Abstract/Overview Elemental mercury is not as poisonous as its congeners such as methyl mercury and dimethyl mercury, especially at trace levels. However, understanding the speciation mechanisms of mercury in aquatic ecosystems offers an opportunity to appreciate the dangers emanating from elemental mercury in the environment. Notably, elemental mercury is occasionally used in dental filling therapy which presents it as a non-poisonous element. Recent advances on mechanisms of elemental m...
Abstract/Overview Primaquine (PQ) is one of the most widely used antimalarial drugs and is the only available drug that combats the relapsing form of malaria. PQ use in higher doses is limited by severe tissue toxicity including hematological- and gastrointestinal-related side effects. Nanoformulation of drugs in an appropriate drug carrier system has been extensively studied and shown to have the potential to improve bioavailability, thereby enhancing activity, reducing dose frequency, a...
Abstract/Overview Phytochemical and biological evaluation of the stem bark of Alysicarpus ovalifolius led to the isolation of three carbazole alkaloids identified as mohanimbine (1), koenimbine (2) and koenidine (3) along with quercetin 3-O-glucoside (4), kaempferol 7-O-glucoside (5), orientin (6), apigenin (7), quercetin (8), plumbagin (9) and stigmasterol (10). The structures of these compounds were elucidated using physical and spectroscopic methods as well as comparison with the liter...
Abstract Cancer has become a key public health affliction worldwide. Recent studies have shown that genetic factors cause only 5–10% of all human cancers, while the rest are caused by lifestyle. Epidemiological and clinical studies have shown that chronic inflammatory diseases predispose individuals to various types of cancer. An estimated 20 % of all cancer related deaths globally arise from primary infections and inflammation. Current treatments for cancer include radiotherapy, chemother...
Abstract uclea divinorum Hern (Ebenaceae) has a long history of folkloric use in the treatment of different diseases. However, there are few reports on the responsible phytochemicals in its tender stems, leaves and root bark. The aim of this study was to compare the phytochemicals in E. divinorum leaves, tender stems and root bark. The plant materials were extracted serially by maceration with dichloromethane, hexane and ethanol. Alkaloids, phenols, saponins, flavonoids, steroids, cardiac gl...
Abstract The nature of barriers for atomic transport in In2S3 layers has been varied by addition of chlorine. Diffusion of Cu(I) from a removable CuSCN source was used to probe the variation of the barriers. The Meyer-Neldel (compensation) rule was observed with a Meyer-Neldel energy (EMN) and a proportionality prefactor (D00) amounting to 40 meV and 5 × 10−14 cm2/s, respectively. D00 shows that the elementary excitation step is independent of the specific mechanism and nature of th...
Abstract Root parasitism by Radopholus similis may vary under different nutritional conditions and soil substrates. Such variations in nematode infection may affect deductions from evaluations of pest control measures. Three parallel factorial experiments (nutrients × soil sterility × nematode) were conducted to investigate the effects of N-P-K and soil biota on R. similis infection and banana plant growth. Chlorophyll content was lower in plants receiving N-deficient solution or w...
Abstract Background: Uncorrected refractive errors (URE) present an enormous burden on children in Kenya. The study investigated factors associated with URE in school-going adolescents in Kakamega County, Kenya. Material and methods: An observational, cross-sectional study with multistage sampling was conducted with randomly selected secondary school students in forms one to four. Comprehensive clinical examinations conducted by optometrists were used to determine participants’ URE types a...
Abstract Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ever-present pollutants in the environment. They are persistent and bio-accumulative with deleterious health effects on biota. This study assesses the levels of PFAS in environmental matrices along the Nairobi River, Kenya. An aggregate of 30 PFAS were determined in water, while 28 PFAS were detected in sediments and plants using solid phase extraction then liquid chromatography–mass spectrometric techniques. In water, higher levels o...
Abstract Background Several human-produced volatiles have been reported to mediate the host-seeking process under laboratory conditions, yet no effective lure or repellent has been developed for field application. Previously, we found a gradation of the attractiveness of foot odors of different malaria free individuals to Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto Giles. In this study, foot odor of the individual with the most attractive ‘smelly’ feet to the An. gambiae was collected, analyzed and ...
Abstract Aims: To evaluate the stability of Salvianolic acid A (SAA), a promising cardiovascular drug candidate. Additionally avail an archetype in-vitro therapeutic monitoring from SAA degradation profile for characteristic oral gavages. Study Design: Experimental by laboratory analysis. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Moi University; Department of Pure & Applied Chemistry and Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences of Masinde Muliro University of Scie...
Abstract Aim: To screen the Kenyan Ganoderma lucidum for phytochemicals and to investigate it's potential in the management of some disease-causing microbes. Study Design: Hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol extraction; phytochemical study and anti-microbial activities were analysed on Kenyan G. lucidum mushroom. Place and Duration of Study: Masinde Muliro University Science laboratories from January 2019 and March 2019. Methodology: Sequential extraction of dried samples was done using hexan...
Abstract In this work, akaganeite (β-FeO(OH)) impregnated maize cob biochar (Fe-MCB) was prepared by direct hydrolysis, and its adsorptive potential was tested against aqueous solutions of carbamazepine (CBZ), an emerging contaminant. The adsorbent was characterized by standard methods, namely XRD, SEM-EDX, FT-IR, BET surface area analysis, and VSM. Fe-MCB exhibited mesoporous textural structure with paramagnetic behavior at room temperature. The equilibrium data were modeled using the Lang...
Abstract Chemical modification is a promising path to address the limitations of a natural dye, such as limited shades and inadequate fastness properties. This study investigated the modification of embelin (2, 5-dihydroxy-3-undecyl-1, 4-benzoquinone) a plant-based benzoquinone compound from Embelia schimperi (Myrisinaceae family) with ninhydrin to get a semi-synthetic dye. The modified dye was applied to cotton fabric along with mordants to provide different shades. Optimum dyeing condition...
Abstract Currently, losses in crop yields caused by Ralstonia solanacearum have led to the overuse of synthetic pesticides, which are toxic and non-biodegradable hence detrimental to the environment. This study, therefore, investigated the in vivo antibacterial activity of ethanolic and hexane extracts from Tithonia diversifolia against R. solanacearum in tomatoes. Extraction was performed using the maceration method followed by evaluation of the extraction yields. During the in vivo greenho...