Anticonvulsant Activity of Extracts of Epilepsy Fscheri Stem Bark

Evaluation of extracts of Diospyros fischeri Gurke (Ebenaceae); which is used traditionally for the treatment of epilepsy shows that the aqueous extract of the tem bark has no effect against picrotoxin induced convulsions in mice. However; an 80ethanol extract of the bark caused dose-dependent suppression of convulsions induced by 10 mg/kg body wt picrotoxin; at doses between 100-3200 mg/kg body wt. Petroleum ether; 1:1 dichloromethane:methanol; and methanol extracts also suppressed picrotoxin-induced convulsions; but had a slightly lower inhibitory effect. The petroleum ether extract was the most active; but all were less active than the ethanol extract. Unlike phenobarbitone; which at 50 mg/kg body wt completely suppressed convulsions induced by 10 mg/kg body wt picrotoxin; none of the plant extracts completely suppressed convulsions in the mice. These results support the traditional uses of D.fischeri for the treatment of epilepsy. Given the seemingly innocuous nature of the extracts more work is suggested to ascertain their clinical application

Traditional healer's knowledge and implications to the management and control of HIV/AIDS in Arusha; Tanzania

Due do limited coverage of conventional health care services in Tanzania; a number of HIV/AIDS patients are consequently being cared for and managed by traditional healers. Knowledge of 132 traditional healers on HIV/AIDS was assessed through a questionnaire that sought among other things the symptoms that these traditional healers associate with HIV/AIDS. Seventy-seven (61) healers claimed to be treating HIV/AIDS patients. Twenty-five percent (33 healers) had poor; 52.3(69 healers) had moderate; 22.7(30 healers) had good knowledge of HIV/AIDS. Sixty-nine(52) among the traditional healers mentioned six and thirty (23) healers mentioned more than six symptoms associated with HIV/AIDS as outlined by the WHO clinical HIV staging system. Almost all the healers were aware that HIV/AIDS is spread sexually and through body fluid contact and claimed that precautionary measures are taken to avoid spread of the disease. Knowledge on HIV/AIDS infection from mother to child during pregnancy; at delivery and through breastfeeding was poor for most healers. It seems most traditional healers meet HIV/AIDS patients in their terminal stages when HIV/AIDS-related opportunistic infections are highly manifest; a situation exemplified by the recorded symptoms that were not specific or directly related to HIV/AIDS. There is a need to impart the appropriate knowledge in the identified deficient areas to avoid possibilities of further spread of the disease through the traditional medicine delivery system

Pharmacological Properties of Extracts from the Stem Bark of Syzgium guineense on the Ileum and Heart of Laboratory Rodents

A methanol extract of Syzygium guineense bark inhibited intrinsic contractions of rabbit isolated ileum. The inhibition; at bath concentrations of 0.5 - 2.0 mg/ml; was dose-related but non-linear. It produced sustained hypotension in anaesthetized rats. A dose of 5 ug lowered systolic; diastolic and mean blood pressure by 16; 22and 17; respectively below the pre-drug levels. Maximum effect was obtained at a dose of 40 ug when the systolic; diastolic and mean blood pressures fell by 23; 36and 28; respectively below the pre-drug levels. The greater fall in blood pressure was in diastolic than systolic blood pressure. The extract caused a weaker but similar effect to isoprenaline on rabbit isolated heart. While the effect on rabbit isolated ileum supports the folkloric use of the plant as an antispasmodic; further work is required to confirm and categorize the observed pharmacological activities