Browsing by Author "Okonkwo, Chukwudi Onyeka"

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    Analgesic Appraisal of Bidens pilosa (Asteraceae) Leaf Extracts Used in Management of Oral Lesion Pain in HIV/AIDS Patients in Rodents
    (Scientific Research Publishing Inc., 2018-06-29) Joseph Obiezu, Chukwujekwu Ezeonwumelu; Muhammad, Ntale; Steve, Okwudili Ogbonnia; Ezera, Agwu; Julius, Kihdze Tanayen; Ahmed, Adebowale Adedeji; Okonkwo, Chukwudi Onyeka; Ambrose, Amamchukwu Akunne; Jennifer, Chibuogwu Ebosie; Frederick, Byarugaba
    Oral lesions, diarrhoea, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, tuberculosis and urinary tract infections are some of the opportunistic infections (OIs) which arise when the CD4 cells of the HIV/AIDS patient fall below 200 cells/mm3. HIV/AIDS infection complications include tissue damage from oral lesions accompanied with pains. Pain is a disagreeable sensory and sensitive experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage. This condition requires immediate treatment with analgesics and antibiotics. However, the inability of rural dwellers to afford readily available drugs is a consequence for using herbs like Bidens pilosa whose local usefulness in the management of oral lesions of HIV/AIDS has not been proven scientifically. Therefore, the objective of this study was to provide the scientific basis in rats for the traditional healers’ use of Bidens pilosa leaves’ extracts in managing pain associated with oral lesions of HIV/AIDS patients in South Western Uganda. Assessment of the analgesic effects of Bidens pilosa was conducted using acetic acid in mice, formalin-induced pain and tail flick methods in rats. Both aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the leaves of Bidens pilosa produced statistically significant dose dependent inhibition of acetic acid induced pain, non dose dependent pain reduction in formalin induced pain, (p < 0.05; student t-test) and non dose dependent tail withdrawal pattern (p < 0.05, Multivariate ANOVA test). Hence, we conclude that extracts of Bidens pilosa have an analgesic basis for their local use in treatment of oral lesions associated pain in HIV/AIDS patients in South-Western Uganda.
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    In vitro Antibacterial Efficacy of Bidens pilosa, Ageratum conyzoides and Ocimum suave Extracts against HIV/AIDS Patients’ Oral Bacteria in South-Western Uganda
    (Scientific Research Publishing Inc., 2017-09-29) Joseph Obiezu, Chukwujekwu Ezeonwumelu; Muhammad, Ntale; Steve, Okwudili Ogbonnia; Ezera, Agwu; Julius, Kihdze Tanayen; Keneth Iceland, Kasozi; Okonkwo, Chukwudi Onyeka; Anthonia, Shodunke; Ambrose, Amamchukwu Akunne; Onokiojare, Ephraim Dafiewhare; Jennifer, Chibuogwu Ebosie; Frederick, Byarugaba
    The objective of the study was to determine the antibacterial efficacy of Bidens pilosa Aqueous (BPA), Bidens pilosa Ethanolic (BPE), Ageratum conyzoides Aqueous (ACA), Ageratum conyzoides Ethanolic (ACE), Ocimum suave Aqueous (OSA) and Ocimum suave Ethanolic (OSE) extracts on HIV/AIDS patients’ oral bacteria. Healthy green leaves of the plants were collected in Ishaka Uganda, processed and portions separately extracted with hot distilled water and cold ethanol. The susceptibility, MIC and MBC of each extract were determined using standard protocols. The bacteria had significant (p < 0.05) respective total susceptibilities of 35 [28.7%] to BPA; 42 [34.4%] to BPE; 61 [50.0%] to ACA; 45 [36.9%] to ACE; 38 [31.1%] to OSA; 32 [26.3%] to OSE; 105 (86.0%)] to ceftriaxone. BPE, ACA, OSA, OSE and ceftriaxone had significant MIC with [F(1, 13); P = 0.00 and BPA with F(1, 13); P = 0.03]. BPE, ACA, ACE, OSA and ceftriaxone had significant MBC with [F(1, 13); P = 0.00 and BPA with F(1, 13); P = 0.01] on the test bacteria (MANOVA). These tested medicinal plants’ extracts and ceftriaxone had significant activity against oral bacteria with ACA having the best activity when compared with the control. However, the plants’ extracts were resisted by some of the bacteria. These findings validate the claims of efficacy of Bidens pilosa , Ageratum conyzoides and Ocimum suave on oral lesions of HIV/AIDS patients made by traditional healers and local people in South-Western Uganda. We recommend a detailed study of structural identities and activities of the active antibacterial principle(s) in these plants for possible new drug entities and verification of the interactive effects of the principle(s) with ARVs and cotrimoxazole used daily by HIV/AIDS patients.