Bioactivity of Hibbertia scandens – an Australian Aboriginal Traditional Medicinal Plant

The First Australian Community is one of the ancient civilizations which has been dependent upon the available surrounding natural resources for their clothing, nutrition and healing of disease. Unfortunately, some of their traditional medicines and / or their practical applications are lost because of poor written documentation. Plants form parts of ancient remedies used by Aboriginal peoples to heal several ailments due to their therapeutic activities. One of these medicinal plants is Hibbertia scandens (Snake Vine), which has been used by Aboriginal Communities as a traditional medicine to treat sores and rashes due to antibacterial and antiseptic properties of this plant.

Improving Nutrition and Health through Non-timber Forest Products in Ghana.

Nutrition and health are fundamental pillars of human development across the entire life-span. The potential role of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) in improving nutrition and health and reduction of poverty has been recognized in recent years. NTFPs continue to be an important source of household food security, nutrition, and health. Despite their significant contribution to food security, nutrition, and sustainable livelihoods, these tend to be overlooked by policy-makers. NTFPs have not been accorded adequate attention in development planning and in nutrition-improvement programmes in Ghana. Using exploratory and participatory research methods, this study identified the potentials of NTFPs in improving nutrition and food security in the country. Data collected from the survey were analyzed using the SPSS software (version 16.0). Pearson’s correlation (p<0.05) showed that a significant association exists between NTFPs and household food security, nutrition, and income among the populations of Bibiani-Bekwai and Sefwi Wiawso districts in the western region of Ghana. NTFPs contributed significantly to nutrition and health of the poor in the two districts, especially during the lean seasons. The results of the survey also indicated that 90% of the sampled population used plant medicine to cure various ailments, including malaria, typhoid, fever, diarrhoea, arthritis, rheumatism, and snake-bite. However, a number of factors, including policy vacuum, increased overharvesting of NTFPs, destruction of natural habitats, bushfires, poor farming practices, population growth, and market demand, are hindering the use and development of NTFPs in Ghana. The study also provides relevant information that policy-makers and development actors require for improving nutrition and health in Ghana.

Observation in effect of anti-inflammatory No.1 agents on prevention and treatment of chemotherapeutic phlebitis / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective To discuss clinical effect of anti-inflammatory No.1 on prevention and treat-ment of chemotherapeutic phlebitis. Methods 200 patients undergoing peripheral venous chemotherapy were divided into the observation group and the control group with 100 patients in each group. The control group received routine nursing, the observation group was given local compression with gauze dipped with anti-inflammatory No.1 agents. The incidence of phlebitis was compared between the two groups and un-derwent χ2 test. Results The incidence of phlebitis in the observation group was lower than that of the control group. Conclusions Application of local compression with anti-inflammatory No.1 agents proves to be an effective method in prevention and treatment of chemotherapeutic phlebitis.