Leishmaniasis is one of the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) which is closely associated with poverty and has gained much relevance recently due to its opportunistic coinfection with HIV. It is a protozoan zoonotic disease transmitted by a dipteran Phlebotomus, Lutzomyia/ Sergentomyia sandfly; during blood meals on its vertebrate intermediate hosts. It is a four-faceted disease with its visceral form being more deadly if left untreated. It is endemic across the tropics and subtropical regions of the world. It can be considered the third most important NTD after malaria and lymphatic filariasis. Currently, there are numerous drawbacks on the fight against leishmaniasis which includes: non-availability of vaccines, limited availability of drugs, high cost of mainstay drugs and parasite resistance to current treatments. In this study, we screened the antileishmanial activity, selectivity, morphological alterations, cell cycle progression and apoptotic potentials of six Pathogen box compounds from Medicine for Malaria Venture (MMV) against Leishmania donovani promastigotes and amastigotes. From this study, five of the compounds showed great promise as lead chemotherapeutics based on their high selectivity against the Leishmania donovani parasite when tested against the murine mammalian macrophage RAW 264.7 cell line (with a therapeutic index ranging between 19-914 (promastigotes) and 1-453 (amastigotes)). The cell cycle progression showed growth arrest at the G0-G1 phase of mitotic division, with an indication of apoptosis induced by two (2) of the pathogen box compounds tested. Our findings present useful information on the therapeutic potential of these compounds in leishmaniasis. We recommend further in vivo studies on these compounds to substantiate observations made in the in vitro study.

Different fractions (I-V) of the methanolic leaf extracts of Annona senegalensis were assessed for their anti-snake venom activities. Fractions III neutralized lethal toxicity induced by Echis ocellatus venom and manifested the same potency as the crude extracts against the venom. The anti-snake venom activity of fraction III was clearly shown by the complete abrogation of venom-induced haemorrhage and the 75% record of surviving mice which were injected with a pre-incubate of venom and extract in the ratio 1:30 w/w after a 24 h. Also, fraction III exhibited a weak inhibitory effect on fibrinogen clotting activity of this venom. The key phytochemicals mediating the activity of this fraction are flavonoids and tannins. The detoxification of this venom by fraction III and the possible mode of action in the pathology of snake envenoming is discussed in this report.

The plant kingdom continues to hold great promise for the eradication of Malaria infection following the challenges of insecticide resistance by the vector mosquito, drug resistance by the parasite, and the development of a vaccine still being a mirage. Acalypha wilkesiana Muller Argoviensis, 1866 (family: Euphorbiaceae) leaves have the ethnopharmacological reputation for use as a remedy against dermal microbial infections in Nigeria. Here, we have studied the antiplasmodial potential of the extract of the leaves of this ornamental plant. Aqueous methanol crude extract (70%) and Prep reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RPHPLC) fractions were tested in vitro against blood stage Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 strain parasites for antiplasmodial activity using the SYBR Green assay. Results obtained were validated through Giemsa stained microscopic blood smeared slides. An IC of < 0.39 μg/ml for fractions of the RPHPLC together with TC of > 100 μg/ml against mammalian HUH-7 cell lines and a HC of > 100 μg/ml against red blood cells indicate a high selectivity of this plant against Plasmodium. This is the first report of the antiplasmodial activity of this plant and a GC-MS fingerprinting of the same, opening the possibilities of identifying novel pharmacophores against the malaria parasite.

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a serious public health problem in Nigeria, with a high prevalence in the northern part of the country. Plants with therapeutic value are still the only way forward, as their acceptance and acknowledgment grow over the world. There is vast traditional knowledge and use of medicinal plant species in Sokoto state and the country at large. However, because cultural systems are dynamic, skills are fragile and often forgotten, as most indigenous knowledge is passed down through the generations by oral transmission. This study documented traditional medicinal plants used by the traditional practitioners for the treatment of CL in Sokoto State, Northern Nigeria.Methods: The method of non-random probability and the strategy of master sampling were applied in this research.A total of 23 informants were interviewed.Results: The ethnobotanical survey revealed 48 plant species, trees accounting for 57.9%, of which 84.1 % of the reported plants are wild. For therapy, leaves are the most utilized (43.7%), with topical and oral remedies (72.2%) as the most preferred form of administration. Quantitatively, Bauhinia reticulata DC was found to be effective in the treatment of CL with Fidelity Level (FL) 93%.Conclusion: Plants with therapeutic value are still the most promising, as their acceptance and acknowledgment keeps growing all over the world. This study provides useful information for various fields, especially in exploring the plant parts as a source of lead for future chemotherapeutics against CL and possible development of plant monographs for biodiversity conservation.

In the midst of numerous setbacks that beclouds the fight against leishmaniasis; a neglected tropical disease, the search for new chemotherapeutics against this disease is of utmost importance. Leishmaniasis is a disease closely associated with poverty and endemic in Africa, Asia, southern Europe and the Americas. It is caused by parasites of the genus Leishmania and transmitted by a sandfly vector. In this study, we evaluated the antileishmanial potency of eighteen pathogen box compounds and elucidated their biosafety and possible mechanisms of action against Leishmania donovani promastigotes and amastigotes in vitro. IC50s range of 0.12±0.15 to >6.25 μg/ml and 0.13±0.004 to >6.25μg/ml were observed for the promastigotes and amastigotes, respectively. We demonstrated the ability of some of the compounds to cause cytocidal effect on the parasites, induce increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), disrupt the normal parasite morphology and cause the accumulation of parasites at the DNA synthesis phase of the cell cycle. We recommend a further in vivo study on these compounds to validate the findings.

The Burseraceae family consists of 18 genera and 540 species. Boswellia dalzielii is a medicinal plant used in tropical and subtropical areas for the treatment and management of various ailments. Despite the medicinal value of B. dalzielii, there is no comprehensive documentation. The study aimed to review the ethnopharmacology, biological evaluation and chemical composition of B. dalzielii. Scopus, Web of Science, BioMed Central, Science Direct, PubMed, Springer Link, and Google Scholar were searched to find published articles. The results showed that the leaves, stem bark, and root of B. dalzielii have been traditionally used in Nigeria, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Benin, Sudan, and Guinee for the treatment and management of antirheumatic, antispasmodic, analgesic, antiseptic, hypotensive, malarial mental illness, ulcer, pain, and fever. It is also found that leaves, stem bark, and root have antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and antimalarial properties with stembark having the highest activity. Chemically, it was revealed the leaf has high contents of monoterpenes hydrocarbons with alpha-pinene as the major compound. The species were largely studied in vitro, according to the literature survey. A well-designed clinical experiment is required to obtain conclusive evidence on the efficacy of stembark. The standard dose and safety of the stembark should be established.