Antimicrobial and brine shrimp toxicity of some plants used in traditional medicine in Bukoba District, north-western Tanzania

Abstract

Herbal medicines constitute a potentially important resource for new and safe drugs for the management of microbial infections and other diseases. In this study, dichloromethane, ethylacetate and ethanol extracts of Canarum schwenfurth Engl., Dssots brazzae Cong., Iboza urtcfola (Bak) E.A.Bruce, Isoglosa lacteal Lindau, Strombosa Scheffler Engl., and Whtfielda elongate T. Anders were tested for antimicrobial activity and brine shrimp toxicity. The objective was to validate claims that they are used to treat bacterial infections, diarrhoea and heal wounds among the Haya tribe of north-western Tanzania. At least one extract of each plant showed antibacterial activity. Dichloromethane extracts were the most active while ethanol extracts were the least active. Extracts of Whtfielda elongate and Isoglossa lacteal were the most and least active with MICs in the range 0.08-0.62 mg/ml and 15.6-62.5 mg/ml, respectively. The dichloromethane extract of Whtfielda elongate exhibited strong antifungal activity against Cryptococcus neoformans. Against brine shrimp larvae, the extracts from the six plants exhibited a low to very low toxicity with LC 50 values ranging from 15.35-374.0μg/ml. However, ethanol extracts of Dssots brazzae and Strombosa scheffler had LC 50 values of >1000μg/ml. The seemingly innocuous nature and relatively good antibacterial activity against skin infections and gastrointestinal pathogenic bacteria support the traditional uses of the plants and deserve more detailed studies.

Ethnomedicine of the Kagera Region, north western Tanzania. Part 2: The medicinal plants used in Katoro Ward, Bukoba District

“…Some plants previously documented in Kagera and used for the treatment of bacterial infections and wound healing [2] have been found to have antibacterial properties [3,5] and results from brine shrimp toxicity tests also suggest that they have low toxicity [4]. This goes to show that Kagera region, within which Katoro falls, has a repository of plants that can be relied upon for the treatment of various illnesses that the local communities have to deal with now and again.…”

“…This second part of the series provides a glimpse into the plants used in traditional medicine by Issack Kato and two of his colleagues; Maruzuku Mazimpaka and Hajat Nuria Kyejo, all who are traditional healers practicing in Katoro Ward. This study therefore adds to the continuing efforts to document [2], evaluate for biological activity [3-5], and identify how plant genetic resources in the Kagera region can be mainstreamed into the social and economic development of the local people, for example, through on-farm cultivation and the development of marketable medicinal plant products. The study is an ethnomedical documentation of medicinal plants in Katoro Ward of, Bukoba district, north western Tanzania.…”

Investigation on neurotoxin of sea snail meat

“…The brine shrimp lethality test was used as a surrogate tool to evaluate the toxicities and also to identify their potential for other biological activities [34]. In the case of brine shrimp lethality assay the purified sample extracts showed 50% mortality against brine shrimps at 60 and 7 µg/mL correspondingly.…”

Potential Targets for Anti-Inflammatory and Anticancer Activities of Marine Algae Gelidium Sesquipedale and Laminaria Ochroleuca.

“…Larvae were considered dead when they did not exhibit any internal or external movement during several seconds of observation. The 50% lethal concentrations (LC 50 ) of the extracts were determined, values of LC 50 that were greater than 100 μg/ml were considered to represent an inactive extract (Moshi et al,2009), the test was repeated five times.…”