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BackgroundThere is continued reliance on conventional veterinary drugs including anthelmintics, to some of which resistance has developed. Loss of indigenous technical knowledge (ITK) from societies affects the opportunities for utilization of ethnopharmacological practices unless properly documented. This study was conducted to identify common traditional practices using medicinal plants against helminthosis and other livestock diseases in Mpigi and Gulu districts of Uganda.MethodsSeven focus group discussions with ten farmers per group plus 18 key informant interviews were held in each district from August to November 2011. Ranking was used to quantify disease burdens and to identify priority livestock and breeds. Samples of each plant were submitted to Makerere University herbarium for identification and documentation. The local name, relative availability and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) status were recorded.ResultsSeventy six farmers in Mpigi and 74 in Gulu were interviewed. Theileriosis and helminthosis were the most common disease conditions in cattle and goats, respectively. Forty plant species within 34 genera from 22 botanical families were identified, with 20 of these used against helminthosis. Other plants treated wounds and ecto-parasites, theileriosis, retained placenta and bovine ephemeral fever. Non-plant practices (7) and plants cited were used in combination depending on availability. Males older than 40 years had most ethnopharmacological knowledge. Most plants (75%, n = 40) were common, but 10 were rare. IUCN status was not evaluated for 95% of these plants. Conventional and traditional drug use in Gulu and Mpigi districts was different (χ2 = 24; p < 0.001). The scientific, English, Luganda and Acholi names of all plants and their availability within the communities are documented herein.ConclusionThis is the first detailed livestock-related ethnopharmacological study in Gulu district. Farmers in Uganda are still using a variety of practices to treat livestock ailments. Scientific validation and evaluation of conservation status are urgently needed to ensure future availability and knowledge about these plant resources.

Limited pharmacological studies have been conducted on plant species used against poultry helminths. The objective of this study was to provide a basis for plant based anthelmintics as possible alternatives against poultry anthelmintic resistance. The study justified the need for alternative anthelmintics. The study places emphasis on the increasing anthelmintic resistance, mechanism of resistance, and preparational protocols for plant anthelmintics and their associated mechanism of action. Pharmaceutical studies on plants as alternative therapies for the control of helminth parasites have not been fully explored especially in several developing countries. Plants from a broad range of species produce a wide variety of compounds that are potential anthelmintics candidates. Important phenolic acids have been found in Brassica rapa L. and Terminalia avicenniodes Guill. and Perri that affect the cell signaling pathways and gene expression. Benzo (c) phenanthridine and isoquinoline alkaloids are neurotoxic to helminths. Steroidal saponins (polyphyllin D and dioscin) interact with helminthic mitochondrial activity, alter cell membrane permeability, vacuolation and membrane damage. Benzyl isothiocyanate glucosinolates interfere with DNA replication and protein expression, while isoflavones from Acacia oxyphylla cause helminth flaccid paralysis, inhibit energy generation, and affect calcium utilization. Condensed tannins have been shown to cause the death of nematodes and paralysis leading to expulsion from the gastro-intestinal tract. Flavonoids from Chenopodium album L and Mangifera indica L act through the action of phosphodiesterase and Ca2+-ATPase, and flavonoids and tannins have been shown to act synergistically and are complementary to praziquantel. Artemisinins from Artemisia cina O. Berg are known to disrupt mitochondrial ATP production. Terpenoids from Cucurbita moschata L disrupt neurotransmission leading to paralysis as well as disruption of egg hatching. Yeast particle encapsulated terpenes are effective for the control of albendazole-resistant helminths.

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Background: Plants have become a household name in the quest for effective and safe cancer chemotherapy in the Pharmaceutical industry. We studied the Brine shrimps lethality, antiproliferative and apoptotic potentials of Gliricidia sepium leaf extract against some selected cancer cell lines. Methodology: Plant leaves extraction was done with 70% ethanol and petroleum ether. Twenty four hours old shrimp’s larvae exposure to different concentrations (1 mg/ mL, 100 µg/ mL, 10 µg/ mL and 1 µg/ mL) of the extracts were used to evaluate the cytotoxicity in Brine shrimps lethality assay (BSLA). Three cancer cell lines: Breast (HCC1395); Prostate (DU145); Colorectal (CT26) and one normal cell line (Vero E6) were used for the in-vitro cytotoxicity testing using MTT assay. IC50, CC50 and Selectivity Index (SI) were determined respectively, using standard methods. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was carried out on HCC1395 and DU145 cell lines. Primers for the genes p53 and BAX were generated and amplified for apoptotic evaluation. The fold change relative to GADPH, the house­keeping gene, was calculated using double delta Ct analysis [2ˉΔΔCT]. Results: The results of BSLA showed that both extracts of G. sepium are strongly toxic (LC50 < 100 µg/ml). However, petroleum ether extract (PGS) exhibited the highest toxicity to the shrimps, with LC50 of 11.95 µg/ml. This is about 8 times more cytotoxic than cyclophosphamide (LC50 of 98.76 µg/ml). On cancer cells, PGS exhibited varying antiproliferative activities; it was high on prostate (IC50 = 12.76 µg/ml), antiproliferative (IC50 = 23.55 µg/ml) and moderately antiproliferative (IC50 = 77.58 µg/ml) on breast and colorectal cancer respectively. PGS CC50 value was greater than 100 µg/ml. Ethanol extract (EGS) showed very high toxicity to all the tested cancer cells (IC50 <20µg/ml) with low cytotoxicity (CC50 = 41.81 µg/ml) to the normal cells. It exhibited a significant difference and high selectivity index across all the cell lines used in this study.  EGS also upregulated both p53 and BAX biomarkers in the qRT-PCR apoptotic study. Conclusion: The leaf extracts of G. sepium is a potential anticancer agent. The 70% ethanol extract selectively induced antiproliferative activities on cancer cells and upregulated apoptotic genes. The Petroleum ether extract also showed very low cytotoxicity to the normal cells. The plant should be considered a novel candidate for further studies.