Abyot Endale Gurmu

Background: Since the beginning of the pandemic, scientists and researchers are highly engaged in the discovery and production of vaccines and specific treatments for COVID-19. In China, the National Health Commission has declared the use of herbal medicine combined with Western medicine as a treatment for COVID-19 and has issued many guidelines on herbal medicine-related therapies. Ethiopians have a variety of medicinal herbs to treat various viral diseases. Hence, this study aimed to assess the perception of the respondent towards COVID-19 related symptoms and traditional medicine practice for their management. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was done among 423 patients and patient attendants at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital from August 6 to 27, 2021. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, and the data were entered into Epi Info 7 and then analyzed with SPSS 20. The association between the independent and dependent variables was explained using chi-square test. Results: A total of 423 respondents participated in the study; 414 (97.9%) participants heard about COVID-19 and responded correctly to the chief clinical symptoms. Fever is the most perceived symptom, reported by 378 (91.3) respondents, and the least reported symptom was loss of taste and smell by 30 (7.2%) respondents. This study showed that home remedies were practiced by 323 of the total respondents, and herbal medicines were the second most and practiced by 316 respondents. Monthly income and perceived knowledge about chief symptoms were statistically significantly associated (p < 0.05) with the use of complementary and alternative medicine for the management of COVID-19 related symptoms. Conclusion: This study found that most of the respondents have knowledge about the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and the traditional medicine is being practiced by most of the study participants as a management for COVID-19 and related symptoms.

Background: Currently, malaria elimination is intimidated by the emergence of antimalarial drug and insecticide resistance. This scenario urges scientists to develop new antimalarial drugs, where plant-based compounds are the major candidates. Objective: The objective of this experiment was to examine the antimalarial activities of the solvent fractions of the stem bark of P. linearifolia in mice. Methods: The dried hydromethanolic extract was treated with n-hexane, chloroform, and ethyl acetate solvents based on increasing order of polarity. For the suppressive test, after three hours post-inoculation of P. berghei, the first group was administered the vehicle 2 mL/100 g. The second group was given chloroquine 25 mg/kg, whereas the remaining nine groups were administered 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg of each of the chloroform, ethyl acetate and aqueous fractions. Furthermore, the aqueous fraction was evaluated using Rane’s model for the curative test. The result was statistically analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results were considered significant at P < 0.05. Results: In the suppressive test, the solvent fractions suppressed parasitemia level significantly (P < 0.01 for 100 mg/kg, P < 0.001 for 200 and 400 mg/kg of the aqueous and P < 0.01 for 200 mg/kg, P < 0.001 for 400 mg/kg of chloroform fractions) as compared to vehicle-treated mice, whereas in the curative model 400 mg/kg of the aqueous fraction (P < 0.01) showed a significant parasitemia level reduction. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that the solvent fractions have promising antiplasmodial activity against Plasmodium berghei, which is consistent with the earlier in vivo study of the hydromethanolic extract.

In Ethiopia, medicinal plants have been used to treat different diseases, including malaria, for many centuries. People living in rural areas are especially noted for their use of medicinal plants as a major component of their health care. This study aimed to study treatment-seeking and prioritize plants/plant recipes as anti-malarials, in Dembia district, one of the malarious districts in Northwest Ethiopia. Parents of children aged under 5 years who had had a recent episode of fever were interviewed retrospectively about their child’s treatment and self-reported outcome. Treatments and subsequent clinical outcomes were analysed using Fisher’s exact test to elicit whether there were statistically significant correlations between them. Of 447 children with malaria-like symptoms, only 30% took the recommended first-line treatment (ACT) (all of whom were cured), and 47% took chloroquine (85% cured). Ninety-nine (22.2%) had used medicinal plants as their first-choice treatment. Allium sativum (Liliaceae), Justicia schimperiana (Acanthaceae), Buddleja polystachya (Scrophulariaceae) and Phytolacca dodecandra (Phytolaccaceae) were the most frequently used. Justicia schimperiana was the one associated with the best clinical outcomes (69% self-reported cure rate). However, the difference in clinical outcomes between the plants was not statistically significant. In this study, only 30% of children took the recommended first-line treatment. 22% of children with presumed malaria were first treated with herbal medicines. The most commonly used herbal medicine was garlic, but J. schimperiana was associated with the highest reported cure rate of the plants. Further research is warranted to investigate its anti-malarial properties.

Background. In Ethiopia, stem bark of Periploca linearifolia is used for the treatment of malaria by the local community and demonstrated antimalarial activity in vitro. Despite its in vitro antimalarial activity, no scientific study has been carried out to verify its activity in vivo. Therefore, the aim of the study was to evaluate the antimalarial activity of Periploca linearifolia stem bark extract in mice. Methods. The dried stem bark of Periploca linearifolia was extracted with 80% methanol and evaluated for its antimalarial activity on both early and established Plasmodium berghei infected mice. The extract was prepared at graded doses of 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg. Chloroquine and distilled water were administered to the positive and negative control groups, respectively. Results. The crude extract, at all tested doses, suppressed parasitemia significantly (p < 0.05) for 200 and 400 mg/kg and (p < 0.001) for 600 mg/kg. The suppression values at these doses were 56.98, 43.33, and 38.17 percent, respectively. Periploca linearifolia extract also demonstrated schizonticidal activity in the established malaria infection. Conclusion. The plant Periploca linearifolia has a promising antimalarial activity in mice, supporting its in vitro finding. Thus, it could be considered as a potential source to develop new antimalarial agent.

The objective of this study was to assess traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine (TCAM) utilization pattern among HIV/AIDS patients on antiretroviral therapy at University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. Materials and Methods. Data on sociodemographic profile and clinical and TCAM utilization were collected using a structured, pretested questionnaire from April 01 to May 28, 2014, through interviews with patients. Data on CD4 count, HIV stage, and ART regimen were collected from patient records. Analysis was conducted descriptively using SPSS version 20. Results. Of the 300 participants, 43.7% reported using TCAM, with the largest proportion of them from religious institutions (churches/mosques) (41.22%), followed by home prepared (32.82%) and traditional healers (16.03%). The leading forms of TCAM used were spiritual and herbal therapies constituting 56.49% and 36.64% of the patients, respectively. The most frequently used herbal products included Nigella sativa (22.92%) and Moringa oleifera (20.83%). Most of the patients (73.30%) using TCAM reported improvement in their conditions. Conclusions. TCAM utilization among HIV/AIDS patients on ART was common and different sources and types were used alongside ART, with improvement reported by most. Further research is needed to identify CAM therapies which may be used as adjunct treatments among these patients.