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Aims: The purpose of the study was to determine the antioxidant activity, quantify total phenols and total flavonoids and characterize the secondary metabolites present in methanolic extracts of Chamaecrista hildebrandtii and Clerodendrum rotundifolium using liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Methodology: The total phenol and flavonoid contents were determined spectrophotometrically while the antioxidant activity was evaluated using the 2, 2-Diphenyl-1-Picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging method. The secondary metabolites present in the methanolic leaves extracts were evaluated using LC-MS. Results: The extracts of C. hildebrandtii showed a significantly higher antioxidant activity (IC50 = 8.7 mg/mL) compared to C. rotundifolium (IC50= 28.5 mg/mL). Both methanolic extracts of C. hildebrandtii and C. rotundifolium had common and different types of flavonoids such as quercetin, rutin, (+)-catechin 3-O-gallate and luteolin 6-C-glucoside among others that could be responsible for the observed antioxidant activity. The total phenolic content of C. hildebrandtii (1.33±0.07 mg/g tannic acid equivalents) was significantly higher than that of C. rotundifolium (0.25±0.00 mg/g tannic acid equivalents). However, there was no statistically significant difference (p>0.05) in total flavonoid content of C. hildebrandtii (2.69±0.33 mg/g catechin equivalents) and C. rotundifolium (2.36±0.16 mg/g catechin equivalents). Conclusion: The results of the present study suggested that the good antioxidant activity exhibited by C. hildebrandtii may probably have been brought about by various secondary metabolites functioning in synergy.

Background: Rising human population has detrimental effects on quality of life and lead to increased cases of pollution and poverty. Modern forms of contraceptives also have severe side effects and result in high cases of unwanted pregnancies. As a result, several cases of illegal abortion, leading to serious health complications have been reported, and more than 30 million US dollars are used to treat post-abortion complications in Kenya annually. Herbal contraceptives offer alternatives to health problems, and this study was novel with significant findings, since little information exists about the pharmacological properties of M. axillare, unlike its closely related species, M. uniflorum, which has been extensively studied and established to have great pharmacological potential. Aims: To establish and validate the use of M. axillare extracts as traditional contraceptives and also to profile the phytochemicals responsible for its contraceptive activity. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology, University of Nairobi, Kenya. Methodology: The contraceptive effects were investigated by in vivo studies using Virgin Wistar female rats (Rattus norvegicus) with regular oestrus cycle. Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical profiling was carried out using standard procedures while GC-MS analysis was employed in the identification of compounds present in the methanolic extracts. Results: Macroscopic and microscopic examination of female reproductive tract revealed reduced ovary size, involuted uterus and persistent corpus luteum in the ovary and no births were recorded in groups treated with higher doses of the plant extracts. The presence of saponins, alkaloids, steroids and terpenoids, as well as phenolic compounds like tannins and flavonoids, which could be responsible for the contraceptive activity observed, either acting independently or synergistically, was confirmed through qualitative phytochemical analysis. GC-MS profile also led to the identification of compounds that included sitosterol, stigmasterol, stigmasta-3,5-dien-7-one, stigmastan-3,5-diene and campesterol that have structural similarities to known reproductive hormones and conventional contraceptives and could, therefore, be responsible for the observed contraceptive activity of the plant extract. Conclusion: The tested methanolic extracts have a potential contraceptive activity that warrants further investigations towards the development of novel plant-based contraceptives.

Gastrointestinal nematode infections in ruminants have direct effects such as mortality, weaknesses, feeding efficiency and decreased productivity. Animal deaths due to nematode infections are common in tropical regions where control programs based solely on the use of synthetic anthelmintics are no longer sustainable due to increased prevalence of gastrointestinal nematode resistance, slow development of new anthelmintics, high costs to poor farmers and concerns regarding residue in food and the environment. Alternative methods of control are thus required. Prosopis juliflora is a fast-growing, drought-resistant tree adapted to poor and saline soils in arid and semi-arid lands of Kenya, inhabited by nomadic pastoralists. Analysis of the EHA data using t- test revealed that there was no statistically significant difference in the activities of both LEE and REE (p>0.05). However, in comparison to ALB, the difference in activity was significantly different (p