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Purpose: To elucidate how fluconazole and the methanol extract of Artemisia annua interact to inhibit the growth of fungi. Methods: Five hundred clinical samples of Candida albicans were isolated from patients attending three tertiary health facilities in Enugu State, Nigeria, namely, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku Ozala, Bishop Shanahan Hospital (BSH), Nsukka, and Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH), Enugu. Out of the five hundred clinical samples collected, eight genetically proven C. albicans isolates were employed for this study. The synergy between Artemisia annua and fluconazole was characterized by checkerboard analyses and fractional inhibitory concentration indices (FIC). Results: Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) testing results show that most isolates were resistant to selected azoles employed in the study. Based on fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) index, specific mixtures of the extract and FLU had synergistic effects on isolates of resistant Candida albicans. Conclusion: When combined with fluconazole, the extract of A. annua demonstrated better inhibition than fluconazole alone against resistant C. albicans. This suggests a promising strategy for tackling the challenge of emerging fungal antibiotic resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To molecularly characterize and determine the antifungal properties of methanol-leaf extract of Artemisia annua (A. annua) on C. albicans isolates collected from three tertiary hospitals within Enugu State, Nigeria. Methods: Five hundred (500) isolates of Candida albicans were collected from medical microbiology laboratories in Bishop Shanahan Hospital (BSH), University of Nigerian Teaching Hospital (UNTH), and Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH). Anti-fungal sensitivity profiles of different azoles were determined using the disk diffusion technique. Thirty of the collected isolates were evaluated using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) which targeted both 18S messenger RNA (rRNA) and Ergosterol II (ERGII) resistance gene sets for C. albicans. Anti-fungal activity of different concentrations (25, 50, 100, 200, 400, and 800 µg/mL) of the extract of Artemisia annua on resistant isolates was investigated using the agar well diffusion technique. Results: All the isolates were resistant to azole drugs (ketoconazole (30 µg), miconazole (30 µg), clotrimazole (10 µg), itraconazole (30 µg), voriconazole (1 µg), and fluconazole (25 µg)). The PCR revealed that thirteen isolates (43 %) were positive for 18S rRNA gene and nine (30 %) possessed ERGII-resistant gene. Primers specific for C. albicans genotypes generated a PCR product of approximately 665 bp. Primers specific for ERGII resistant gene generated PCR product of approximately 1.4 kb. Extract of A. annua had antifungal activity against resistant C. albicans isolates with minimum inhibitory concentration ranging from 76.03 to 40.74 µg/mL. Conclusion: Resistant C. albicans species have been genotypically characterized and the antifungal activity of A. annua has been reported. Methanol extract of A. annua inhibits C. albicans better than azole drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the hematinic, anti-plasmodial potentials, and toxic effects of an aqueous extract of the leaf of Justicia secunda in mice (Mus musculus) made anemic by Plasmodium beighei. Methods: The LD50 of J. secunda was determined using Lorke’s method. Male albino mice ages 4 – 5 months, totaling forty-eight (48), were assigned at random to six groups (1 – 6). Groups 1, 2, and 3 mice were P. berghei-infected and were given extract doses of 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg of body weight, respectively. Group 4 (positive control) was infected and treated with 0.3 mL of vitamin B12 (standard). Group 5 (negative control) was infected and untreated, while group 6 (normal control) was uninfected and untreated. Blood samples were taken on days 7, 12, and 16 post-infections to measure haemoglobin (Hb), red blood cells (RBC), packed cell volume (PCV), alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine, and urea using standard methods. Results: Lower concentrations (200 and 400 mg) of the extract reduced P. berghei parasitemia. In comparison to vitamin B12, there was a negligible drop in Hb, PCV, and RBC levels in the infected groups. Both J. secunda extract and vitamin B12 did not improve the hematinic status of the mice infected with P. berghei. The hematinic condition of the mice with P. berghei infection was not improved by J. secunda extract or vitamin B12. Biochemical analysis showed no toxicity due to extract intake. Conclusion: Justicia secunda leaf extract has anti-plasmodial efficacy in P. berghei-infected mice. Studies are required to validate these findings in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]