7 research outputs found
Targeted delivery of Zingiber officinale Roscoe extract-loaded chitosan nanoparticles for inhibition of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli-induced HCT-116 colon cancer
No full textAbstract The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a growing concern, as it significantly contributes to colon cancer initiation and progression. Conventional treatment strategies face challenges such as poor bioavailability and antibiotic resistance, necessitating the development of targeted therapies. This study evaluates the efficacy of Zingiber officinale Roscoe (ginger) extract-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (GELCs) in inhibiting MDR E. coli-induced colon cancer using the HCT-116 cell line. The nanoparticles were synthesized with an average size of 150 ± 5 nm, a zeta potential of + 32.5 mV, and an encapsulation efficiency of 84.3%. Their biological activity was assessed through in vitro and in vivo models, focusing on antimicrobial effects, cytotoxicity, apoptosis induction, and inflammatory modulation. The GELCs exhibited potent antimicrobial activity, reducing MDR E. coli colony-forming units (CFUs) by 83% compared to untreated co-cultures. MTT assay results showed a dose-dependent reduction in HCT-116 cell viability, with an IC₅₀ of 22.8 µg/mL, which was significantly lower than that of free ginger extract (IC₅₀ = 48.6 µg/mL), indicating enhanced efficacy. Flow cytometry analysis confirmed increased apoptosis, with a BAX/BCl-2 ratio of 11.3 in the GELC-treated group compared to 1.0 in the control. ELISA assays further demonstrated a reduction in inflammatory cytokines, with IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β levels decreasing by 54%, 61%, and 47%, respectively. These findings highlight the dual antimicrobial and anticancer potential of GELCs, making them a promising candidate for targeted therapy against MDR E. coli-associated colon cancer. This study underscores the advantages of nanoparticle-based delivery systems in enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of natural bioactive compounds
Central Nervous System Depressant Effect of Senna occidentalis Linn. (Fabaceae) Leaf Extract in Mice
No full textReview of Antiviral Medicinal Plants used in Taraba State Nigeria: A Possible Source for COVID-19 Drug Discovery
Get PDFPurpose: Coronavirus also known as COVID-19 is a viral infection that has been tagged as the greatest pandemic since the existence of humans by the WHO, resulting in the deaths of thousands of people globally; with the USA one of the highest. The full biology of the virus is yet to be known. This study reviews sixteen natural antiviral plants used in Taraba State to manage viral infections locally.
Subjects and Methods: Sixteen medicinal plants popularly used as antiviral agents in Taraba State, Nigeria were surveyed based on a field-trip experience with herbal medicine practitioners in the three zones of the state. Plants that were in both zones were counted as the same. The plants that are majorly used for various viral infections are Allium sativum, Zingiber officinale, Camellia sinensis, Hibiscus sabdariffa, Cirus lemon, Azardirachta indica, Ocimum tenuiflorum, Curcuma longa, Haematostaphis barteri, Olea europaea, Melastomastrum capitatum, Astragalus canadensis, Carissa edulis, Spondias venulosa, Vitellaria paradoxa, and Euphorbia hirta.
Results: Of the sixteen plants, ten have been reported to have antiviral properties against at least one of these viruses avian or bird flu, human influenza virus, infectious bronchitis virus (a type of coronavirus), herpes virus, hepatitis C virus and HIV.
Conclusion: The study revealed that further research on these antiviral plants used traditionally might pave the way for the discovery of potent antiviral drugs against COVID-19
Ruellia simplex C. Wright (Acanthaceae): Antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic activities of a novel fatty acid isolated from its leaf extract
Get PDFRuellia simplex is a medicinal plant whose leaf is used to treat pains, inflammation, and diabetes in Nigeria. The current study was undertaken to determine the antinociceptive (analgesics), anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic activities of a novel fatty acid isolated from the leaf extract of R. simplex. Isolation of a novel fatty acid from the most active fraction was carried out on silica gel column chromatography while, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic activities of the isolated compound were evaluated by acetic acid, carrageenan, and alloxan-induced animal models respectively. The chemical structure of the new compound was elucidated by FT-IR, NMR, GC-MS, and LC-MS. The isolated fatty acid showed inhibition of pains by decreasing abdominal writhing in mice in dose dependent fashion as well as reduced paw volume in the carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats at IC50 = 12.5 ± 1.08 μg/ml and 10.21 ± 1.02 μg/ml, respectively, whereas the antidiabetic activity showed a dose dependent reduction in blood sugar levels with IC50 = 6.02 ± 0.01 μg/ml. The compound showed the following features: R-COOH functional group at 3327 wavelength cm-1 by FTIR; EI-MS [M]+* at m/z 467, peak area 62.231% and RT 14.086 min by GC-MS; singly charged fragments at m/z 116.1 and m/z 465.1, RT 1.31 min by LC-MS and eight proton signals consisting of singlets and multiplets (1H), thirty carbon atoms (13C) NMR data. From the study, the novel fatty acid from R. simplex extract was potentially active for the treatment of pains, inflammation, and diabetes
Anti-hemorrhoid Evaluation of Selected Medicinal Plants Used in Bali North-East Nigeria for the Treatment of Hemorrhoids (Pile)
No full textA Forty-Year Analysis of the Literature on Babesia Infection (1982–2022): A Systematic Bibliometric Approach
No full textBabesia infection is a tick-borne protozoan disease associated with significant veterinary, economic, and medical importance. This infection affects many hosts, ranging from wild to domestic animals and including man. All vertebrates serve as potential carriers due to the huge diversity of the species. Babesiosis has been associated with severe economic loss in livestock production, especially in cattle farming, and is also a major public health concern in man, which could be fatal. The infection is usually opportunistic, ranging from asymptomatic to symptomatic, usually in immunocompromised subjects or under conditions of stressful management. This study was designed to uncover trends in relation to publication growth and further explore research output regarding babesiosis from data indexed in the WoS. The WoS is the only platform used to map publications on Babesia infection. The search term “babesiosis” or “Babesia infection” was used to extract articles published across the study period from 1982 to 2022. The inclusion criteria were restricted to only articles for the analysis. The results from the search query showed that a total of 3763 articles were published during the study period with an average of 91.70 ± 43.87 articles annually and an average total citation (n = 1874.8). An annual growth rate of 2.5% was recorded during the study period. The year 2021 had the highest number of published articles (n = 193, 5.1%) and citations (n = 7039). The analysis of the most relevant keywords and titles showed that infection (n = 606, 16.1%), babesiosis (n = 444, 11.7%), and Babesia (n = 1302, 16%) were the most relevant keyword plus (ID), author keyword (DE), and title, respectively. The common conceptual framework analysis through K-means clustering showed two clusters comprising 4 and 41 elements, respectively. The United States of America is the top-performing country in terms of article production (n = 707, 20.8%) and the leading funder for babesiosis research, with two of its agencies ranked at the top. These are the Department of Health and Human Services (n = 254, 6.7%) and the National Institute of Health (n= 238,6.3%). Igarashi I. is the top-performing author (n = 231, 6.1%), while Veterinary Parasitology is ranked the top journal (n = 393, 10.4%) in terms of babesiosis publications. Overall, an increase in publications was observed in the study period, with significant output from developed nations
The Value of Cooperation: Studies on the Performance Outcomes of Interorganizational Alliances.
Get PDFStrategic alliances have gradually emerged over the last decades as a primary vehicle for corporate growth. Firms increasingly use strategic alliances to enter new markets, develop new products and obtain access to relevant knowledge and technological capabilities. Hoewever, while alliances can promote growth and create value they can also destroy it. The prevalence of alliances coupled with the considerable variation in their success rates has led to an increased effort by both scholars and practitioners to find out whether firms benefit from emerging alliances and what makes for a succesful alliance. Yet, despite the large number of studies conducted to date, past empirical research provides no consensus on (a) whether on average, firms benefit from entering alliances, (b) why some alliances create more firm value than others, and (c) the determinants of the performance of alliances themselves. Research presented in this dissertation uses meta-analysis to address these questions and obtain firm empirical generalizations on the performance outcomes of strategic alliances.
