title: Antimicrobial and brine shrimp toxicity of some plants used in traditional medicine in Bukoba District, north-western Tanzania.
abstract: Herbal medicines constitute a potentially important resource for new and safe drugs for the management of microbial infections and other diseases. In this study, dichloromethane, ethylacetate and ethanol extracts of Canarium schweinfurthii Engl., Dissotis brazzae Cong., Iboza urticifolia (Bak) E.A.Bruce, Isoglosa lacteal Lindau, Strombosia Scheffleri Engl., and Whitfieldia elongate T. Anders were tested for antimicrobial activity and brine shrimp toxicity. The objective was to validate claims that they are used to treat bacterial infections, diarrhoea and heal wounds among the Haya tribe of north-western Tanzania. At least one extract of each plant showed antibacterial activity. Dichloromethane extracts were the most active while ethanol extracts were the least active. Extracts of Whitfieldia elongate and Isoglossa lacteal were the most and least active with MICs in the range 0.08-0.62 mg/ml and 15.6-62.5 mg/ml, respectively. The dichloromethane extract of Whitfieldia elongate exhibited strong antifungal activity against Cryptococcus neoformans. Against brine shrimp larvae, the extracts from the six plants exhibited a low to very low toxicity with LC50 values ranging from 15.35-374.0 microg/ml. However, ethanol extracts of Dissotis brazzae and Strombosia scheffleri had LC50 values of >1000 microg/ml. The seemingly innocuous nature and relatively good antibacterial activity against skin infections and gastrointestinal pathogenic bacteria support the traditional uses of the plants and deserve more detailed studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological and Preclinical Studies, Institute of Traditional Medicine, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, P.O. Box 65001, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. m_moshi@muchs.ac.tz
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Moshi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Innocent
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Masimba
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Otieno
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weisheit
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mbabazi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lynes
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Meachem
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Urassa
mesh_terms: D027901:Acanthaceae; D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D001156:Artemia; D029403:Burseraceae; D006801:Humans; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D016488:Medicine, African Traditional; D035322:Melastomataceae; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D031656:Olacaceae; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D013636:Tanzania
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts