Faculty of Science (FSC)

Permanent URI for this collection

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12493/50

Browse

Browsing Faculty of Science (FSC) by Subject "Antimicrobial"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Antimicrobial potency of extracts from selected medicinal plants towards Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa
    (Kabale University Interdisciplinary Research Journal (KURJ), 2023) Buyinza, Daniel; Gumula, Ivan; Akampuira, Denis; Ninsiima, Herbert
    Antibiotic resistance has become a very big threat to the existing first line antibiotics. Some of the infectious pathogens are becoming multidrug resistant including Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This has necessitated social, scientific and financial interventions from key players. The strain this puts on the fragile health care systems of developing nations is frustrating. Scientific interventions have involved campaigns for improved hygiene, use of combination therapies and revived search for new drugs with different modes of action. It is on this basis that this research was conducted as phase I into the search for antibiotic agents from nature. This was done by screening several plant extracts to identify bioactive extracts that can be developed into drugs or purified for better active single molecules in the second phase. Extracts were obtained by cold percolation of pulverized samples of different dried plant parts using different mono-solvents. Agar diffusion and froth floatation were used to measure the potency of the extracts. Many of the screened extracts had good to moderate activities. Five of the plant species; Zanthoxylum chalybeum and gilletii, Diospyros abyssinica, Prunus africana, Peptadeniastrum africana and Blighia unijugata showed very promising activities (1.9 to 9.4 mg/mL) against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The other species had moderate activity (10.6 to 47.5 mg/mL). The species (Albizzia coriaria, Maytenus senegalense and Kigellia africana) that inspired this research from literature only demonstrated moderate activity against all the tested organisms, probably due to antagonistic effect of the active compounds within the extracts. In conclusion, Z. chalybeum and gilletii, D. abyssinica, P. africana, Peptadeniastrum. africana and B. unijugata have a very strong potential for drug development and are recommended for use in the management of infections caused by the tested microbes and purification to isolate the individual active compounds for better formulation, standardization and drug acceptability.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Fruits and Vegetables Used in Treating Respiratory and Other Troubles in Africa: Ethnopharmacology and Phytochemistry
    (Springer Nature, 2025) Gumula, Ivan; Buyinza, Daniel; Onen, Patrick; Kyarimpa, Christine
    Respiratory troubles, which encompass conditions such as cough,asthma, tuberculosis, bronchitis, common cold, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pose significant health challenges globally. This chapter explores the diverse array of biologically active agents (BAA) found in vegetables and fruit plants used not only as sources of food but also for treatment of respiratory troubles in Africa. A total of 38 vegetables and fruit plants from 22 families were encountered. The plants are sources of antimicrobials that help the lungs to resist infection as well as boost the immunity of the host; expectorants which stimulate the coughing up of mucus; anti-inflammatory agents and demulcents which soothe irritated membranes, while others are spasmolytic which relax the bronchial muscles. The BAA include allicin from garlic, quercetin from onions, theobromine from cacao, and anethole from fennel. BAA, such as bromelain in pineapple, beta-carotene in carrots, vitamin C in lemon, and glucosinolates in radish, play pivotal roles in mucolytic activities and enhancement of immune function as well as repair of the bronchial membrane. Some of the vegetables/fruits are a source of mineral salts that are vital to the integrity and functioning of lungs. Thus, Cleome gynandra contains selenium, a key component that inhibits HIV-associated tuberculosis. The available research evidence underscores the importance of integrating the BAA into human daily diets as a prophylactic approach and therapeutic strategy against respiratory troubles