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Background: Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a common hypertensive disorder of pregnancy with a prevalence rate of 3-5%. There is no modern drug which cures PE so far. On the other hand, plant medicines are claimed to cure this disease. Exploring potential plant medicines for their therapeutic Original Research Article and/or prophylactic uses in this disease, therefore has paramount importance. In Ethiopia, there is a strong claim that leavesof Moringastenopetalaand Thymus schimperihave anti-hypertension activities.Thus, the current study was supposed to prove the potential therapeutic effects of the two plants against PE.PEreducesorgan blood flow and increasesvascular resistance. Assessing these variables has widely been accepted when monitoring high-risk pregnancies and evaluating therapeutic and/or prophylactic uses of drugs.Methods: A comparative experimental case control study was employed to determine the effects of aqueous crude extracts of Thymus schimperiand Moringastenopetalaon regional blood flow velocities and vascular resistance of PE Albino-Wistar rat models induced by a potent vasoconstrictor, nitro-arginine methyl ester(L-NAME). A Doppler flow meter (Atys, Directive 93/42/EEC/CEE, Model, BASIC123LP) was used to measure the systolic and diastolic regional blood flow velocities through abdominal aorta, uterine, renal and common carotid arteries. The peripheral vascular resistance for the respective vessels were evaluated using resistivity and pulsatility indices.Results: Aqueous leaf extracts of T. schimperi(ALETS) and M. stenopetala(ALEMS) significantly increased regional blood flow velocities and decreased peripheral vascular resistance in PE rat modelsin a dose dependent pattern compared with untreated controls. For example, ALETS treated PE groups showed increased diastolicblood velocity (DBV) (cm/sec) of uterine arteries 3.8±0.4 (p<0.05), 4.2±0.4 (p<0.01), 7.3±0.5 (p<0.01), while ALEMS treated PE group had uterine arterial DBV of 2.8±0.3 (p<0.01), 3.5±0.8 (p<0.05), 6.6±0.8 (p<0.01) with daily doses of 250mg/kg, 500mg/kg and 1gm/kg, respectively. Moreover, the vascular resistances (measured by resistivity and pulsatility indices), of the respective vessels were significantly lower in a dose dependent pattern. Conclusion:Both ALETS and ALEMS could increaseregional blood flow velocities and decrease vascular resistances ofPE rat models. Further investigation should, however, be carried out to confirm their therapeutic merits.
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Objective: To investigate the vasodilatory effect of Thymus serrulatus (T. serrulatus) aqueous leaf extract on KCl (high K
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Objective:To evaluate the berries of Phytolacca dodecandra (P. dodecandra) for its effect on Histoplasma capsulatum var. farciminosum (HCF) and for the treatment of cases of epizootic lymphangitis (EL). Methods:Samples were collected from un-ruptured nodules of cases of EL at Debre Zeit and Akaki (central Ethiopia). Mycological culture and isolation of HCF were performed at the Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology. Phytochemical screening was done for n-butanol extract of P. dodecandra to detect alkaloids, saponins, phenolic compounds and flavonoids. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFCs) of aqueous and n-butanol extracts of P. dodecandra against HCF were determined by agar dilution assay. For the in vivo trial, 5%simple ointment was prepared from n-butanol extract and applied topically to 24 (twelve early and twelve moderate) cases of EL. Results:Phytochemical screening showed that n-butanol extract of P. dodecandra was positive for alkaloids, saponins and phenolic compounds but negative for flavonoids. The MICs of n-butanol and aqueous extracts of P. dodecandra were (0.039%-0.078%) and (0.625%-1.250%), respectively. The MFCs of n-butanol and aqueous extracts of P. dodecandra were (0.078%-0.156%) and (1.250%-2.500%), respectively. The MIC and MFC of ketoconazole (positive control) was (1.200×10-5%-2.500×10-5%) and (5.000×10-5%-1.000×10-4%), respectively while growth was observed on free medium (negative control). From the total of 24 treated cases of EL, 14 (58.3%) responded to treatment;however, 10 (41.7%) did not respond to treatment. There was no significant difference in the degree of response to treatment between early and moderate cases (χ2=0.686;P=0.408). Conclusions:It can be concluded that n-butanol extract of P. dodecandra demonstrates antifungal effects while the aqueous extract shows no antifungal activity.
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Objective: The present study was conducted to evaluate the antihyperglycemic activity on chronic administration of the butanol fraction of the ethanol extract of Moringa Stenopetala leaves in alloxan induced diabetic mice. Methods: The mice were grouped in four groups; Normal control, Diabetic control, Butanol fraction treated and standard drug treated groups. The Diabetic mice received the butanol fraction of Moringa stenopetala daily for 28 days. Results: The butanol fraction of Moringastenopetala treatment resulted in significant reduction of fasting blood glucose level, serum total cholesterol and triglycerides level. This fraction also showed a tendency to improve body weight gain in diabetic mice. Its oral LD50 was found to be greater than 5000mg/Kg indicating its safety in mice. Conclusions: Though the mechanism of action of Moringa stenopetala seems to be similar to that of sulfonylureas, further studies should be done to confirm its mechanism of antidiabetic action. Furthermore the active principle(s) responsible for the antidabetic effects should also be identified.