DSpace Collection: Thesis - Pharmaceutics

STUDIES ON EXTRACTS OF SOME MEDICINAL PLANTS TRADITIONALLY USED FOR DERMATOLOGICAL DISORDERS IN ETHIOPIA

Fri, 11 May 2012 17:21:37 GMT

Title: STUDIES ON EXTRACTS OF SOME MEDICINAL PLANTS TRADITIONALLY USED FOR DERMATOLOGICAL DISORDERS IN ETHIOPIA

Authors: Bruck, Messele

Abstract: The majority of the populations in the developing world rely on traditional medicine for their primary healthcare needs. Herbal therapy predominates in traditional medical practices as well as in complimentary/alternative medicine practiced in the developed world. Among the indications where traditional herbal medicines are used, skin and skin related disorders, which also happen to be common diseases in the communities, rank among the top. This study had the objective of evaluating the extracts of four medicinal plants traditionally used for skin diseases, namely Inula confertiflora, Clematis simensis, Zehneria scabra and Pycnostachys abyssinica, for some of their claimed activities by both in vitro and in vivo methods. The 80 % methanol extract of the dried, ground plant materials was prepared. The plant extracts were then tested for antimicrobial activity against common bacterial and fungal pathogens by the agar well diffusion method. Furthermore, the 80% methanol extract of I. confertiflora was subjected to minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination, in vivo studies such as anti- inflammatory and skin sensitization tests as well as in vitro tests such as preliminary screening for the presence of some plant constituents, TLC analysis, and evaluation of topical antimicrobial formulations of the plant extracts. The results of the study indicated all of the plant extracts to exhibit antimicrobial activities against one of the most common bacterial pathogens, namely Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC). ix Although these activities were not impressive especially as compared to the positive control used, they lend some credibility to the traditional uses of the plants. Good antifungal activity was demonstrated by one of the plant extracts (I. confertiflora) against Trichophyton mentagrophytes, which was further corroborated by the agar dilution method. I. confertiflora (80% methanol) extract proved to exert a good anti-inflammatory activity at a dose of 1000 mg/kg but not at a lower dose (500 mg/ml) in the carrageenan-induced paw edema test. These activities support the traditional use of this plant. Furthermore, the 80% methanol extract of I. confertiflora, was not found to be a skin sensitizer in the mouse ear swelling test as opposed to its petroleum ether counterpart, which demonstrated a strong sensitizing property. Some secondary metabolites such as sesquiterpene lactones and flavonoids were detected, which may be responsible for some of the demonstrated pharmacological activities of this plant. Evaluation of topical formulations of the 80% methanol extract of I. confertiflora demonstrated that the hydrophilic formulations exhibited higher antimicrobial activities compared to the lipophilic formulations. The activity of the hydrophilic formulations against T. mentagrophytes was comparable to the commercially available antifungal products tested. These bases could thus be used as a starting point for further formulation studies.

A PROSPECTIVE STUDY ON SELF-MEDICATION PRACTICES AND CONSUMERS DRUG KNOWLEDGE IN ADDIS ABABA

Fri, 11 May 2012 16:52:58 GMT

Title: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY ON SELF-MEDICATION PRACTICES AND CONSUMERS DRUG KNOWLEDGE IN ADDIS ABABA

Authors: Tenaw, Andualem Tadege

Abstract: Background: Health and disease exist in a continuum. Self-care is as old as illness if not as humans. Self-care is a lay behavioural response of individuals to promote or restore their health. One form of self-care is self-medication. Drugs are central to self-medication. Although there are arguments for and against self-medication, its contribution to promote health, and prevent and treat diseases is beyond doubt. Self-medication is the selection and use of medicines by individuals to treat self-recognized illnesses or symptoms of illnesses. Socio-demographic and socio-economic variables affect self-medication. In this study, an attempt has been made to assess self-medication practices with modern drugs and consumers drug knowledge in Addis Ababa. Methods: A multi-stage stratified sampling of drug retail outlets and drug consumers (actual drug users and messengers) was designed and used. Structured questionnaires to assess prospective self-medication practices and consumers drug knowledge were employed. The data was analyzed using Epi Info Software. Results and Discussion: The respondents represented all socio-demographic characteristics such as age and gender (the proportion of males was twice that of females); education levels and occupation; religion (the majority being Orthodox Christians) as well as pregnant and breast-feeding women. The most frequently reported illnesses that prompted drug consumers for self-medication were found to be gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, headache/fever and respiratory tract infections (RTIs). More than 30% of illnesses/symptoms of illnesses were of less than 24 hours duration and more than 40% between one and seven days. The most common reasons for self-diagnosis and self-medication were non-seriousness of the diseases and prior experience about the drugs. More than 50% of the drug consumers requested drugs x by specifically mentioning the names of the drugs and one-fifth of them by telling their illnesses/symptoms of illnesses. The most frequently requested category of drugs were analgesics/antipyretics (more than 30%), antimicrobials (more than 25%) and gastrointestinal drugs (more than 17%). Assessment of drug knowledge revealed that drug consumers know not only the names of OTC drugs but also other potent drugs, indicating widespread use of the latter. For example, among the top fifteen frequently recalled drugs five were antimicrobials. Drug consumers had also some dosage form preferences, the highest being injections and tablets for messengers and for actual drug users, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that there is association between illness/symptoms of illness with the duration of illness and source of advice/information for self-medication (p value less than 0.05). Strong association (p value = 0.0000) was observed between the source of advice/information and the frequently requested category of drugs, some socio-demographic variables with sources of advice/information, knowledge of drugs, and the frequently requested category of drugs. Conclusion: Self-medication is widely practiced by all categories of respondents for a wide range of illnesses/symptoms of illnesses. More than 100 different types of drugs were used for self-medication. Although there is some apparent consumers drug knowledge, it is suggested that the public has to be educated on the type of illnesses to be self-diagnosed and the type of drugs to be self-medicated. It is only then that responsible self-medication prevails to promote health and prevent/ treat illnesses.

SYNTHESIS AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF TRIPHENYLTINBENZOATE ANILINE COMPLEX

Fri, 04 May 2012 10:44:19 GMT

Title: SYNTHESIS AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF TRIPHENYLTINBENZOATE ANILINE COMPLEX

Authors: Berhan, Zewdie

Abstract: Triphenyltinbenzoate and triphenyltinbenzoate aniline complex had been synthesized and characterized on the basis of infrared, mass and nuclear magnetic resonance (1H and 13 C) spectral studies. The synthesized compounds had sharp melting point which indicated the purity of the compounds. The antimicrobial activities of the synthesized compounds were tested against six different pathogenic microorganisms; Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Aspergillus niger and Candida ablicans in vitro. The results indicated that the synthesized compounds exhibit a higher activity against Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pyogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida ablicans than the starting compound. The results also indicated that the compounds did not exhibit any activity against Aspergillus niger at concentration as high as 200 μgml-1.

ETHNOBOTANICAL AND ETHNOPHARMACEUTICAL STUDIES ON MEDICINAL PLANTS OF CHIFRA DISTRICT, AFAR REGION, NORTH EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:39:51 GMT

Title: ETHNOBOTANICAL AND ETHNOPHARMACEUTICAL STUDIES ON MEDICINAL PLANTS OF CHIFRA DISTRICT, AFAR REGION, NORTH EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Authors: Seifu, Tesfaye

Abstract: Medicinal plants have not been well studied, tested or documented in Afar region, North Eastern Ethiopia. Most of the information is still in the hands of the traditional healers. A study was carried out during Nov.2002 – May 2003 to explore ethnobotanical information on the use of medicinal plants by Afar people in 13 rural communities of Chifra District, Afar Region, North Eastern Ethiopia. Based on the information found from ethnic leaders, 29 traditional medicine practitioners were interviewed by using pre-tested semi structured questionnaire. A total of 70 plant species were reported for their medicinal use in the district. Of these, 33 were fully identified by their botanical name, 10 at generic level and 27 couldn’t be identified and were recorded only by their vernacular names. 15% of the identified species belong to the family Fabaceae. Among 144 ethnoformulations reported, the majority were liquid preparations followed by unprocessed herbs and powder. The most widely used solvent to prepare the formulations was water. Size reduction, extraction and filtration were the most commonly employed unit processes in the formulation. Intranasal route of administration was frequently used next to oral route. Polyherbal preparations were common in order to have synergistic or summation effect. Although there is difficulty of determining accurate dose, the practitioners have an idea of dose and frequency of herbal preparations. Side effects are reported only for Aloe sp in therapeutic dose. Most of the oral herbal drugs are contraindicated for pregnant women. The practitioners have no idea of drug interactions and shelf life of the reported plant species. The data were analyzed using the concept of healer consent in order to identify culturally important medicinal plants. The medicinal uses of the plants were grouped into 9 disorder categories to have the factor of informant’s consensus (Fic) for each group. Accordingly, snakebite had the highest value (0.53) indicating the dependence of the practitioners on certain plants for the indication. The most frequently x i recorded medicinal plants of the Afar people were Aloe sp. used for the treatment of “Urribaqla”, malaria, abdominal cramp, TB and pasterlosis; Acalypha sp. for snakebite, blackleg, anthrax, “Barelitta”and impotence. The medicinal plants were assessed using published phytochemical and pharmacological data. Of the fully identified 33 medicinal plant species, the claimed medicinal uses of the six were in good agreement with other similar studies and pharmacological activity tests reported elsewhere. The medicinal uses of most of the reported plant species have not been documented in other parts of the country. This study underlines the need for further exploration of ethnobotanical information in the region and the results will be used as a basis for subsequent studies on pharmacology, phytochemistry and toxicology of medicinal plant.

Description: A thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies of the Addis Ababa University in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Degree of Master of Science in Pharmaceutics