Search

Insect pests still cause substantial quantitative and qualitative grain loss ranging from 20 to 100% in small holder farming systems in tropical countries. Synthetic pesticides are recommended as stop gap measures for the management of stored product insect pests. However, their application has not been fully exploited in small scale farming due to environmental, health, and economic concerns. As a result, new researches have shifted focus to exploiting pesticidal plants as alternatives to synthetic pesticides. Therefore, the current study evaluated mixtures of plant powders and reduced amount of Actellic superTM (pirimiphos-methyl + permethrin) as alternative insecticide formulation against Callosobruchus chinensis and Sitophilus zeamais. Green grams and wheat grains were mixed with a mixture of plant powders in the ratios of 1:1, 1:3 and 1:9 to obtain four rates (0.0, 2.0, 6.0 and 10%w/w). Grains and plant powders were also mixed with reduced amount (10, 25, and 50 %) of recommended rate of Actellic SuperTM to obtain dosages as above. Twenty unsexed adults, 1-5 day old S. zeamais and C. chinensis were introduced into treated grains. The mixture of C. lusitanica: T. vogelii powders in the ratios of 1:1, 1:3 and 1:9 caused mortality in C. chinensis of 55, 95 and 85%, respectively. At the same ratio, E. saligna: L. camara mixture produced mortality in S. zeamais of 77, 82, and 85% respectively. In mixture of C. lusitanica and T. vogelii and reduced amount of Actellic SuperTM by 50% the mortality of C. chinensis was 85 and 80 % respectively. Similarly, E. saligna and L. camara and reduced amount of Actellic SuperTM by 50% caused a mortality of S. zeamais of 48 and 97% respectively. The application of plant powders and reduced amounts of synthetic insecticide has the potential to be applied in stored product pest control

Ethnopharmacological relevance The recognized challenges to access conventional antimalarial medicines could have contributed to the extensive use of Aristolochia bracteolata Lam. (Aristolochiaceae)to manage malaria in South Sudan traditionally. However, the use and acquired experiences are notwell documented. Aim of the study This study aimed to document the traditional use of A. bracteolata for malaria treatment and experiences among the local communities in Jubek State of South Sudan. Methods We performed a cross-sectional study in four counties in Jubek State and interviewed 396 community members, including traditional healers, using a semi-structured questionnaire. Four focused group discussions (FGDs) were also conducted using the interviewer guide. The inclusion criteria were; adults 18 years and older, men andwomen participants, at least one year residing in the study area before the study, and those with a history of medicinal plant use. Data were summarized and presented as proportions. Qualitative data were analyzed using a thematic content approach. The major themes that emerged were discussed. We applied the Pearson Chi-Square test at α = 0.05 to test the study's significant differences in responses. The statistical package for social sciences version 21 software was used for data analysis. Results Women accounted for 208 (52.5%) of participants, with the majority 321 (81.1%) were between 18 and 45 years. Interestingly, most 312 (78.8%) had formal education. Moreover, about 208 (52.5%) participants collect the plant in their vicinity, where leaves were the most commonly used part 277 (46.4%), followed by the roots, seeds, and stems at 245(41.0%), 71 (11.9%), and 4 (0.7%), respectively. Furthermore, about 63 (15.9%) of the participants experienced side effects, including early abortions, heartburns, sweating, and stomach discomforts. Conversely, a total of 387 (96.0%) reported getting cured of malaria. Generally, the quantity of medicine taken per day differs concerning parts of the plant, with leaves ranging from 1 to 10 pieces, roots at 0.4–1 g, and seeds at 0.1–0.5 g. The locals used these plant parts to prepare infusion and decoction traditional dosage forms for oral use. Conclusion The documented medicinal plant's therapeutic uses provided critical information on the traditional use of A. bracteolata by the community in Jubek state of South Sudan to treat malaria. Although most users reported getting cured of malaria, a notable proportion of them experienced side effects, including early-stage abortion and stomach discomforts. Thus, the use of A. bracteolata preparations, particularly in pregnant women, should be avoided. Finally, further studies are needed to devise a strategy to neutralize the toxic compounds and create community awareness on best practices to minimize side effects.

Malaria remains one of the most common infectious diseases in the sub-Sahara African countries and other developing countries. Among the medicinal plants used in the endemic countries for the treatment of malaria is Aristolochia bracteolata Lam. due to its availability, accessibility, and traditional use. This study therefore reviewed the ethnomedicinal use, pharmacology, and the chemistry of Aristolochia bracteolata. Different electronic databases such as Medline/Pubmed, Cochrane Library, and Embase were searched to identify all published articles on Aristolochia bracteolata Lam. Key search words included ethnopharmacological use, pharmacological and phytochemical parameters of A. bracteolata. Retrieved articles were reviewed and synthesized. In addition, the reference list of retrieved articles was reviewed and articles which were not retrieved by previous search were hand searched. The review included original research articles that has investigated Aristolochia bracteolata Lam. of any study design. Only published original articles, any languages, any time of publish, and grey literature (Conference paper, theses both PhD. and Msc. technical report) were included. Those articles with full text not available, those without information of interest, e.g ethnopharmacology, pharmacology and phytochemistry of A. bracteolata were excluded. Despite having multiple use, the plant is mainly used in the treatment of malaria with a reported antiplasmodial activity. Aristolochic acids (AAs) were reported as the major and active ingredient among other components in the plant. The review revealed that A. bracteolata has various traditional use with promising pharmacological activity. However, information on its safety is limited.