Antiplasmodial Activity of the n-Hexane Extract from Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq. ex. Fr) P. Kumm
- Authors: Afieroho, Ozadheoghene E , Siwe-Noundou, Xavier , Onyia, Chiazor P , Festus, Osamuyi H , Chukwu, Elizabeth C , Adedokun, Olutayo M , Isaacs, Michelle , Hoppe, Heinrich C , Krause, Rui W M , Abo, Kio A
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/194981 , vital:45516 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.4274/tjps.18894"
- Description: Objectives: Several mushrooms species have been reported to be nematophagous and antiprotozoan. This study reported the antiplasmodial and cytotoxic properties of the n-hexane extract from the edible mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus and the isolation of a sterol from the extract. Materials and Methods: Antiplasmodial and cytotoxicity assays were done in vitro using the plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase assay and human HeLa cervical cell lines, respectively. The structure of the isolated compound from the n-hexane extract was elucidated using spectroscopic techniques. Results: The n-hexane extract (yield: 0.93% w/w) showed dose dependent antiplasmodial activity with the trend in parasite inhibition of: chloroquine (IC50=0.016 μg/mL) > n-hexane extract (IC50=25.18 μg/mL). It also showed mild cytotoxicity (IC50>100 μg/mL; selectivity index >4) compared to the reference drug emetine (IC50=0.013 μg/mL). The known sterol, ergostan-5,7,22-trien-3-ol, was isolated and characterized from the extract. Conclusion: This study reporting for the first time the antiplasmodial activity of P. ostreatus revealed its nutraceutical potential in the management of malaria.
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- Date Issued: 2019
Co (ii) Tetraphenyltetraphenanthroporphyrin@ MWCNTs
- Authors: Gu, Tingting , Tao, Jaiyu , Zhu, Weihua , Mack, John , Soy, Rodah C , Nyokong, Tebello , Xu, Haijin , Li, Minzhi , Liang, Xu
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/234580 , vital:50210 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1039/C9NJ01707K"
- Description: Herein, a cobalt(II)tetraphenyltetraphenanthroporphyrin (Co(II)TPTPP) with phenanthrene-fused pyrrole rings was synthesized and characterized. Moreover, a detailed analysis of its optical and redox properties was carried out by comparing the results obtained via optical spectroscopy and electrochemistry with the trends predicted via a series of DFT and TD-DFT calculations. The electrochemistry results demonstrated that the π-expanded Co(II)TPTPP interacted strongly with multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), which were finally immobilized on carbon nanotubes via noncovalent interactions and further deposited on glassy carbon. This strong immobilization via π–π stacking between Co(II)TPTPP and MWCNTs leads to significantly stable electrochemically catalyzed hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), which provides a new insight into the understanding electron transfer channels.
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- Date Issued: 2019
Development, manufacture and characterization of niosomes for the delivery for nevirapine
- Authors: Witika, Bwalya A , Walker, Roderick B
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/183514 , vital:44002 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1691/ph.2019.8168"
- Description: Nevirapine (NVP), used for the treatment of HIV/AIDS, exhibits unpredictable oral bioavailability, has a poor side effect profile and requires frequent dosing. Niosomes are novel drug delivery systems that have the potential to overcome these challenges. A thin layer hydration approach was used to produce niosomes and optimisation was undertaken using design of experiments (DoE) and response surface methodology (RSM) establish and identify parameters that may affect the manufacture of niosomes. The impact of cholesterol and surfactant content, hydration time and temperature on manufacture was investigated. Critical quality attributes (CQA) in respect of particle size (PS), entrapment efficiency (EE), polydispersity index (PDI) and the amount of NVP released at 48 hours was also assessed. The optimised niosome composition was identified and manufactured and the CQA characterised prior to placing the batch on stability for 12 weeks at 4±2 °C and 22±2 °C. The PS, PDI, EE and % NVP released at 48 h was 523.36±23.16 nm, 0.386±0.054, 96.8 % and 25.3 % for niosomes manufactured with Span® 20. Similarly, the parameters were 502.87±21.77 nm and 0.394±0.027, 98.0 % and 25.0 % for mean PS, PDI, EE and %NVP released at 48 h for Span® 80 niosomes. All characterisation was undertaken on the day of manufacture. In conclusion, a simple, cheap, rapid and precise method of manufacture of NVP niosomes was developed, validated and optimised using DoE and RSM and the product exhibited the target CQA.
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- Date Issued: 2019
Engagement in local social-ecological knowledge practices in a seasonal cycles approach for transitioning to future sustainability
- Authors: O'Donoghue, Rob B
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/387971 , vital:68294 , xlink:href="https://www.ajol.info/index.php/sajee/article/view/186419"
- Description: This paper explores climate as variable natural forces driving seasonal cycles1 that many African cultures had adjusted themselves to within intergenerational knowledge practices of longue durée. The study points to the need to re-orientate and expand climate science education so that it is centred on the seasonal cycles and intergenerational learning to better align transitioning to future sustainability with these in our southern African contexts of climate change today. The narrative touches upon historical accounts of knowledge practices amongst the Krobo, Bemba, Shona, Zulu and Xhosa, briefly pointing to how each, as an African culture, is situated as a social-ecological entity within the climatic tapestries of our African landscapes. It takes note of how cultural articulation within the seasonal cycles of regional climate have a long history with adaptive change in some contexts in more recent times. The review suggests that our learning in relation to emerging climate change should be informed by these histories of intergenerational knowledge practice. It notes how a better grasp of these could be important drivers of a widening cultural response to the changing dynamics in our climatic surroundings today. The brief study suggests that southern Africa is a special place with many unique and interesting climatic processes and associated socio-ecological systems and practices. These can provide engaging perspectives for informing education to mitigate or adapt to climate change. Here, a situated exploration of seasonal cycles can draw on both the latest in modern climate science and the rich social-ecological heritage of Africa briefly touched upon in the study. A model of process is offered for how both can be used in a seasonal cycles approach climate change education. This better situated and more inclusive approach can enable us to contemplate how we might best adjust our social-ecological dispositions and practices in the changing world that we all share.
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- Date Issued: 2019
Psychological knowledge production about abortion: the politics of location and representation
- Authors: Macleod, Catriona I , Mavuso, Jabulile M-J J , Chiweshe, Malvern T , du Toit, Ryan
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/443734 , vital:74148 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsrh-2018-200208"
- Description: Despite considerable psychology research being conducted on abortion, there has been no study of the history of psychological knowledge production on the topic. The aim of our research was to analyse journal articles published in English language psychology journals using a politics of location and of representation analytical lens.
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- Date Issued: 2019
Synthesis and properties of chiral amide-bonded porphyrin dimers with various functional bridging blocks
- Authors: Zhu, Weihua , Haider, Syed Najeeb-uz-Zaman , Zhang, Honglin , Attatsi, Isaac K , Mack, John , Dingiswayo, Somila , Nyokong, Tebello , Song, Yuting , Xu, Haijun , Liang, Xu
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/186791 , vital:44534 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dyepig.2019.107740"
- Description: Eight porphyrin dimers with various functional bridging blocks and chiral amide-bonds were synthesized and characterized. An analysis of the spectroscopy and electrochemistry has been carried out to demonstrate that the chiral properties can be modified by changing the interchromophoric through-space coupling distance between the two porphyrin chromophores by introducing various bonding and bridging blocks.
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- Date Issued: 2019