IntroductionSnake bites are a silent public health problem in Kenya. Previous studies on snake bites in the country have mainly focused on identifying offending snake species, assessing the severity of envenomation and testing the efficacy of antivenom. Factors associated with snake bites in the country are yet to be fully understood. The aim of this work was to determine pharmaco-epidemiological factors associated with snake bites in areas of Kenya where incidence, severity and species responsible for snake bites have been reported.MethodsKakamega provincial hospital, Kabarnet, Kapenguria and, Makueni district hospitals were selected as study sites based on previous findings on incidence, severity and species responsible for snake bites in catchment areas of these hospitals. Persistent newspaper reports of snake bites in these areas and distribution of snakes in Kenya were also considered. Cases of snake bites reported between 2007-2009 were retrospectively reviewed and data on incidence, age, site of the bites, time of bite and antivenom use was collected.Results176 bites were captured, 91 of which occurred in 2009. Individual incidence was between 2.7/100,000/year and 6.7/100,000/year. Bites peaked in the 1-15 year age group while 132/176 bites were in the lower limb area and 49/176 victims received antivenom. Most bites occurred during the dry season, in the bush and in the evening. Overall mortality was 2.27%.ConclusionThere is a need to sensitize the Kenyan public and healthcare personnel on preventive measures, first aid and treatment of snake bites.

Complementary and alternative medicine is an integral component of primary healthcare in Kenya. This is because the infrastructural health setup in the country is inadequate in catering for all the medical needs of the population. This particularly holds true in the rural areas where many rural folk rely on products of herbal origin to offset their healthcare needs. More often than not these products are an elaborate cacophony of several different substances of biological origin and thus need personnel adept in their preparation. Sadly, due to loopholes in legislation and regulation, quacks have a field day in the practice. Moreover, the process of planting, harvesting, preparation and storage of herbs and related products dictates that a significant number of people will ultimately be involved in the whole process. This is likely to set the stage for manipulation and compromise of the safety, quality and efficacy of these products. This state of affairs appears unabated especially in the context of the current legal and regulatory framework governing herbal medicine use and practice in Kenya. Not only are these laws inadequate, they are shrouded in ambiguity, open to interpretation and the authorities mandated to implement them often end up performing duplicate roles. The aim of this review is to critique the legal and regulatory provisions governing herbal medicine use and practice in Kenya. In conclusion, laws and regulations meant to control herbal medicine use and practice in Kenya are wanting. Clear and definitive legislation on herbal medicine use and practice coupled with effective implementation by mandated institutions will go a long way in inspiring confidence to all stakeholders of herbal medicine.

Background: Data on the cost of snakebite injuries may inform key pillars of universal health coverage including proper planning, allocation, and utility of resources. This study evaluated the injuries, management, and costs resulting from snakebites at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) in Kenya.  Methods: In total, medical records of 127 snakebite victims attending JOOTRH between January 2011 and December 2016 were purposely selected and data on the age, gender, type of residence (urban or rural), part of the body bitten, time of bite, injuries, pre-hospital first aid, time to hospital, length of stay, treatment, and costs were collected. Regression analysis was used to predict the total indirect cost of snakebite injuries and p≤ 0.05 was considered significant. Mortality and loss of income of hospitalized victims were considered as direct costs. Results: It was found that 43 victims were 13-24 years of age, 64 were female, 94 were from rural areas, 92 were bitten on the lower limbs, 49 were bitten between 6.00 pm and midnight, 43 attempted pre-hospital first aid, and the median time to hospital was 4.5 hours. Antivenom, supportive therapy, antibiotics, antihistamines, corticosteroids, analgesics, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were used. Cellulitis, compartment syndrome, gangrenous foot, psychiatric disorder, and death were the main complications. Most victims spent 1-5 days in hospital and the median cost of treating a snakebite was 2652 KES (~$26). Drugs, ward charges, and nursing procedures were the highest contributors to the total indirect cost. Victims hospitalized for 6-10 days and >10 days incurred 32% and 62% more costs, respectively, compared to those hospitalized for 1-5 days.  Conclusions: The longer snakebite victims are hospitalized, the higher the cost incurred. Continuous medical education on the correct management of snakebites should be encouraged to minimize complications that may increase hospital stays and costs incurred.

Background: Artesunate-amodiaquine (AS-AQ) is an antimalarial drug. It is associated with improved cure rates, accelerated response to therapy and delayed development of resistance. However, liver damage, neurotoxicity and agranulocytosis have been reported as adverse effects whose origins have been linked to free radicals generated by the drug. According to native materia medica, Moringa oleifera (MO) has wide utility in ethnomedicine. However, there is paucity of information on the hepatoprotective efficacy of this plant. The present study evaluated the mitigative effects of MO leaf extracts against liver injury induced by AS-AQ combination in female Wistar rats. Methods: Dry leaf powder of MO was extracted with water and a 20:80 v/v mixture of water and methanol to give aqueous (AQ) and aqueous-methanol (AQ-ME) MO leaf extracts respectively. In vitro hydroxyl free radical scavenging activity of serial dilutions (10-100 μg/ml) of each of the extracts was then evaluated using an assay model where butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) served as a reference standard. The extract with better free radical scavenging activity was then evaluated for hepatoprotective effects against AS-AQ intoxication in female Wistar rats based on the Acute Toxic Class method (OECD 2000). Serum asparate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), total bilirubin and histological examination of rat liver sections were used to evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of the selected MO leaf extract. Siliphos ® (standard hepatoprotectant) was used for comparison.

Background: Herbal preparations are widely assumed to be safe on oral administration and therefore the documentation of the toxic potential of some herbal concoctions used as medicine and nutrients is limited. Moringa oleifera (MO) is a plant that is gaining tremendous popularity in rural communities in Kenya as a means of offsetting nutritional and medicinal needs. However, very little is known about the safety of the plant on oral administration. Thus, the aim of the current study was to assess the biochemical and histological changes in the liver following the administration of an aqueous-methanolic (AQ-ME) MO leaf extract in female Wistar albino rats. Methods: Acute oral toxicity study on the AQ-ME MO leaf extract was conducted by the use of the limit test dose of the up and down procedure (OECD guideline number 425) with slight modifications. Briefly, ten (10) healthy, nulliparous, non-pregnant female Wistar strain albino rats aged 8-12 weeks and weighing 180±20 grams were used for the study. These animals were randomly selected into two groups; control and treatment group each having five (5) animals. They were then labelled to enable identification and control group animals were orally administered with physiological buffer saline once daily over a 48-hour period. The five (5) rats in the treatment group were dosed orally one at a time and once daily with a 2000 mg/kg dose of the AQ-ME MO leaf extract to determine the median lethal dose over a 48 hour period. Blood was then collected and used to prepare serum for biochemical analysis of aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT) and total bilirubin (TB) which are important biomarkers of liver dysfunction. Biochemical assays of these enzymes were performed using the method of the International Federation of Clinical Chemists (IFCC). Death was used as an endpoint, livers harvested and used to prepare transverse sections for histopathological examination. These sections were stained using the haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) method and observed for pathological changes using an optical microscope. Results: A 2000 mg/kg oral dose of AQ-ME MO leaf extract caused a significant (p<0.05) increase in the mean levels of AST but a non-significant (p>0.05) increase in the mean levels of total bilirubin in the treatment group relative to the control group. On the other hand, the extract caused a nonsignificant (p>0.05) decrease in the mean levels of ALT in the treatment group relative to the control. The post mortem analysis of the hepatic index (liver to body weight ratio) revealed that there was a non-significant increase (p>0.05) in the hepatic index of the treatment group relative to the control. However, the transverse liver sections of treatment group animals showed mild distortions in the architecture of liver cells. Conclusions: Based on these results, the LD 50 of the AQ-ME MO leaf extract was found to be >2000 mg/kg in female wistar albino rats.