Browsing by Author "Anywar, Godwin"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Antifungal Medicinal Plants Used by Communities Adjacent to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, South-Western Uganda
    (European Journal of Medicinal Plants, 2015) Esezah, Kakudidi; Anywar, Godwin; Ayorekire, Fredrick; Ogwal-Okeng, Jasper
    Communities adjacent to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP) in South-western Uganda largely depend on traditional herbal treatment for basic health care. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of medicinal plants in the treatment of fungal infections by these communities. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and through direct observation. A total of 415 respondents were interviewed including 71 traditional healers, herbal medicine traders and health workers. Twenty six medicinal plants belonging to 16 families were documented. Fabaceae with four species, Asteraceae Lamiaceae and Solanaceae each with three species. Eight different fungal infections were identified. The commonest fungal infection was Tinea corporis (44.3%), while the least common fungal infection was Tinea unguium (1.2%). Eighty-six percent of the respondents reported that they had ever suffered from at least one fungal infection. Out of these, 72% had exclusively used herbal medicine for treatment, while 28% had used both herbal and western medicine for treatment. Pentas longiflora, Tetradenia riparia, Erucastrum arabicum, Erigeron floribundus and Coleus latifolius were ranked as highly effective plants by the traditional healers. Leaves (78.6%) were the most commonly used parts. Female herbalists were more involved in conservation by cultivating the medicinal plant species than men. The use of several plant species provides alternatives when others are not available. Fungal infections are common and most of the respondents exclusively use herbal medicine to treat fungal infections
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Phytochemical Analysis and Screening of Ugandan Medicinal Plants for Antifungal Activity against Candida albicans
    (International Journal of Tropical Disease & Health, 2015) Kakudidi, Esazah.; Ayorekire, Fredric; Ogwal-Okeng, Jasper; Anywar, Godwin
    Aims: The potential activity against Candida albicans of five commonly used medicinal plant species of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in southwestern Uganda was investigated. Study Design: The phytochemical profiles of Tetradenia riparia, Erucastrum arabicum, Plectranthus lactiflorus, Solanecio mannii and Platostoma africanum were analysed. Place and Duration of Study: The experiments were carried out in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University and Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biosecurity, Makerere University, between September 2012 and January 2013. Methodology: The Agar well diffusion method was used to measure the antifungal activity against Candida albicans (ATCC 10231). The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) was determined by the serial dilution method and the phytochemical analyses were made by standard of the plant extracts phytochemical tests. Results: Antifungal activity of both ethanol and diethylether extracts of Tetradenia riparia surpassed the Nystatine standard (31 and 28 > 25, respectively) as well as those of other four plant species. The MIC values for the ethanol and ether crude extracts were 0.0312 and 0.0156 g/ml respectively. The plant species tested proved to be positive for different phytochemicals including tannins, coumarins and steroidal glycosides. Conclusion: Generally, all plant species proved to be active against Candida albicans. Tetradenia riparia exhibited the highest antifungal activity and it is considered to be a potential source of antifungal drugs.