Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a threat to the prevention and treatment of the increasing range of infectious diseases. There is therefore the need for renewed efforts into antimicrobial discovery and development to combat the menace. The antimicrobial activity of plumbagin isolated from roots of Plumbago zeylanica against selected organisms was evaluated for resistance modulation antimicrobial assay, time-kill kinetics assay, and inhibition of biofilm formation. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of plumbagin and standard drugs were determined via the broth microdilution method to be 0.5 to 8 μg/mL and 0.25–128 μg/mL, respectively. In the resistance modulation study, MICs of the standard drugs were redetermined in the presence of subinhibitory concentration of plumbagin (4 μg/mL), and plumbagin was found to either potentiate or reduce the activities of these standard drugs with the highest potentiation recorded up to 12-folds for ketoconazole against Candida albicans. Plumbagin was found to be bacteriostatic and fungistatic from the time-kill kinetics study. Plumbagin demonstrated strong inhibition of biofilm formation activity at concentrations of 128, 64, and 32 μg/mL against the test microorganisms compared with ciprofloxacin. Plumbagin has been proved through this study to be a suitable lead compound in antimicrobial resistance drug development.

Purpose: The total crude alkaloidal extract of Picralima nitida seeds (PNE) is known to possess anti‐inflammatory activity among other therapeutic benefits although its benefits in colitis has not been investigated. The current study therefore seeks to investigate the anti‐colitis potential of PNE using acetic acid‐induced colitis model in rats.Methods: Sprague Dawley rats were treated with oral 500 mg/kg sulphasalazine or 30, 100, and 300 mg/kg of PNE daily for 8 days with induction of colitis on the fourth day with acetic acid. Rats were killed 24 h after the last treatment and whole blood was obtained from the jugular vein for hematological analysis and biochemical assays. Colons were extirpated for assessment of macroscopic and histological damage to the colon.Results: Treatment with PNE protected against colonic injury induced with acetic acid by decreasing mucosal ulceration, epithelial erosion, inflammatory cell infiltration, and colonic edema. Thus, PNE preserved mucosal architecture and suppressed goblet cells depletion. Moreover, treatment with PNE was associated with improved hematological parameters and reductions in the expression of serum tumor necrosis factor‐alpha, interleukin‐1β, and p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase. Also, PNE treatment exerted antioxidant effects by reducing nitric oxide production and increasing glutathione levels. In addition, PNE inhibited colonic lipid peroxidation by decreasing myeloperoxidase activity and malondialdehyde production.Conclusion: It can be concluded that PNE attenuates intestinal oxidative and inflammatory damages following intrarectal acetic acid challenge. Thus, demonstrates potential for use in chronic intestinal inflammatory diseases such as ulcerative colitis.

Context: Fruits of Xylopia aethiopica (Dunal) A. Rich. (Annonaceae) are used traditionally to manage arthritis, headache and other pain disorders. Objective: The analgesic properties of the X. aethiopica ethanol fruit extract (XAE) and xylopic acid (XA) were evaluated in musculoskeletal pain models. Materials and methods: Acute muscle pain was induced in gastrocnemius muscle of Sprague–Dawley rats with 3% carrageenan (i.m.). Rats received XAE (30–300 mg/kg), XA (10–100 mg/kg) or morphine (1–10 mg/kg) after 12 h. Effects of XAE and XA on muscle pain were assessed by measuring post-treatment grip strength of the rats. Chronic muscle pain was similarly induced, but drug treatment was on the eighth day and effects of XAE and XA assessed with Randall–Selitto test for hyperlagesia. Acute-skeletal pain was induced in knee joints of rats with 3% carrageenan-kaolin mixture and effects determined 12-h later. Similar induction protocol was used for chronic knee pain with treatment and measurement as done for chronic muscle pain. Results: XAE and XA significantly and dose-dependently ameliorated both acute muscle (ED₅₀ mg/kg: XAE = 22.9; XA = 6.2) and skeletal hyperalgesia (XAE = 39.9; XA = 17.7) induced by 3% carrageenan. Similarly, chronic skeletal hyperalgesia was reduced by XAE and XA treatment similar to morphine (ED₅₀: XAE = 13.0; XA = 4.6). This reduction was also seen in chronic muscle hyperalgesia (ED₅₀: XAE = 79.1; XA = 42.7). XAE and XA significantly reduced the spread of hyperalgesia to contralateral limbs in both models of chronic hyperalgesia. Conclusion: These findings establish analgesic properties of the ethanol fruit extract of X. aethiopica and xylopic acid in musculoskeletal pain.

The most common diseases that affect low-income countries are helminthosis and trypanosomosis. In Ghana, and in many other African countries, herbal treatment of various diseases is still common. In the present study, we sought to determine the antitrypanosomal and anthelminthic activities of Carica papaya and Ceiba pentandra. The ethanol extracts of Carica papaya stem bark (PPSe) and leaves (PPLe) and ethanol extracts of Ceiba pentandra stem bark (CPSe) and leaves (CPLe) were screened against Trypanosoma brucei brucei and Pheretima posthuma worms in vitro. CPSe exhibited strong antitrypanosomal activity, while the other extracts exhibited moderate activity against T. b. brucei. All the extracts showed weak selective indices (SI) when tested on Jurkat cell lines, which is indicative of a potential toxic effect. When the extracts were screened against P. posthuma worms, only PPSe and CPSe were able to kill the worms after the exposure time at concentrations of 2.5, 5, and 10mg/mL. PPSe was again the only extract that potentiated the anthelminthic activity of albendazole against P. posthuma worms. Preliminary phytochemical screening and GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of compounds with antitrypanosomal and anthelminthic properties. The results confirmed the potential of C. papaya and C. pentandra as remedies for trypanosomosis and helminthosis and also gives credence to their folkloric use.