Safety of Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC. (Fabaceae) and Entada leptostachya Harms (Leguminosae) Extract Mixtures Using Wistar Albino Rats.

Aim: Many medicinal plants have been used traditionally in treating ailments in humans and animals. However, for most of herbal remedies, no scientific toxicity profiles exist in literature. In this study, the safety profile of an herbal extract mixture containing Entada leptostachya (EL) and Prosopis juliflora (PJ) was determined using acute oral toxicity tests using adult female Wistar albino rats. Place and Duration of Study: Laboratories in the departments of Chemistry, Zoology, Botany and Biochemistry of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (J.K.U.A.T.) between March 2012 and April 2012. Methodology: The OECD 425 guidelines (Up-and-Down procedure) were followed. Different dosages (control, 175, 550, 1750 and 5000 mg/kg body weight) were used in the experiment. Selective observations and analysis were made and recorded on mortality, signs of pain or distress and moribund animals, biochemical and macroscopic (pathological, organ and live body weights) analyses. Results: During the entire period of the study, no signs of pain or enduring distress were observed neither was there any mortality. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) values were within range (for experimental rats) apart from the rat in control while Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) values were within range (for experimental rat) apart from two rats in the upper limit. Macroscopic organ observations did not show colour or texture consistent with drug-induced inflammation or lesions. The toxicity studies of the extract mixture showed that the median lethal dose (LD50) was above the upper limit of 5000mg/kg body weight. Conclusion: In conclusion, the LD50 of the extract mixture was found to be greater than 5000 mg/kg body weight and was, therefore, considered safe and has potential as a novel herbal preparation.

Contact toxicity of some fixed plant oils and stabilized natural pyrethrum extracts against adult maize weevils (Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky)

The contact toxicity of some selected fixed plant oils and stabilized natural pyrethrum (Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium) blends against adult maize weevils (Sitophilus zeamais) were investigated. Natural pyrethrum extract was stabilized against ultraviolet (UV) light by blending with fixed oils extracted from Azadirachta indica A. Juss (neem tree); Thevetia peruviana (yellow oleander) and Gossypium hirsutum L. (cotton) seeds. Cottonseed oil had the highest stabilization effect on the pyrethrum blend exposed to UV light of 366 nm. The results indicated that the natural pyrethrum extract blended with cottonseed oil was the most potent against maize weevils and that the potency was concentration-time dependent. Cottonseed and neem seed oils enhanced the stabilization of the natural pyrethrum insecticide

Traditional Medicines among the Embu and Mbeere People of Kenya

Ethnobotanical information and traditional medicines were investigated and documented in Embu and Mbeere districts; Eastern Province of Kenya. Oral interviews were obtained from over 100 herbalists; both men and women aged between 40 and 80 years. All the herbalists interviewed were Christians and had little formal education. Non-Christian herbalists were purported to combine herbal medicines with witchcraft and were not interviewed. Of the 40 commonly used herbal plants 25 were used as multi-purpose medicinal plants (mpmp); while 15 were used to treat one disease type. There was a correlation between the outpatient morbidity data at the local District hospital; and the common incident diseases treated by the herbalists. Generally a decoction or infusion of the herb was recommended for the treatment of internal or external condition of the patients. Malaria and typhoid were treatable with a total of 15 and 12 plants respectively and were among the first two commonest diseases found in the study area. Terminalia brownii was found to be the most used medicinal plant either alone or in combination with other herbs. The second and third most utilized medicinal plants were Ovariodendron anisatum and Wurbugia ugadensis respectively

Traditional Medicines Among the Embu and Mbeere Peoples of Kenya

Ethnobotanical information and traditional medicines were investigated and documented in Embu and Mbeere districts; Eastern Province of Kenya. Oral interviews were obtained from over 100 herbalists; both men and women aged between 40 and 80 years. All the herbalists interviewed were Christians and had little formal education. Non-Christian herbalists were purported to combine herbal medicines with witchcraft and were not interviewed. Of the 40 commonly used herbal plants 25 were used as multi-purpose medicinal plants (mpmp); while 15 were used to treat one disease type. There was a correlation between the outpatient morbidity data at the local District hospital; and the common incident diseases treated by the herbalists. Generally a decoction or infusion of the herb was recommended for the treatment of internal or external condition of the patients. Malaria and typhoid were treatable with a total of 15 and 12 plants respectively and were among the first two commonest diseases found in the study area. Terminalia brownii was found to be the most used medicinal plant either alone or in combination with other herbs. The second and third most utilized medicinal plants were Ovariodendron anisatum and Wurbugia ugadensis respectively

Antimicrobial Activity of Some Medicinal Plants Used by Herbalists in Eastern Provine; Kenya

The aqueous extracts from medicinal plants commonly used by herbalists in Mbeere; and Embu districts of Eastern province; Kenya; were tested for their inhibitory activity against three selected strains of bacteria. All the selected plant extracts (infusions: 1.0g sample in 100 ml water) investigated showed activity against Escherichiacoli with inhibition zone diameters ranging from 5.8 - 18.0 mm. Terminalia brownii gave the largest inhibition zones against E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Vernonia lasiopus and Tithonia diversifolia were inactive to S. aureus and Bacillus subtilis; respectively. Eighteen and sixteen plants showed sensitivity of greater than 10 mm against S. aureus and B. subtilis; respectively. All control discs gave zones of inhibition of 12 - 24 mm; which were larger than those of the extracts. The present study validated the use of the selected medicinal plants by the herbalists in the treatment of bacterial ailments caused by the strains of bacteria investigated. Medicinal plants used for non-bacterial diseases also exhibited sensitivity towards bacterial strains tested. This implied they could be used as multi-purpose medicinal plants

Direct Detection of Triterpenoid Saponins in Medicinal Plants

Direct detection of saponins in medicinal plants using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is reported in this paper. Crude dry plant powders were mixed with potassium bromide (KBr) powder and compressed to a thin pellet for infrared examination. FTIR spectra of the test samples showed -OH; -C=O; C-H; and C=C absorptions characteristic of oleanane triterpenoid saponins. The C-O-C absorptions indicated glycoside linkages to the sapogenins. Phytochemical analysis confirmed the presence of saponins in the tested specimens. Entada leptostachya was used as a reference sample. Dry plant powder was extracted sequentially with hexane; dichloromethane; ethyl acetate and methanol. FTIR spectra of the reference sample powder and its organic solvent extracts showed characteristic saponin absorption peaks. These results indicated that direct detection of saponins in medicinal plants was possible by infrared analysis. Lengthy exhaustive chemical analyses necessary for detection of saponins could be avoided