Browsing by Author "Begum, Sartaz"

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    Antiplasmodial, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of extracts from selected medicinal plants growing in Tanzania
    (Taylor & Francis, 2019) Begum, Sartaz; Nyandoro, Stephen S.; Munissi, Joan J. E.; Buriyo, Amelia S.; Makangara, John J.; Lucantoni, Leonardo; Avery, Vicky M.; Erdelyi, Mate
    This paper reports on the evaluation of antiplasmodial, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of extracts from eleven plant species traditionally used by some Tanzanian coastal communities for treatment of malaria, microbial infections and related ailments. Crude extracts from selected plant species namely Acacia zanzibarica, Danais xanthorrhoea, Diospyros loureiriana ssp. rufescens, Erythrina sacleuxii, Newtonia paucijuga, Pentas lanceolata, Scorodophloeus fischeri, Stuhlmannia moavi, Tarenna pavettoides, Tessmannia burttii and Toussaintia orientalis growing in Tanzania were investigated using an imaging-based assay (antiplasmodial), well diffusion and microplate dilution methods (antimicrobial) and human embryonic kidney cells (HEK 293) and brine shrimp larvae assays (toxicity). The extracts exhibited activities of varying potencies and cytotoxicity with IC50 values ranging from 0.45 ± 0.09 to 75.70 ± 24.19 μg/mL against Plasmodium falciparum (3D7 strain), MIC ranging from 0.25 to 2.0 mg/mL (against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans), LC50 ranging from 0.75 to 1000 μg/mL against brine shrimp larvae (Artemia salina) and IC50 ranging from 4.02 ± 1.05 to more than 289 μg/mL against HEK 293 cells. The observed bioactivities of some of the investigated plant extracts validate their ethnomedicinal use and are indicative of the presence of bioactive ingredients for further phytochemical investigations.
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    Chemical analysis, antibacterial activities and uses of leaves and calyces of Hibiscus Sabdariffa grown in Dodoma, Tanzania
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2022) Begum, Sartaz; Mwakimbwala, Derick R.; Sangiwa, Gideon; Ndesendo, Valence M.K.
    Preliminary phytochemical screening of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Hibiscus sabdariffa grown in Tanzania revealed the presence of secondary metabolites like steroids, tannins, saponins, glycosides, terpenoids, flavonoids along with L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and iron(II). Furthermore, both leaves and calyces showed antibacterial activities (agar well diffusion method) against selected bacterial species (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi and Shigella sonnei), but calyces possessed potent antibacterial activities compared to leaves. The results also supported the claimed traditional uses of this plant. When interrogated during the cross-sectional study in Dodoma region, 54% of the respondents claimed the plant is used to treat anaemia (supposedly as it increases haemoglobin levels), 23% claimed it is used in the preparation of local wine and the remaining respondents stated use in both areas. Furthermore, the intake of H. sabdariffa leaves and calyces on regular basis can boost the immunity system and helps in preventing bacterial and viral infections as the plant is loaded with flavonoids and vitamin C. Thus, the results observed for the plant H. sabdariffa that is grown in Dodoma in small scale for traditional uses, paves a way for consideration of future large scale production of pharmaceutical and neutraceutical products in Tanzania.