Solanum aculeastrum, a member of the Solanum genus, has a rich history of traditional use in various populations throughout tropical and southern Africa for treating different ailments. This study investigated the ant...Solanum aculeastrum, a member of the Solanum genus, has a rich history of traditional use in various populations throughout tropical and southern Africa for treating different ailments. This study investigated the antimicrobial activities of S. aculeastrum fruit extracts grown in Zambia against Escherichia coli (E. coli) (ATCC 25922), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (ATCC 25923), and Candida albicans (C. albicans). After being dried in an oven at 50°C for eight days, the fruits of S. aculeastrum were pulverised and subjected to extraction using methanol and distilled water as solvents. The resulting crude extract was then filtered, concentrated using a water bath, and packed into airtight containers separately. The disc diffusion method was employed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the extracts. The results showed that both the methanolic and aqueous extracts demonstrated antimicrobial activity against S. aureus and C. albicans, but not against E. coli. The zone of inhibition was greater in S. aureus than in C. albicans. This study highlights the importance of researching plants for their medicinal properties, which can pave the way for discovering natural product-based drugs with potential antimicrobial properties. These findings recommend further studies on plants used in African traditional medicine.展开更多
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused many global challenges, especially in resource-constrained countries. Africa, a continent with a large number of low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), shares this ...The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused many global challenges, especially in resource-constrained countries. Africa, a continent with a large number of low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), shares this burden disproportionately compared to developed countries. Here we review some of the major challenges African countries face in the fight against COVID-19 and propose some mitigation measures. Studies have reported low adherence to COVID-19 prevention measures in most African countries. Additionally, there has been a shortage of healthcare workers, inadequate surveillance and diagnostic tools, unavailability of drugs in healthcare facilities, increased wrong beliefs, myths, misinformation and misconceptions about COVID-19 and vaccinations, and an already existing burden of infectious and non-infectious diseases across the African continent. Despite being very challenging to implement across African countries, telehealth is a critical solution to offer healthcare services during disease outbreaks. Many African countries have faced challenges in the fight against COVID-19. The training of healthcare workers (HCWs) must be strengthened to help address the shortage. In addition, African countries should strive to invest in research and capacity-building to be self-reliant regarding diagnostic tests. Thus, there is an urgent need to address the challenges faced by African countries in this fight, which may even include increased collaborations with other countries.展开更多
文摘Solanum aculeastrum, a member of the Solanum genus, has a rich history of traditional use in various populations throughout tropical and southern Africa for treating different ailments. This study investigated the antimicrobial activities of S. aculeastrum fruit extracts grown in Zambia against Escherichia coli (E. coli) (ATCC 25922), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (ATCC 25923), and Candida albicans (C. albicans). After being dried in an oven at 50°C for eight days, the fruits of S. aculeastrum were pulverised and subjected to extraction using methanol and distilled water as solvents. The resulting crude extract was then filtered, concentrated using a water bath, and packed into airtight containers separately. The disc diffusion method was employed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the extracts. The results showed that both the methanolic and aqueous extracts demonstrated antimicrobial activity against S. aureus and C. albicans, but not against E. coli. The zone of inhibition was greater in S. aureus than in C. albicans. This study highlights the importance of researching plants for their medicinal properties, which can pave the way for discovering natural product-based drugs with potential antimicrobial properties. These findings recommend further studies on plants used in African traditional medicine.
文摘The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused many global challenges, especially in resource-constrained countries. Africa, a continent with a large number of low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), shares this burden disproportionately compared to developed countries. Here we review some of the major challenges African countries face in the fight against COVID-19 and propose some mitigation measures. Studies have reported low adherence to COVID-19 prevention measures in most African countries. Additionally, there has been a shortage of healthcare workers, inadequate surveillance and diagnostic tools, unavailability of drugs in healthcare facilities, increased wrong beliefs, myths, misinformation and misconceptions about COVID-19 and vaccinations, and an already existing burden of infectious and non-infectious diseases across the African continent. Despite being very challenging to implement across African countries, telehealth is a critical solution to offer healthcare services during disease outbreaks. Many African countries have faced challenges in the fight against COVID-19. The training of healthcare workers (HCWs) must be strengthened to help address the shortage. In addition, African countries should strive to invest in research and capacity-building to be self-reliant regarding diagnostic tests. Thus, there is an urgent need to address the challenges faced by African countries in this fight, which may even include increased collaborations with other countries.
