Journal of Pharmaceutical and Allied Sciences

Statistical analysis of the effects of malaria and typhoid fever infections on high blood pressure patients in Anyigba Dekina Lga of Kogi State

2025-03-04T11:10:25+00:00

This study presents the impact of malaria and typhoid fever on blood pressure in Anyigba Dekina LGA, Kogi State. It applied both simple and multiple linear regression analyses, while the research investigated how these infectious diseases affect systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). The results indicate that malaria has a statistically significant negative effect on DBP but does not significantly affect SBP. Conversely, typhoid fever shows no significant impact on either SBP or DBP. When considering the combined effects of malaria and typhoid fever, the study finds no significant impact on SBP, while the effect on DBP is borderline significant, primarily attributed to malaria's influence. The findings highlight the need for targeted health interventions, including enhanced healthcare facilities, improved environmental hygiene, access to clean water, and regular health check-ups. Implementing these measures is essential for mitigating the adverse effects of malaria and typhoid fever on blood pressure and for improving overall public health in the region.

Recent advances in antibiotic resistance in clinical practice: A review

2025-03-04T11:44:09+00:00

Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria change so that antibiotics medicines cannot kill them or stop their growth. The global rise in antibiotic resistance poses a significant threat, diminishing the efficacy of common antibiotics against widespread bacterial infections. As a result, bacterial infections become extremely difficult to treat. In many clinical settings, health challenges have been encountered as common infections proved difficult to cure. The causes of resistance have been traced to many factors such as: abuse of antibiotics, fake and adulterated medicines, poor prescription pattern, poor diagnosis, indiscriminate agricultural and poultry use of antibiotics and poor adherence to antibiotic medication. In this review, we dwelt more on the type of antibiotics, causes of antibiotic resistance and possible solutions. Findings show that poor antibiotics usage and sometimes mutation in the genetic makeup of a bacterium, top the list of causes of antibiotic resistance. This calls for proactive measures in the areas of curbing the spate of adulterated drugs in circulation, development of new alternative drugs by taking into consideration the mechanism of action of the drugs, applicability to disease conditions and proper regulation on the uses of antibiotics in agricultural settings.

Prevalence of wound-associated biofilm-forming bacteria and antibiotic resistance in patients admitted at Muhimbili National Hospital, Tanzania

2025-03-04T12:05:13+00:00

Antibiotics are used to treat infectious diseases, particularly those caused by pathogenic bacteria. However, sometimes these antibiotics fail to completely eradicate the pathogenic bacteria. Wounds are prone to bacterial infections as a result of breached protective barriers, allowing easy access into the human body. Such disruption of the normal anatomical tissues due to accidents or medical procedures may lead to infections. The presence of bacteria on infected wounds may cause the formation of biofilm, which is usually more difficult to treat with conventional antibiotics. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of antibiotic resistance in wound-associated pathogenic bacteria and their biofilm-forming capacity after isolation from wounds in patients admitted at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), Tanzania. It was a cross-sectional laboratory-based study, conducted between January 2022 and August 2022, involving the collection of wound swabs from 65 patients. Each swab was cleaned off using sterile normal saline and plated onto both selective and non-selective agar plates. Congo red agar (CRA) biofilm detection method was employed for identification of biofilm forming capacity of each resultant colony. Antibiotic sensitivity testing (AST) was performed on both the biofilm-forming and non-biofilm forming bacteria against widely used antibiotics. The multiple antibiotic resistance index (MARI) was calculated. A total of 71 isolates belonging to eleven different species of pathogenic bacteria were discovered. Ninety percent (n = 64) of the wounds had bacterial infections. The predominantly isolated bacteria were Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. The majority (69%) of the isolates were biofilm formers, while over 59% of the isolated pathogens were resistant to tested antibiotics. Over 70% of the bacterial isolates exhibited MARI greater than 0.2, an indication of multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR). Conclusively, the prevalence of wound infections was high. Biofilm formers were predominantly isolated and were more resistant to the tested antibiotics. The majority of the isolated bacteria had MARI greater than 0.3, suggestive of MAR.

Bryophyllum pinnatum leaf: A potent herb with numerous health benefits

2025-03-04T12:16:17+00:00

Bryophyllum pinnatum (Lam.) (Crussulaceae) is a succulent glabrous herb that is native to Madagascar and Southern Africa and grows mainly in the tropics. B. pinnatum leaf is commonly called air plant, life plant, love plant or miracle leaf. The presence of bufadienolides, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, polyphenols, triterpenoids and other chemical constituents in the plant are responsible for its various therapeutic activities such as antihypertensive, antiinflammatory, antibacterial and antidiabetic effects. There are still no sufficient reports on some pharmacological and therapeutic potentials of the plants especially the anticancer properties. This review is aimed at providing information on the pharmacological potentials of B. pinnatum leaf.

Insecticidal activity of Croton hirtus l’her extracts on Callosobruchus maculatus as a preservative measure for stored cowpeas

2025-03-04T12:22:57+00:00

Croton hirtus L’Her (Euphorbiaceae), known as hairy croton, is popular in traditional medicine for the treatment of fever, inflammation, diabetes and cancer amongst others. Insecticidal activities of hexane and acetone extracts of C. hirtus aerial parts at 0.1 - 0.8 g per 50 cowpea seeds, and standard insecticide, permethrin at 1.5 and 3.0 mg, as seed dressings, were assessed using standard methods. Oviposition at 15 days after treatment (DAT) and adult insect emergence (F1 generation of Callosobruchus maculatus) at 50 DAT were determined. In addition, parameters of seed damage were assessed. The result indicated differences in insecticidal effects between the different concentrations of the extracts used. Acetone extract (ACT) was more effective than hexane extract (HXN) in inhibiting both oviposition and adult emergence at all tested concentrations. ACT gave higher oviposition deterrency (80.33vs12.91%) and inhibition of emergence (88.79%vs60%) than HXN at the peak concentration. ACT was comparable to 3 mg permethrin in adult inhibition (81.59%) but more effective in oviposition deterrency (58.42%). It also exhibited greater reductions in all parameters of seed damage, and higher percentage protectant ability (56.14%) than HXN. Based on these indices, C. hirtus ACT was comparable to the standard insecticide, permethrin, and has demonstrated potential as an effective bioinsecticide against cowpea weevils in the preservation of cowpea seeds.

In silico evaluation of potential antimalarial phytoconstituents from two medicinal plants used in Nigeria ethnomedicine

2025-03-04T12:29:05+00:00

Malaria has been a major public health burden, with over 249 million cases in 2022 accounting for millions of deaths annually in sub- Saharan Africa, especially among under five years children and pregnant women. It is however preventable and curable, but the development of resistance to current medications leading to loss of effectiveness has been a major concern to clinicians in managing malaria. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop new antimalarial candidates. This study uses an in-silico approach to explore the inhibitory potential of bioactive compounds in Piper guineense and Chrysobalanus icaco, used traditionally in treating malaria and related diseases, against plasmepsin II (PDB ID:1LF3), a drug target protein of Plasmodium falciparum. Structures of phytoconstituents in these plants characterised with GC-MS were obtained from the PubChem database in their 3D format. The target protein was obtained from the Protein Data Bank (PDB) and prepared using Biovia Discovery Studio 2020. Molecular docking was done using PyRx software, and post-docking analysis was visualised using Biovia Discovery Studio 2020. ADMET profiling and toxicity testing were done with SwissADME and ProTox-3.0 web servers. The docking study results revealed that 7 ligands from P. guineense have binding affinity scores ranging from -7.0 to -7.5 kcal/mol compared to DHA (-7.4 kcal/mole). Steviol has the highest binding free energies of -7.5 kcal/mol in the plant. Moreover, 13 ligands from C. icaco exhibited binding affinities between -7.5 and -9.1 kcal/mol, which were above that of the positive control agent, DHA (-7.4 kcal/mol). Spiro[androst-5-ene-17,1'-cyclobutan]-2'-one,3-hydroxy-, (3beta,17beta)- showed the highest binding free energy of -9.1 kcal/mol in C. icaco. Other compounds from Piper guineense: Epiglobulol, (-)-alphaCopaene, Agarospirol, 4,6,6-Trimethyl-2-(3-methylbuta-1,3-dienyl)-3-oxatricyclo [5.1.0.0(2,4)] octane, and Bulnesol had similar amino acids interaction as the positive control, Dihydroartemisinin (DHA). None of the 38 ligands investigated failed the Lipinski rule of 5 and possesses favourable ADMET parameters. Some of the compounds presented promising in silico bioactivities for antimalarial drug development. Further analytical study can, therefore, be done to isolate candidate molecules to develop new antimalarial leads.

Phytochemical studies and growth inhibitory potentials of methanol seed extracts of Cnestis ferruginea Vahl ex DC (Connaraceae )

2025-03-04T12:36:40+00:00

Plants contain a variety of bioactive compounds known to have chemotherapeutic values. Against this background, this study is aimed to evaluate the phytochemical and physicochemical constituents and anti-proliferative properties of the seed extracts of Cnestis ferruginea. Extraction of the sample was carried out with 70% methanol, using the soxhlet technique. The phytochemical screening was carried out according to standard methods. The anti-proliferative properties were determined using seeds of S. bicolor (guinea corn). The results revealed the presence of several metabolites including flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, and cardiac glycosides. Physicochemical analysis of the seed extracts showed the moisture content to be 90 ± 0.00 unit?), total ash content (10.3 ± 0.20 unit?), water-soluble ash (10.3 ± 0.44 unit?), acid insoluble ash (11.1 ± 0.15 unit?), extractive value of ethanol soluble extractive (16.5 ± 0.28 unit?) and water soluble extractive (27.83 ± 0.44 unit?). For the growth inhibitory properties, an average growth length of 4.5±0.5 mm was produced by the radicle of the control seeds in 24 hours and increased to 18.4±1.1 mm in 48 hours, 37.6±3.3 mm in 72 hours; 52.6±3.2 mm in 96 hours. The growth produced by the seed extracts was 4.6±0.6 mm for 1 mg/mL in 24 hours and at 20 mg/mL, the inhibition was maximum, with little or no growth. Hence, the plant extract showed evidence of antiproliferative activity. : The present study provides evidence that the methanolic extract of Cnestis ferruginea contains medicinally important bioactive compounds as well as antiproliferative activity and this justifies the use of plant species in folkloric medicine as a medicine for treatment of cancer.

Antimicrobial properties of metronidazole nanoemulsion

2025-03-04T12:45:44+00:00

Metronidazole nanoemulsion was prepared with different ratios of surfactant (Tween 80) to co- surfactant (propylene glycol) using High Pressure Homogenization. The nanoemulsion was characterized using SEM, and Particle Size Analysis. The density, viscosity, pH, and stability were also determined. The microbial activities of the metronidazole nanoemulsion were tested on two Gram positive and two Gram negative test microorganisms, and the inhibition zone diameters were measured. The results obtained revealed that the metronidazole nanoemulsion displayed good antibacterial activity against these test microorganisms. SEM analysis indicated the formation of well dispersed uniform spherical particles.

Preliminary pharmacognostic and diuretic evaluation of crude aqueous extract of Monodora myristica (Gaertn.) dunal (Annonaceae) seeds on albino rats

2025-03-04T12:53:09+00:00

Diuretics are part of therapeutic strategies to control fluid overload manifesting as ankle swelling, ascites, pulmonary edema as well as renal and cardiovascular disorders. This study aims to ascertain the diuretic potentials of crude aqueous extract of Monodora myristica seeds in normal male albino rats. A 700 g quantity of the powdered seeds sample of Monodora myristica was extracted by maceration using distilled water. Phytochemical and chemo-microscopic analyses were carried out using standard procedures. The male albino rats were divided into five groups of six animals each. The control group received distilled water (10 mL/kg), the reference group received furosemide (25 mg/kg) and the test groups were administered different doses of the crude aqueous extract doses (125 mg/kg, 250 mg/ kg, and 500 mg/kg) by oral route, respectively. The urine volume (mL) was obtained at the 5th hour and 24th hour. The electrolyte concentration (Na+, K+ and Cl-), urinalysis, urea and creatinine were measured to establish the extract’s diuretic activity. The obtained urine samples were analyzed for urinary excretion and diuretic action. The electrolyte indices were calculated to identify either the natriuretic, saliuretic or carbonic anhydrase inhibitor activity of the extract. The result of the preliminary phytochemical analysis showed the presence of saponins, tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, sterols and phenol, while cardiac glycosides and reducing sugar were absent in the crude aqueous extract of Monodora myristica seeds. The quantitative phytochemical analysis of crude aqueous extract shows the quantity of the phenol, flavonoid and alkaloid which were 9.07±0.35 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g, 332.70±14.62 mg quercetin equivalents (QE)/g, 12.35±0.55 mg atropine equivalents (AE)/g respectively. The chemo-microscopy evaluation revealed the presence of lignin, starch, mucilage, cellulose and calcium oxalate. Acute toxicity study showed that the extract is safe and no toxic effects were observed among the albino rats even at a higher dose of 5000 mg/kg. The study revealed an increase in the body weight of the animals administered furosemide at a dose of 25 mg/kg (190.17±6.86 g) when compared with those of the control groups treated with the only vehicle at a dose of 10 mL/kg (179.83±9.13 g). Diuretic effect was observed in the treated groups in a dose-dependent manner. The aqueous extract exhibited diuretic activity possibly due to its phytochemical contents, which could be used as a starting point for further studies. Conclusively, findings from our study show that crude aqueous extract of Monodora myristica seeds possess diuretic and natriuretic activities as compared to the standard drug (Furosemide). However, further research work needs to be carried out to justify this claim.

Effect of phytoestrogen-rich fraction of Ochna schweinfurthiana bark extract in attenuating retinoic acid - induced osteoporosis: Insights into estrogenic and antioxidative mechanisms

2025-03-04T13:07:34+00:00

Drug-induced osteoporosis poses a serious health and financial risk, yet many doctors are ignorant of how much routinely prescribed drugs contribute to bone loss and fractures. This study evaluated the effect of phytoestrogen-rich fraction (PERF) of O. schweinfurthiana bark extract on retinoic acid-induced osteoporosis. The methanol plant extract was fractionated into n-hexane, ethyl acetate, butanol and water fractions using liquid-liquid fractionation. The phytoestrogens in the fractions were quantified using genistein as standard. Drug- induced osteoporosis was achieved by daily administration of retinoic acid suspension for 14 days. To determine the ability of retinoic acid to induce osteoporosis and the dose - response effect of the PERF, factors such as body weight changes, relative uterine weight, bone turnover markers (Alkaline phosphatase, ALP, and Acid Phosphatase, ACP), bone mineral content and density, and lipid peroxidation assays were used. The phytoestrogen content of the water fraction was the highest, more than ten times higher than that of the other fractions. Treatment of the retinoic acid - induced osteoporosis with the phytoestrogen-rich fraction failed to restore the bodyweights of the animals to pre-induction value contrary to significant (P<0.05) improvement recorded for the reference standard (40 mg/kg Alendronate) treated group. Significant (P<0.05) increase in serum estradiol following treatment with PERF produced corresponding uterotrophic effect with a high median effective dose (ED50) of 1,180 mg/kg. Osteoprotective effect of PERF was evident from the significant (P<0.05) increases in both bone mineral content and density corresponding with reduction in bone turnover markers. PERF of O. schweinfurthiana showed osteoprotective effect against retinoic acid- induced osteoporosis, which may be attributed to combination of its estrogenic and antioxidative mechanisms.

Evaluating the reliability of drug interaction checkers in psychiatric prescription safety: A comparative analysis

2025-03-04T13:30:48+00:00

Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) pose significant risks in psychiatric care due to the complexity of polypharmacy and the sensitivity of psychotropic drugs. This study evaluates the reliability of six widely used DDI checker tools—Medscape, Epocrates, Lexi-Drug, DrugBank, Drugs.com, and WEBMD—in detecting potential DDIs in psychiatric prescriptions at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital (FPNH) Maiduguri. The analysis of 541 psychiatric prescriptions revealed a low kappa agreement (0.012) across tools, highlighting variability in detection rates and raising concerns regarding their consistency. Findings suggest that while each checker has unique strengths, reliance on a single tool may lead to clinically significant interactions being overlooked. Recommendations for clinical practice include the strategic use of multiple DDI checkers and improved protocols for DDI management in psychiatric care as well as regular training for healthcare providers in both clinical and technological skills to ensure accurate clinical decision-making.