ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate antimicrobial, synergistic and cytotoxicity activities of Conyza bonariensis, Tribulus terrestris and Rubia cordifolia growing in Tanzania. Two fungal strains, four Gram-negative bacteria and one Gram-positive bacterium all being human pathogens were tested using 96 well microdilution method. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) was used to determine antimicrobial and synergistic activity of the extracts whereas LC50 values on brine shri...
ABSTRACT The shift of growing seasons onset due to rainfall and seasonal variability are among the climate change impacts affecting agricultural productivity in semi-arid. Seasonal variations in planting dates in semi-arid Tanzania because of climate variability and change make difficulties among farmers in determining the appropriate planting dates. Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices are reinforced to mitigate such climate change impacts and sustain crop production, though there is l...
ABSTRACT The present study was conducted to determine population size, infestation level and farmer’s understanding of banana weevils in different banana-based farming systems (BFS) namely banana monoculture, banana-beans, banana-coffee and banana-maize. This was conducted by using banana pseudostem traps, coefficient of infestation method and standard interviewing. It was conducted from June to September 2017 in Nkoaranga, Mbuguni and Ngurdoto villages (Meru District) and Uduru, Uraa and ...
ABSTRACT The research assessed the potentiality of four insecticidal plants (Dysphania ambrosoides, Hyptis Suavelons, Ocimum suave and Sphaeranthus suaveolens) with field margin in attracting natural enemies, controlling insect pests and their contribution on yields in common bean production. The study findings indicated that field margins with Ocimum suave significantly (P ≤ 0.001) attracted more natural enemies than the other three insecticidal plants. Also, there was a significance (P�...
ABSTRACT Despite past decades of steady advances in reducing severity of Malaria, statistics show that the disease continues to pose a serious threat to human health. Previous successes in development of antimalarial drugs from medicinal plants have fuelled research in this area. However, antimalarial studies to fractionate extracts from such plants have progressed slowly. This study reports antimalarial potential of fractions from Lippia kituiensis Vatke, for the first time. Column chromato...
ABSTRACT The medicinal plants Annona senegalensis Pers. and Allophylus africanus P Beav. are traditionally used for the treatment of cancer in Tanzania. However, there is no scientific documentation on their therapeutic effectiveness. To evaluate the anticancer potential of A. senegalensis and A. africanus plant species from Tanzania, stem bark of the two plants were collected from Ugweno village at Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Pulverized plant materials were soaked in dichloromethane/methanol (DC...
ABSTRACT Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have been the leading causes of hospital admissions in Tanzania. Hypertension (HTN) and coronary artery diseases (CHD) are two most common CVDs frequently diagnosed causes of deaths in Tanzanian hospitals. This hospital basedcross-sectional study conducted to assess lifestyle risk factors and levels of biomarkers for CVDs in patients with HTN and CHD attending cardiac clinic at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre-referral hospital. Structured question...
ABSTRACT Micronutrients are comprised of vitamin and mineral nutrients needed during pregnancy for fetus growth, development, maturation and reducing/preventing maternal complications. In the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) micronutrient rich foods (vegetables and fruits) are lacking due to restrictions on cultivation and unavailability of vegetables and fruits in the local markets. Therefore, the current study introduced a food basket intervention and assessed its effectiveness in addres...
ABSTRACT The present study was carried out to investigate acaricidal potencies of Commiphora swynnertonii (Burtt) stem bark exudate against ticks Rhepicephalus appendiculatus and evaluate its toxicity using mice and rats. Commiphora swynnertonii exudate was prepared in soap solution and evaluated against the R. appendiculatus using adult immersion test method (AIT). The percent mortality, Index of laying eggs and percentage hatching were determined at concentrations of 100, 90, 80, 70, 60, 5...
ABSTRACT Schistosomiasis is one of the chronic threatening but neglected parasitic disease caused by trematode worms under genus schistosoma. Praziquantel is the only drug recommended by WHO for the treatment of all forms of human schistosomiasis. Praziquantel is currently facing challenges, among which selective efficacy and resistance, making it of high imperative searching for new anti-schistosomal drugs. This study aimed to evaluate schistosomacidal activity of Lannea schimperi and Sears...