The emergence of antibiotic resistance as well as the recent undesirable side effect of some of the commercially available antibiotics has led to the screening of plant extract in order to discover new drug that could serve as alternative therapy for the treatment of various infections and diseases. Fresh leaf of Ocimum gratissimum (scent leaf) sample was collected, air-dried at room temperature and blended to powder using electric blender. The extraction was done using reflux extraction method and methanol as solvent. The phytochemical analysis and the antibacterial activity of O. gratissimum were determined to ascertain the different phytochemicals present in the plant extract. The extract was also tested against some selected Gram negative intestinal pathogenic bacteria; Escherichia coli, Shigella and Salmonella species, by reconstituting the extract in dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) to obtain different concentration (0.2, 0.1, 0.05 and 0.025 g/ml) and agar well diffusion techniques were used to evaluate the antibacterial susceptibility of the leaf extract. The qualitative phytochemical analysis of the extract revealed the presence of alkaloid, anthraquinone, flavonoid, glycoside, phenol, saponin, steroid and tannins. The result of antibacterial analysis showed that the extract of O. gratissimum has antibacterial activity against E. coli. This could be as a result of the presence of various phytochemicals or the interaction of one or more of the identified metabolites against the test organisms. However, there was no zone of inhibition (antibacterial effect) recorded on Salmonella and Shigella spp. as they were resistant to the extract. The results obtained from this research, suggest that Escherichia coli was susceptible to the leaf extract and the plant could be used as potential source of natural product for the treatment of infection.
The review concentrated on current literature on medicinal plants for the treatment of malaria and typhoid related diseases, highlighting information about their ethnobotany. The entire plants reviewed showed strong activities, establishing their different traditional applications and capability to control or eliminate malaria and typhoid diseases. Malaria and typhoid diseases are the most problematic public health challenge in Nigeria. Records have showed that annually, about 50% of the population suffers from at least one episode of malaria and typhoid diseases. The expenditure for malaria treatment creates high economic burden to households and health care system. The present review confirms application of forty-two (42) medicinal plants for the treatment of Malaria and typhoid related diseases. The zone of inhibition of the plants extract ranges from 5.4 to 35.0 mm and Anacardium occidentale L. (Cashew) was found to have the highest zone of inhibition. Among the plant parts in use, leaves had the highest percentage of utilization, followed by Shoot, Rhizome, Bulb and Tuber. The rate of utilization of medicinal plants around the world for the treatment of malaria and typhoid diseases is growing daily. Therefore, the need for further scientific research to analyze and extract the bioactive compounds in these plants in order to develop effective, reliable and affordable drugs that will help in the treatment of malaria and typhoid related diseases are strongly recommended.
Plasmodium falciparum is the leading cause of malaria in pregnant women, a disease of public health importance especially in Nigeria where the infection is endemic. Hence, this study was conducted to ascertain the prevalent rate of Plasmodium falciparum infection among pregnant women attending antenatal in primary health care center, Wushishi Local Government, Niger state, Nigeria. 150 pregnant women were randomly selected and tested for P. falciparum using Plasmodium falciparum (05FK50) Rapid Diagnostic Test kit. The result obtained, revealed that 36 (24%) out of the 150 samples of the pregnant women were positive without any clinical manifestation of the infection. The result revealed that the prevalence rate was higher among women within 11-20 age group (43.8%) than those within 21-30 (17.4%) and 31 and above (9.0%). It was also observed from the study that prevalence rate was lower among women who use Insecticide Treated Net (6.5%) compared to those who does not (52.6%). Therefore the problem of Plasmodium falciparum infection in pregnant women should be prevented by the use of insecticide treated nets and effective case management with appropriate antimalarial drug during antenatal clinical visits.
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