®  showed no significant effect on Hb A1C reduction (0.1 (95% CI: -0.56, 0.80) %;  p =0.798); however, we observed a significant reduction in total body weight (2.0 (95% CI: 0.73, 3.28) kg;  p =0.002). The overall frequency of self-reported ADEs including dizziness was significantly higher among patients that used  Jena DM ®  (p=0.001). Epigastric pain was the most severe ADE necessitating clinical management. There was no significant difference in the homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA2-IR) between study groups., Conclusion:  In contrast to a few studies that previously showed significant hypoglycemic effects of  Artemisia-based  extracts, this study did not show a statistically significant reduction on HbA1C during a 12-week complementary use of  Jena DM ®  in patients with T2DM. Based on the findings of this study, future research should evaluate the long-term effects of  Jena DM ®  on body weight, overall insulin metabolism, and the subsequent effect on glycemic control in T2DM., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Mbarara University of Science & Technology Research Ethics Committee issued approval MUST-2021-283. Ethical approval to conduct this study was obtained from the Mbarara University of Science & Technology Research Ethics Committee (MUST-2021-283), and the Uganda National Council for Science & Technology (UNCST) (HS2440ES). Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: This work was supported by a research grant from Jena Herbals (U) Ltd [JRD/005]. The funder played no role in the collection of data, statistical analysis and interpretation of data, and in the writing or submission of the manuscript for publication. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Kiptoo et al.)

The immune system plays a vital role in controlling liver fibrosis and enhancing the pathogenesis of liver inflammation. Monosodium glutamate is a common flavor-enhancement food additive. This study evaluated the immunomodulatory and hepato-curative effects of the Immuno-Kachiks polyherbal formulation against monosodium glutamate-induced immune suppression and hepatic damage in rats. Monosodium glutamate was given orally at a 2000 mg/kg dose to male Wistar rats for three months to induce liver damage and immune suppression. After three months of successful induction, three groups were separately administered orally with Immuno-Kachiks formula at 400, 800, and 1500 mg/kg/day for 28 days. At the end of the treatment period, liver and blood samples were collected for histological and biochemical analysis. The lymphocyte count remained significantly low while the neutrophil count and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio increased significantly, despite the cessation of monosodium glutamate ingestion for 28 days. The Immuno-Kachiks formula (IKF) significantly increased the lymphocyte count, reduced the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and normalized the neutrophil count. Neither monosodium glutamate nor the IKF significantly caused alpha-fetoprotein levels to rise or fall below normal. High doses (800 and 1500 mg/kg) of the Immuno-Kachiks formula significantly raised serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and total bilirubin. 1500 mg/kg of the IKF caused mild liver inflammation. The IKF restored the liver morphologic alterations observed in monosodium glutamate-induced liver damage in rats. The results suggest that the Immuno-Kachiks herbal formulation is a potential curative agent for early-stage liver damage and could restore suppressed adaptive immunity., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Introduction: Mangifera indica leaves are among the most common materials employed in manufacturing herbal medicinal products. Despite the phytochemical variation of M. indica cultivars, there are no monographs to guide the cultivation, processing, and authentication of the materials., Methods: This study characterized 15 Ugandan M. indica leaf varieties, with reference to extraction index (EI), total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity (AOA), and mangiferin concentration (MC). In addition, HPLC fingerprints were established to evaluate the overall phytoequivalence of the materials. Then, using hierarchical clustering (HC) and principal component analysis (PCA), the materials were assigned quality grades., Results: The mean EI was 9.39 ± 1.64% and varied among the varieties ( P =0.001); the TPC varied significantly ( P < 0.0001), from 183.29 ± 2.36 mg/g (Takataka) to 79.47 ± 0.58 mg/g (Apple mango). AOA ranged from 16.81 ± 2.85  μ g/mL (Doodo red) to 87.85  μ g/mL (Asante). MC varied significantly ( P < 0.0001), from 105.75 ± 0.60 mg/g (Kate) to 39.53 ± 0.30 mg/g (Asante). HC gave four major grades: A to D (A, varieties with the highest TPC, MC, and AOA). These parameters reduced to below average from group B to group D. The chromatographic fingerprints were visually similar, but the number of peaks varied, from 19 (Kawanda green) to 29 (Kawanda wide), with 23.5 ± 2.9 average peaks. Whole fingerprints were less similar ( r  < 0.8) than common peak fingerprints ( r  > 0.9, P < 0.001). PCA grouped the fingerprints into five clusters; loading plots for PC 1 and 2 revealed two important compounds, one at Rt = 15.828 minutes (mangiferin) and the other at 6.021 minutes. Using the standardized common fingerprints, unknown field samples clustered closely with Koona, Kate, and Kawanda green varieties., Conclusions: The EI, TPC, MC, and AOA values can be utilized to monitor consistency in the quality of materials and the production process. The grades generated can be used to select materials for cultivation and manufacturing. Where minimum concentrations are set, materials of different concentrations are used to dilute or concentrate each other. The HPLC fingerprints can be utilized to authenticate the materials. More samples from different agroecological regions of the country should be tested to cater to climatic variations in order to develop GMP-compliant botanical identification methods., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Bruhan Kaggwa et al.)

Introduction: This study was motivated by the increasing global incidence of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and the promising potential of nutraceuticals as complementary therapies in ameliorating its burden. We report the safety profile of C. esculenta tuber extracts, a novel nutraceutical in benign prostate hyperplasia in a rat model., Methods: In this study, forty-five male albino rats were randomly assigned to 9 groups of 5 rats each. Group 1 (normal control) received olive oil and normal saline. Group 2 (BPH untreated group) received 3 mg/kg of testosterone propionate (TP) and normal saline, and group 3 (positive control) received 3 mg/kg of TP and 5 mg/kg of finasteride. Treatment groups 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 received 3 mg/kg of TP and a middle dose (200 mg/kg) of LD50 of ethanol crude tuber extract of C. esculenta (ECTECE) or hexane, dichloromethane, butanone, ethyl acetate and aqueous fractions of ECTECE respectively for a period of 28 days., Results: The negative controls showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in mean relative prostate weight (approximately 5 times) as well as a reduction in relative testes weight (approximately 1.4 times less). There was no significant (p > 0.05) difference in the mean relative weights of most vital organs: liver, kidneys, and heart. This was also observed in hematological parameters: RBC, hemoglobin, HCT, MCV, MCH, MCHC, and platelets counts. In general, we note that the effects of the well-established drug finasteride on the biochemical parameters and histology of selected organs are comparable to those of C. esculenta fractions., Conclusion: This study demonstrates that C. esculenta tuber extracts provide potentially safe nutraceutical if applied in the management of benign prostate hyperplasia based on a rat model., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is a major cause of lower urinary tract infections and erectile dysfunction thus a major contributor to lowering the quality of life among older men. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism of Colocasia esculenta ( CE ) as a novel agent for BPH chemotherapy. In vivo , we assigned 45 male Wistar albino rats about 6 weeks old into 9 experimental groups (n = 5). BPH was induced in groups 2-9 with 3 mg/kg of Testosterone Propionate (TP) subcutaneously. Group 2 (BPH) was not treated. Group 3 was treated with 5 mg/kg Finasteride (standard drug). Group 4-9 were treated each with 200 mg/kg body weight (b.w) of CE crude tuber extracts/fractions (ethanol, hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, butanol, aqueous). At the end of treatment, we sampled the rats' serum to check the level of PSA. In silico , we conducted a molecular docking of the crude extract of CE phenolics (CyP) previously reported, targeting 5α-Reductase and α1-Adrenoceptor linked to the BPH progressions. We adopted the standard inhibitors/antagonists (5α-reductase: finasteride; α1-adrenoceptor: tamsulosin) of the target proteins as controls. Furthermore, the pharmacological properties of the lead molecules were studied in terms of ADMET using swissadme and pKCSM resources, respectively. Results showed that administration of TP in male Wistar albino rats significantly (p < 0.05) elevated serum PSA levels whereas CE crude extracts/fractions significantly (p < 0.05) lowered the serum PSA level. Also, fourteen of the CyPs bind to at least one or two of the target proteins with their binding affinity of between - 9.3 to - 5.6 kcal/mol and - 6.9 to - 4.2 kcal/mol, respectively. The CyPs possess better pharmacological properties compared to the standard drugs. Therefore, they have the potentials to be enlisted for clinical trials towards the management of BPH., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestOn behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest., (© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2023, Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Amidst rising cases of antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are regarded as a promising alternative to traditional antibiotics. Even so, poor pharmacokinetic profiles of certain AMPs impede their utility necessitating, a careful assessment of potential AMPs' absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) properties during novel lead exploration. Accordingly, the present study utilized ADMET scores to profile seven previously isolated African catfish antimicrobial peptides (ACAPs). After profiling, the peptides were docked against approved bacterial protein targets to gain insight into their possible mode of action. Promising ACAPs were then chemically synthesized, and their antibacterial activity was validated in vitro utilizing the broth dilution method. All seven examined antimicrobial peptides passed the ADMET screening, with two (ACAP-IV and ACAP-V) exhibiting the best ADMET profile scores. The ACAP-V had a higher average binding energy (-8.47 kcal/mol) and average global energy (-70.78 kcal/mol) compared to ACAP-IV (-7.60 kcal/mol and -57.53 kcal/mol), with the potential to penetrate and disrupt bacterial cell membrane (PDB Id: 2w6d). Conversely, ACAP-IV peptide had higher antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration, 520.7 ± 104.3 μg/ml and 1666.7 ± 416.7 μg/ml, respectively) compared to ACAP-V. Collectively, the two antimicrobial peptides (ACAP-IV and ACAP-V) are potential novel leads for the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Future research is recommended to optimize the expression of such peptides in biological systems for extended evaluation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Okella, Okello, Mtewa, Ikiriza, Kaggwa, Aber, Ndekezi, Nkamwesiga, Ajayi, Mugeni, Ssentamu, Ochwo, Odongo, Tolo, Kato and Engeu.)

Introduction: Symphonia globulifera and Allophylus abyssinicus are used in the management of skin rashes and sores, cough, malaria, digestive diseases, stomach ache, wounds and helminthic infections among others in Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Cameroon. This study aimed at determining the phytochemical profile and antimicrobial activity of these two plants., Methods: The stem bark and leaves of both plants were collected from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and air-dried under shade at room temperature. Cold maceration, decoction and infusion with methanol, water and ethyl acetate as solvents were used in phytochemical extraction. Preliminary qualitative screening and thin layer chromatography were used for phytochemical profiling. Antimicrobial activity was analysed by agar well diffusion assay, broth macro-dilution assay and fractional inhibition concentration index (FICI)., Results: The leaves and stem bark of both plants have a diverse set of phytochemical compounds of variable polarity including, tannins, alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, quinones and anthraquinones among others. Generally, methanol and water extracts of S. globulifera and A. abyssinicus had in-vitro bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa but weak fungistatic activity against Candida albicans. Allophylus abyssinicus leaf water and S. globulifera leaf methanol extract combination had a synergistic activity (ΣFICI = 0.37) against S. aureus. Similarly, A. abyssinicus stem bark water extract and A. abyssinicus leaf water extract combination had an additive effect (ΣFICI = 1) against P. aeruginosa., Conclusion: The leaves and stem bark crude extracts of S. globulifera and A. abyssinicus possess a wide range of bioactive phytochemical compounds but have weak antimicrobial activity against S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa and C. albicans., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The choice of extraction solvent is a significant consideration in ethnomedicine as optimal extraction could influence the bioactivity of the herbal medicinal product., Aim of Study: This study investigated the possible influence of the choice of solvents (methanol and water) for extracting MAMA Powder (MP) against Plasmodium berghei-infected mice to optimize its antimalarial activity and for developing other pharmaceutical dosage forms., Materials and Methods: Aqueous and methanol extracts of MP, obtained through the decoction and soxhlet methods, respectively, were subjected to liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy (LC-MS) for their respective fingerprints. The antimalarial activities of the methanol and aqueous extracts (12.5-100 mg/kg) were evaluated orally using the chemosuppressive test model on chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium berghei-infected mice. The methanol extract was subjected to the established infection and prophylactic antimalarial tests with chloroquine (10 mg/kg) and pyrimethamine (1.25 mg/kg) as positive controls, respectively. The aqueous extract was investigated in chloroquine-resistant P. berghei using the chemosuppressive (12.5-800 mg/kg) and established infection (25-400 mg/kg) antimalarial models., Results: The LC-MS fingerprints of both aqueous and methanol extracts revealed similar indole alkaloid contents. Chemosuppressive activity of the aqueous extract (75.3%) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than the methanol extract (67.6%). In the chloroquine-resistant P. berghei infection experiments, the aqueous extract (400 mg/kg) exhibited significant parasite clearance (72%)., Conclusion: The study concluded that the water extract with higher antimalarial activity could be optimized for chloroquine-resistant malaria and can thus facilitate the production of liquid and solid dosage forms., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) constitute a broad range of bioactive compounds in diverse organisms, including fish. They are effector molecules for the innate immune response, against pathogens, tissue damage and infections. Still, AMPs from African Catfish, Clarias gariepinus , skin mucus are largely unexplored despite their possible therapeutic role in combating antimicrobial resistance. In this study, African Catfish Antimicrobial peptides (ACAPs) were identified from the skin mucus of African Catfish, C. gariepinus . Native peptides were extracted from fish mucus scrapings in 10% acetic acid (v/v) and ultra-filtered using 5 kDa molecular weight cut-off membrane. The extract was purified using C 18 Solid-Phase Extraction. The antibacterial activity was determined using the Agar Well Diffusion method and broth-dilution method utilizing Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) and Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922). Thereafter, Sephadex G-25 gel filtration was further utilized in bio-guided isolation of the most active fractions prior to peptide identification using Orbitrap Fusion Lumos Tribrid Mass Spectrometry. The skin mucus extracted from African Catfish from all the three major lakes of Uganda exhibited antimicrobial activity on E. coli and S. aureus . Lake Albert's C. gariepinus demonstrated the best activity with the lowest MIC of 2.84 and 0.71 μg/ml on S. aureus and E. coli , respectively. Sephadex G-25 peak I mass spectrometry analysis (Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD029193) alongside in silico analysis revealed seven short peptides (11-16 amino acid residues) of high antimicrobial scores (0.561-0.905 units). In addition, these peptides had a low molecular weight (1005.57-1622.05 Da) and had percentage hydrophobicity above 54%. Up to four of these AMPs demonstrated α-helix structure conformation, rendering them amphipathic. The findings of this study indicate that novel AMPs can be sourced from the skin mucus of C. gariepinus . Such AMPs are potential alternatives to the traditional antibiotics and can be of great application to food and pharmaceutical industries; however, further studies are still needed to establish their drug-likeness and safety profiles., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Okella, Ikiriza, Ochwo, Ajayi, Ndekezi, Nkamwesiga, Kaggwa, Aber, Mtewa, Koffi, Odongo, Vertommen, Kato and Ogwang.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Malaria remains a dire health challenge, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. In Uganda, it is the most ordinary condition in hospital admission and outpatient care. The country's meager health services compel malaria patients to use herbal remedies such as Schkuhria pinnata (Lam.) Kuntze ex Thell (Asteraceae). Although in vivo studies tested the antimalarial activity of S. pinnata extracts, plant developmental stages and their effect at different doses remain unknown., Aim of the Study: This study aims to determine the effect of the plant developmental stage on the antimalarial activity of S. pinnata in mice and to document the acute oral toxicity profile., Methods: Seeds of S. pinnata were grown, and aerial parts of each developmental stage were harvested. Extraction was done by maceration in 70% methanol. The antimalarial activity was evaluated using chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium berghei on swiss albino mice, in a chemosuppressive test, at 150, 350, and 700 mg/kg, p.o. Standard drugs used were artemether-lumefantrine (0.57 + 3.43) mg/kg and chloroquine (10 mg/kg) as positive controls. Distilled water at 1 mL/100g was used as a negative control. The Lorke method was adopted to determine the acute toxicity of extracts., Results: The flowering stage extract had a maximum suppression of parasitemia at 700 mg/kg (68.83 ± 4.49%). Extract at other developmental stages also significantly suppressed the parasitemia (in the ascending order) fruiting (50.71 ± 1.87%), budding (54.92 ± 7.56%), vegetative (55.39 ± 2.01%) compared to the negative control (24.7 ± 2.7%), p < 0.05. Extracts from all developmental stages increased survival time, with the flowering stage having the highest survival time at 20.33 ± 0.88 days. All extracts had an LD 50 of 2157 mg/kg, implying that extracts are safe at lower doses., Conclusion: Together, our findings revealed that the S. pinnata extracts at the flowering stage had superior antimalarial activity compared to other plant developmental stages. Extracts from all developmental stages have demonstrated a dose-dependent suppression of malarial parasites and increased survival time with an LD 50 of 2157 mg/kg. Thus, for better antimalarial activity, local communities could consider harvesting S. pinnata at the flowering stage. Further studies are needed to isolate pure compounds from S. pinnata and determine their antimalarial activity., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Several studies have been conducted and published on medicinal plants used to manage Diabetes Mellitus worldwide. It is of great interest to review available studies from a country or a region to resort to similarities/discrepancies and data quality. Here, we examined data related to ethnopharmacology and bioactivity of antidiabetic plants used in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Data were extracted from Google Scholar, Medline/PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, the Wiley Online Library, Web of Science, and other documents focusing on ethnopharmacology, pharmacology, and phytochemistry antidiabetic plants used in the Democratic Republic of Congo from 2005 to September 2021. The Kew Botanic Royal Garden and Plants of the World Online web databases were consulted to verify the taxonomic information. CAMARADES checklist was used to assess the quality of animal studies and Jadad scores for clinical trials. In total, 213 plant species belonging to 72 botanical families were reported. Only one plant, Droogmansia munamensis, is typically native to the DRC flora; 117 species are growing in the DRC and neighboring countries; 31 species are either introduced from other regions, and 64 are not specified. Alongside the treatment of Diabetes, about 78.13% of plants have multiple therapeutic uses, depending on the study sites. Experimental studies explored the antidiabetic activity of 133 plants, mainly in mice, rats, guinea pigs, and rabbits. Several chemical classes of antidiabetic compounds isolated from 67 plant species have been documented. Rare phase II clinical trials have been conducted. Critical issues included poor quality methodological protocols, author name incorrectly written (16.16%) or absent (14.25%) or confused with a synonym (4.69%), family name revised (17.26%) or missing (1.10%), voucher number not available 336(92.05%), ecological information not reported (49.59%). Most plant species have been identified and authenticated (89.32%). Hundreds of plants are used to treat Diabetes by traditional healers in DRC. However, most plants are not exclusively native to the local flora and have multiple therapeutic uses. The analysis showed the scarcity or absence of high-quality, in-depth pharmacological studies. There is a need to conduct further studies of locally specific species to fill the gap before their introduction into the national pharmacopeia., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Kasali, Kadima, Peter, Mtewa, Ajayi, Tusiimire, Tolo, Ogwang, Weisheit and Agaba.)

Aqueous fruits extract of Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench (Malvaceae) has been used traditionally in several communities to alleviate elevated blood glucose levels. However, optimized extraction conditions have not been reported. Thus, this study determined the optimal extraction conditions for extracting polyphenols from A. esculentus fruits and evaluated antihyperglycemic activity in vivo. Extraction time, temperature, and solid-to-solvent ratio were optimized using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Total polyphenols and flavonoids were quantified using the Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminium chloride colorimetric methods, respectively. The fingerprint and quantification of quercetin-a major flavonoid with an antihyperglycemic effect was done using the chromatographic method. The antihyperglycemic activity was determined in a high-fat diet-Streptozotocin rat model. The rats were assigned to five groups (n = 6): Group 1 and 2 were normal and diabetic control received distilled water 1 mL/100g; Treatment group 3 and 4 received standardized A. esculentus fruit extract (AEFE) at a dose of 100 and 200 mg/kg, respectively; Group 5 received 5 mg/kg glibenclamide. All treatments were given orally for 14 days. Measurements of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and body weight were done weekly. The RSM quadratic model predicted total polyphenols of 22.16 mg GAE/g DW. At optimal conditions of a solid-to-solvent ratio of 5%, extraction time 1 h, and extraction temperature of 70°C, confirmation experiments yield 20.2 [95% CI; 16.7 to 27.6] mg GAE/g DW, implying the model successfully predicted total polyphenols. The extract HPLC fingerprint showed 13 characteristic peaks with 0.45 ± 0.02 μg/g DW of quercetin. Compared with diabetic control, the standardized AEFE reduced FPG level dose-dependently (P < 0.001) with an EC50 of 141.4 mg/kg. Together, at optimal extraction conditions, extract with a high content of total polyphenols and good antihyperglycemic activity can be obtained. Studies are needed to identify additional polyphenolic compounds and determine their antidiabetic effects., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Antimicrobial resistance remains a great threat to global health. In response to the World Health Organizations' global call for action, nature has been explored for novel and safe antimicrobial candidates. To date, fish have gained recognition as potential source of safe, broad spectrum and effective antimicrobial therapeutics. The use of computational methods to design antimicrobial candidates of industrial application has however, been lagging behind. To fill the gap and contribute to the current fish-derived antimicrobial peptide repertoire, this study used Support Vector Machines algorithm to fish out fish-antimicrobial peptide-motif candidates encrypted in 127 peptides submitted at the Antimicrobial Peptide Database (APD3), steered by their physico-chemical characteristics (i.e., positive net charge, hydrophobicity, stability, molecular weight and sequence length). The best two novel antimicrobial peptide-motifs (A15&#95;B, A15&#95;E) with the lowest instability index (-28.25, -22.49, respectively) and highest isoelectric point (p I ) index (10.48 for each) were selected for further analysis. Their 3D structures were predicted using I-TASSER and PEP-FOLD servers while ProSA, PROCHECK, and ANOLEA were used to validate them. The models predicted by I-TASSER were found to be better than those predicted by PEP-FOLD upon validation. Two I-TASSER models with the lowest c-score of -0.10 and -0.30 for A15&#95;B and A15&#95;E peptide-motifs, respectively, were selected for docking against known bacterial-antimicrobial target-proteins retrieved from protein databank (PDB). Carbapenam-3-carboxylate synthase (PDB ID; 4oj8) yielded the lowest docking energy (-8.80 and -7.80 Kcal/mol) against motif A15&#95;B and A15&#95;E, respectively, using AutoDock VINA. Further, in addition to Carbapenam-3-carboxylate synthase, these peptides (A15&#95;B and A15&#95;E) were found to as well bind to membrane protein (PDB ID: 1by3) and Carbapenem synthetase (PDB: 1q15) when ClusPro and HPEPDOCK tools were used. The membrane protein yielded docking energy scores (DES): -290.094, -270.751; coefficient weight (CW): -763.6, 763.3 for A15&#95;B and A15&#95;E) whereas, Carbapenem synthetase (PDB: 1q15) had a DES of -236.802, -262.75 and a CW of -819.7, -829.7 for peptides A15&#95;B and A15&#95;E, respectively. Motif A15&#95;B of amino acid positions 2-19 in Pleurocidin exhibited the strongest in silico antimicrobial potentials. This segment could be a good biological candidate of great application in pharmaceutical industries as an antimicrobial drug candidate., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Okella, Georrge, Ochwo, Ndekezi, Koffi, Aber, Ajayi, Fofana, Ikiriza, Mtewa, Nkamwesiga, Bassogog, Kato and Ogwang.)

Introduction: Phytolacca dodecandra L'Hér. is a native plant of sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar which is traditionally used for various ailments. Concerned with the scope of the available evidence, we designed a scoping review to critically analyze scientific evidence on P dodecandra 's pharmacology, toxicity, and phytochemistry to validate its ethnomedical use., Methods: We searched without language restriction in MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science through December 2019. Both published and unpublished articles were assessed for relevance and reviewed., Results: Of 600 articles retrieved through database search, a total of 48 articles were finally included. The butanol extract of berries was more potent molluscicidal than aqueous extract. The berries had also miracidial, anthelmintic, antifungal activity, and antibacterial effect against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa , and Salmonella spp. The methanol extracts of roots had an antifungal effect against Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, Microsporum gypseum , and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Phytolacca dodecandra was toxic to aquatic invertebrate and fish. The fishes were up to 4 times more sensitive than snails. Saponins were the main phytoconstituent isolated from berries. Terpenoid and phenolic were abundant in leaves and bark extracts., Conclusions: Studies validated the traditional use of P dodecandra against snails, worms, and various bacterial and fungal infections. Limited phytochemical data call for future research to focus on isolation of compounds; test their toxicity and activity; and establish mechanism of action., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting Interests:The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2020.)