Department of Chemistry

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Assessment of nutrient pollutants in samples of water from selected parts of nagongera stream located in nagongera division of tororo district, eastern uganda
(Busitema University, 2022) Oitakol, James
The purpose of this study was to assess the level of nutrient pollutants in Nagongera water stream. Specifically, it was to determine the total concentration of Nitrogen and Phosphorus and to establish the level of water pollution by Nitrogen and Phosphorus in Nagongera water stream. The samples were obtained from Nagongera stream and were collected using bottles. The samples of water from different sites were analyzed using A JEN WAY Geneva plus Model 6705 UV-Visible Spectrophotometer set at a wave length of 890nm. This was first zeroed by use of blank solution in a cuvette (1cm) thick, followed by the standards of concentrations 1mg/l, 2mg/l, 3mg/l, 4mg/l, 5mg/l and 10mg/l in order to calibrate the instrument. The study found out that the concentration of Nitrogen and that of Phosphorus were below as compared to their standards which therefore showed the level of water pollution by Nitrogen and Phosphorus were below their standard concentration. The study concluded that water in Nagongera is not suitable for consumption because of high concentration of phosphorus in site 2. Due to this, there is need for policy makers and other stake holders to regulate the nutrient pollution in Nagongera stream by restricting direct drainage of detergents containing effluents from residential and commercial settings.
A review on heavy metals contamination in some vegetables
(Busitema University, 2022) Oloka, Xaviour
Agricultural produce such as vegetables has been a primary source of food for many homes. Green vegetables in the diet provide the body with vital vitamins, minerals and fiber which are very essential for human growth. There are two categories of HM namely; essential HM and non-essential HM. Essential HM include Manganese, Zinc, Copper and Iron, all the essential metals play different key roles in human body for example Iron as a metal complex in the heme plays a key role in biding molecular oxygen in the lungs and transport it to other cells in the body, Manganese is responsible for metabolism of lipids and amino acids, Copper is responsible for making red blood cells and Zinc responsible for cell division. On the other hand, non-essential HM include; Cadmium, Lead, Mercury, Arsenic, Chromium and Nickel. Essential HM is required by the human body in small portion however, when it is concentration becomes high results into a number of diseases affecting the kidney, heart, brain and central nervous system. The human body get exposed mostly to heavy metals through consumption of vegetables contaminated with heavy metals. This has raised concern about the food security for good human health. Over use of fertilizers, mining, use of pesticides, use of waste water for irrigation of the vegetables mentioned but a few are some of sources of heavy metals. This reviews heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Pb and Ni) accumulation in vegetable crops (onions, green pepper, cucumber, potatoes and tomatoes) and their impact on human health. Key words: Bioaccumulation, Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), Heavy Metals (HM)
Assessing the quality of domestic water consumed by the nagongera town council community, tororo district-uganda
(Busitema University, 2023) Engwenyu, Michael
The aim of this study was to monitor the quality of domestic water within Nagongera town council with the specific objectives of determining electrolytic conductivity and its pH, total dissolved solids, water hardness and fluoride ion concentration so as to determine its quality. Six samples from borehole and four from tap were collected for laboratory analysis. Water samples were collected from the boreholes of Mahanga ss, Nagongera Mosque, pastor Ofumbi, Dubai hostel, Pastor Odongo and campus.The taps included Dasafe hospital tap (A), Fawe hostel(D), down town (C) and Agum hostel (B). The results from the laboratory analysis showed average pH is slightly acidic and indicates corrosion problems, especially in areas of Dubai hostel borehole. Electrical conductivity and total dissolved solids values are very low; these give a measure of the ionic load and contaminants in the water. Hence, from the EC and TDS values, the water in Nagongera Town Council has low salt concentration. The water hardness relatively low but greatly high in Down Town Tap (C). Fluoride ion concentration relatively fair but high in campus borehole, Nagongera mosque and pastor Ofumbi hostel borehole. Fluoride ion concentration is very high in Tap (C) thus indicating that water in Tap (C) is not safe for drinking. The results showed that, the water in Nagongera Town Council can be regarded as being of good quality for drinking and agriculture purposes however, tap (C) and campus borehole should be critically analyzed. This study recommends further studies with reference to the chemical and microbial analysis to be done especially in Down town tap (C) and campus borehole to have a broader picture of this water quality.
Risk factors for alcohol abuse among student-athletes at nagongera campus, busitema university
(Busitema University, 2023) Cheptoek, Luis Kapreto
The purpose of this study was to find out the risk factors of alcohol abuse among university student-athletes in Nagongera Campus. The probing questions were levels of alcohol use, reasons and consequences of its abuse among the student athletes in the University. Data was collected using questionnaires from 30 subjects made up of 23 (76.67%) male and 7 (23 %) female student athletes. The data was analyzed using Microsoft excel and later presented in form of pie charts and bar graphs. Findings indicated that 73% compared to 27% of the student athletes consume alcohol with male student athletes abusing it in comparison to their female counterparts. Student athletes consume alcohol mainly for boredom (25; 83.33%), to overcome x shyness (24; 80.00%), and overcome stress (24; 80.00%). The consequences of alcohol consumption. Future studies should be conducted with high school and elite athletes.
Phytochemical Analysis and Antibacterial Activity of Croton macrostachyus for Management of Pneumonia
(Busitema University, 2023) Malembo, Maria Gorret
Background. Pneumonia kills nearly one million children annually and accounts over 22 percent of all deaths in children aged 1 to 5 years. Unfortunately, there is increasing cases of pneumonia despite the presence of drugs implying that the bacteria, Streptococcus pneumoniae has become resistant to the approved drugs. There are medicinal plants used traditionally in Uganda for management of pneumonia and other bacterial infections which include Croton macrostachyus. Therefore, this study investigated the phytochemical composition, antioxidant properties antibacterial activity and herbal formulation of C. macrostachyus for management of pneumonia. Objective. The main objective of this research was to determine the phytochemical composition antioxidant properties and antibacterial activities of C. macrostachyus and formulate herbal product for management of pneumonia. Material and methods. C. macrostachyus stem bark crude was extracted using hot reflux extraction and concentration method and qualitatively analyzed for presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, phenols, saponins, steroids and terpenoids. Phytochemical quantification was conducted using spectrophotometric method to determine the quantity of flavonoids, alkaloids, phenols and tannins in the extract. Formulation of an herbal remedy was carried out and organoleptic tests, density, pH were evaluated. Results. The phytochemical analysis confirmed the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, phenols, saponins, steroids and terpenoids. Total flavonoid was found to be 23.28 mg/g, total alkaloid was 20.97mg/g, total tannin 4.67mg/ml and total phenol content was 6.77mg/ml. The formulated syrup had a brown color, with moderate sweetness, pH of 6.76 and density of 0.2g/ml. The antioxidant screening with DPPH scavenging assay exhibited activity of 43.2% for the extract and 30.53% for the herbal remedy. For ferric power reducing assay yielded 22.51% of plant extract and 29.58% of the remedy. However, the antibacterial assay was not evaluated. Conclusion. The findings of the study suggest that C. macrostachyus may be a potential source of antimicrobial agents for management of pneumonia due to the presence of alkaloids, tannins, phenols, saponins and flavonoids and its antioxidant activities Recommendation. From this research, it is recommended that further research to be carried out to investigate the antibacterial activity of the plant to obtain its minimum inhibitory concentration and evaluate the efficacy in animal models of pneumonia.
Analysis of cypermethrin residues in fresh tomatoes sold in nagongera food market in nagongera town council, tororo district in eastern uganda
(Busitema University, 2023) Mudume Isihaka
Cypermethrin residues in fresh tomatoes were determined using uv-visible spectrophotometry. The method is based on hydrolysis of cypermethrin in alkaline solution to cyanid ion and reacts with iron (III) ions to form colored complex compounds. The results confirmed the residues were present in the tomatoes and the concentration was found to be 0.0096 mg per 250 g of tomato. Cypermethrin residues may lower the quality of tomatoes and pose health risks to humans. Therefore, regulation and monitoring pesticide residues in tomatoes produced should be done to avoid effects on human health
Evaluation of vitamin c content from two varieties of mangoes in markets of mbale city
(Busitema University, 2023) Musobo, Solomon
The study deals with analysis of ascorbic acid content of mangoes grown from Mbale city. Iodometric titration method was used to determine the concentrations of Vitamin C in different mango. The results indicate that the Vitamin C concentrations in Alfonso and Palmer varieties was 62.172 mg/100g and 54.34 mg/100g respectively. The results show that there was difference between concentrations of Vitamin C within the varieties of mangoes. Precisely, considering mango varieties, Alfonso variety had the highest concentration of Vitamin C per 100 g than Palmer mango variety.
Synthesis and characterization of zinc sulphide nanoparticles from garlic and onion extract using the biosynthesis method
(Busitema University, 2023) Musene Benjamen
ZnS nanoparticles were synthesized using garlic and onion extract. The green synthesis method was used since it was ecofriendly in that toxic gases and high temperatures are not involved. Additionally, this method is also cheap. Garlic and onion gloves were obtained from nagongera town council, dried and 10g of each sample was measured and dissolved in 200mls of distilled water. 0.04 moles of zinc nitrate solution were made by dissolving 12g of zinc nitrate in 50mls of water. A solution of sodium sulphide was also made by dissolving 5.2g of sodium sulphide in 50mls of water. The two solutions are then mixed together followed by addition of the extract solution with constant stirring for 60minutes. During nanoparticle formation, there was color change from white to pale yellow for garlic extract and brown to green for onion extract. After the synthesized nanoparticles where dried, that from garlic extract gave 4g while that from onion extract gave 2g. The FTIR machine was used to characterize the nanoparticles and different spectrums were obtained as shown in the report. However, the spectrums showed some peaks above 3000cm-1. This would have come as a result of other phenolic compounds found in garlic.
Fluoride levels and physicochemical properties of groundwater in bunefule and bunagabo parishes, bugobero subcounty, manafwa district
(Busitema University, 2023) Muwugumya, Brenda
This research proposal aims to investigate the presence of fluoride ions and analyze the physicochemical properties of water in Bugobero Subcounty, Manafwa District. The study was focused on various parameters including pH, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Turbidity, Total Hardness (TH), and Electrical Conductivity (EC). The presence of fluoride ions in drinking water is of significant concern due to their potential health implications. Elevated fluoride levels can lead to dental and skeletal fluorosis, especially in areas where fluoride concentration exceeds the recommended limits set by regulatory bodies. Therefore, understanding the fluoride levels and associated physicochemical properties of water is crucial for ensuring safe and sustainable water resources. To achieve the objectives of this research, water samples were collected from various sources within Bugobero Subcounty. The physicochemical parameters were measured using standard methods and equipment. pH will be measured to determine the acidity or alkalinity of water, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) will provide information on the concentration of inorganic and organic substances dissolved in water. Turbidity will be assessed to determine the clarity or cloudiness of the water sample. Total Hardness (TH) was determined to assess the concentration of calcium and magnesium ions, which can affect water quality and household applications. Electrical Conductivity (EC) was measured as an indicator of the water's ability to conduct electrical current, which can be correlated with ion concentration. The collected data was statistically analyzed to identify any correlations between fluoride ions and the physicochemical properties of water. The findings of this research provided valuable insights into the water quality in Bugobero Subcounty and contribute to developing appropriate measures for water treatment and management.
Evaluation of Phytochemical Constituents of Rotheca Myricoides (Hocsht) For the Management of Syphilis in Humans and Formulation of An Herbal Remedy
(Busitema University, 2023) Nambala, Oliver
Syphilis is a multistage acute and chronic sexually transmitted infection (STI) that is caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum that produces skin and mucous membrane lesions at the onset of the infection. Syphilis globally claims over 58% of the population per year in the world as per 2021.Rotheca myricoides is used locally for various medicinal purposes by traditionalists and herbalists in Uganda. Plants products have been used since ancient times in the management of various conditions. Rotheca myricoides (Hochst) is used in the management of diabetes, treatment of malaria, cancer, gastrointestinal disorders, asthma, spleen enlargement, persistent fever, headache, dysentery, diarrhea, syphilis, snakebite, impotence, eye problems, typhoid, cough, tonsillitis, rheumatism gonorrhea. The objective of this study is to evaluate the phytochemical constituents of Rotheca myricoides and its efficacy on the management of syphilis. The crude extract of Rotheca myricoides was subjected to preliminary phytochemical screening and antimicrobial tests. The phytochemical tests were carried out using standard methods of analysis and these investigations revealed the presence of tannins, saponins, flavonoids, phenols, quinones and alkaloids while terpenoids, glycosides and steroids were not present in the crude extract. Herbal syrup was formulated by mixing different active ingredients and a few of its physiochemical properties were determined. The toxicity profile of R. myricoides traditional therapy must first be determined as while as the appropriate quantity for the full dose. The bacterial assay should be done to find the minimum inhibitory concentration of R. myricoides extract on T. pallidum.
Comparative study of phospholipid content in eggs of ducks and turkeys
(Busitema University, 2023) Nambuya, Lilian
Background information: The aim of this research was to conduct a comparative study on the amount of egg yolk lecithin extracted from eggs of ducks and turkeys. Lecithin is an important phospholipid found in egg yolks, which has various functional and nutritional properties. Therefore, understanding the amount of lecithin present in different types of eggs can have significant implications for the food and pharmaceutical industries. Methods and materials: The research involved the collection of fresh duck and turkey eggs from local farms. The eggs were separated, and the yolk was extracted using standard techniques. The lecithin was then isolated from the yolk using a solvent extraction method, and analyzed using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. Results: the percentage yield from eggs of ducks and turkeys were 10.7 % and 8.6 % respectively. Analysis of phospholipid samples using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer showed vibrational frequencies at wave numbers 3300 cm-1, 2922 cm-1 and 1733 cm-1 from which the presence of phospholipids in the samples was inferred. Conclusion: Duck egg yolks contain phospholipids with a higher concentration than turkey eggs.
Green synthesis of sulfur nanoparticles using aqueous garlic extract.
(Busitema University, 2023) Wabwire, Samson
The Sulfur Nanoparticles were prepared using aqueous Garlic extract by green synthesis method. The formation of Sulfur Nanoparticles enhanced a wavelength of 223nm when characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy. The basic goal of green Nanoparticle synthesis was to make use of the element's specific physicochemical and biological properties since it was harmless to the environment.
Phytochemical analysis and anti-bacterial activity of the extract of the leaves of Tephrosia villosa
(Busitema University, 2024) Abbo Margret
In developing countries, childhood pneumonia remains a leading cause of death in children and accounts for up to 21% of deaths in children under the age of five years. In sub-Saharan Africa, the estimated proportion of death in children aged below 5 years attributed to pneumonia is 26%. Uganda is currently ranked among the 15 countries with the highest estimated number of deaths due to clinical pneumonia. Pneumonia is caused by many microorganisms including viruses, fungi and bacteria. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are the most predominant cause of bacterial pneumonia. It is usually treated using antibiotics such as penicillin, amoxicillin and clarithromycin. However, pseudomonas aeruginosa has become resistant to some of the antibiotics especially clarithromycin which has got a variety of side effects such as diarrhea, stomach pain, vomiting, loss of appetite Therefore, there is need for an alternative source of effective antibiotics with minimal side effects. Tephrosia villosa was traditionally used in Africa to manage various diseases due to the fact that it possesses various medicinal properties including the antibacterial activity. This study was to analyze the phytochemical composition of the methanolic extract of the plant and evaluate its anti-bacterial activity. Alcoholic extracts of T. villosa leaves were subjected to various phytochemical analysis to identify the phytochemical components present in the plant. These phytochemicals (alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols and tannins) were then quantified using different standards whose calibration curves were used to determine the total amount of each phytochemical. Antibacterial assay of the Crude extract of Tephrosia villosa was carried out to investigate its effectiveness on pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria. The results of the phytochemical analysis confirmed the presence of various phytochemical compounds including alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, glycosides, saponins, tannins and phenolic compounds. Quantification results showed that the extract had a high concentration of alkaloids (144.85mg/g), moderate concentration of flavonoids (41.35mg/g) and tannins (39.09) with low concentration of phenols (14.18mg/g). Antibacterial activity of the leaves extracts of the plant material showed a clear zone of inhibition on pseudomonas aeruginosa of 44.44% in the lowest concentration of the sample. Further investigation should be carried to determine the specific bioactive compounds responsible for the anti-bacterial activity and against other bacterial strains like streptococcus pneumoniae to fully explore the antibacterial potential of Tephrosia villosa.
Phytochemical Analysis of the Aerial Parts of Tephrosia Elegans with Antibacterial and Antioxidant
(Busitema University, 2024) Alowo Florence
There has been high prevalence of skin diseases worldwide. Some of these are caused by bacteria especially staphylococcus aureus. These pathogens have also led to production of reactive molecules from the metabolism of oxygen like superoxide and hydrogen peroxide that give rise to a variety of pathological conditions among which is inflammation There are several bacterial skin treatments that have been used towards this challenge but these bacteria especially S. aureus have become resistant to drugs for example penicillin, niacinamide and many others. Plants are valuable source of biologically active molecules The phytochemical screening of the aerial parts of T. elegans has shown presence of most of these phytochemical components especially tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids, phenols, steroids and glycosides. The total quantification of the different components presents in T. elegans resulted into alkaloids with 118.9 mg/g, phenols with 48.69mg/g, flavonoids with 33.34mg/g and tannins with 2.63mg/g. The antioxidant study on the methanolic extract of T. elegans using DPPH test was also determined and it demonstrated an antioxidant scavenging percentage of 41.87%. In addition, the antibacterial activity was also investigated using the disc-diffusion method on Nutrient Agar. In the disc-diffusion assay, the solutions of the plant extract in methanol (80%) and DMSO were dipped on sterile filter paper discs of 6mm diameter. Then the filter paper discs were placed on agar plates uniformly inoculated with S. aureus at 37⸰C for 24 hours. A paper disc with DMSO was used as a negative control. The diameter of the clear zone surrounding the disc was used to measure the antibacterial activity of the plant extract. After 24 hours, there was no inhibition of the bacterial by the plant extract in all the plates hence T. elegans does not inhibit S. aureus.
Phytochemical analysis and antioxidant activity of the stem bark extract of Vernonia amygdelina in management of malaria.
(Busitema University, 2024) Akello Norah
Redox imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and their neutralization by antioxidants in the system leads to accumulation of ROS in the system resulting into oxidative stress. Antioxidants guard against reactive oxygen free radical. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals by adding electrons to them, preventing bodily harm. Earlier studies have shown that artemisinins reduce the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and other antioxidants in the parasite thereby inducing oxidative stress (OS) in the parasite leading to their destruction. In traditional medicine, use of plants or their crude products as antioxidants have been reported. In this study the stem bark extract of V. amygdelina was phytochemically investigated and its antioxidant potential evaluated. The extract was prepared using methanol and screened for presence of saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, phenols and glycosides. Quantitative determination of phytochemicals (phenols, alkaloids, flavonoids and tannins) was done using UV spectrophometer. Total phenol content was 33.45mg/g, flavonoids was 81.95mg/l, tannins was 66.42mg/g and alkaloids were 413.76mg/g. Antioxidant activity was determined using DPPH free radical scavenging that gave a percentage of 46.04%. The findings showed that the stem bark extract of V. amygdelina has antioxidant activity. Thus, phytochemicals (alkaloid, flavonoids, phenols, tannins, saponins, glycosides) observed in the stem bark extract of V. amygdelina could be responsible its antioxidant activity, however, there is need to formulate the syrup to determine its efficacy of antioxidant activity.
Kinetics and adsorption of thymolphthalein dye on hydrothermally activated rice husks
(Busitema University, 2024) Abukwi, Patience Peruth
RHC, Rice husk carbon (activated rice husk) has the ability to adsorb the dye stuff from aqueous solution. It may be a useful low-cost adsorbent for the treatment of effluents, discharged from textile industries. In this study, adsorption was used on the removal of thymolphthalein indicator from water using activated rice husks. The influence of contact time, adsorbent dose and initial dye concentration on activated rice husks was evaluated on the sorption capacity. The tests were determined in batch. Analytical measurements were performed by UV-vis spectroscopy. Activation of rice husks was done hydrothermally using an autoclave reactor at a temperature of 180OC. Chemical and morphological characteristics of the activated rice husks were evaluated using thermogravimetric analysis and infrared spectroscopy. Sorption kinetics were conducted and they followed the first pseudo-order kinetic model with R2 value of 0.9743 which was higher than that of the second order kinetic model. Equilibrium data was represented well by the freudlinch model with R2 value of 0.997 than the Langmuir model.
Comparative study of effectiveness of different banana peelings hydrogel incorporated with banana peel extract in wound healing
(Busitema University, 2024) Chekwemoi Abigael
Consumption of bananas is in great demand by the various groups in the world. They contain antioxidants, vitamins and minerals which are of great importance to our bodies but one part of banana that can be wasted is banana peel which pollute the environment when they decompose causing bad smell to the environment. Nutrients and bioactive compounds in banana fruits are essential to lead to a healthy life. The consumptions of banana fruits have increased worldwide to acquire prevention from diseases for example ulcers inflammation. Banana peel wastes ate highly seasonal and perishable but considered as environmental nuisances and, in every year, considerable quantities of banana peels are equivalent to 40% of the actual weight of fresh banana and often generated as wastes. Recently researchers gained huge attention on biomedical applications such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer activity of banana peel to reduce the cost increase in healthcare industries. The current research seeks to find out the effectiveness of different banana peelings in wound healing Key words banana peel, wound healing
Bromophenol blue dye adsorption and kinetics on hydrothermally activated sawdust
(Busitema University, 2024) Anyait, Salome
A low-cost adsorbent has been tested for its adsorption ability to remove a hazardous dye from textile wastewater. This study assesses the effectiveness and efficiency of activated sawdust in the removal of bromophenol blue dye from dye contaminated wastewater. The activated sawdust was characterized using FTIR and TGA, the results of which showed an improvement and modification in the adsorption capacity of the activated sawdust. Adsorption studies were carried out in a batch mode to examine the influence of various parameters that include; pH, contact time and adsorbent dose on the removal efficiency of the activated sawdust. The data obtained have been successfully used to equate different adsorption isotherm models, where the isothermal data were found to fit well with the Freundlich isotherm model, with a coefficient of determination of 0.9998. The adsorption interaction of BPB dye on to activated sawdust obeyed the pseudo second-order rate equation.
Evaluation of vitamin c content in different varieties of mangoes and oranges grown in kapchorwa
(Busitema University, 2024) Chemonges Aggrey
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid, AA) is a water-soluble vitamin essential in human nutrition, an antioxidant, a scavenger of free radicals in biological systems and a co-factor of several enzymes. The purpose of this study was to analyze the vitamin C content from three varieties of mangoes and oranges grown in Kapchorwa. The method used to determine vitamin C content was titration method. The varieties of mangoes used were; alfonso, palmer, keitt and oranges were; novel, washing tunava, and american tungerine. The results of the varieties were as follows; percentage weight of alfonso was 1.03×10-3% of sample, palmer was 0.90×10×-3% of sample and keitt was 0.97×10-3% of sample of vitamin C in mango varieties. This means that alfonso variety had the greatest percentage weight and palmer had the least percentage weight amongst the three mango varieties and this may be due to high degradation of vitamin C during ripening. Also, for orange varieties; novel had a percentage weight of 1.31×10-3% of sample, washing tunava had a percentage weight of 1.19×10-3% of sample, american tungerine had a percentage weight of 1.54×10-3% of sample. Therefore, american tungerine had the greatest percentage weight and washing tunava had the least percentage weight among orange varieties. The above results show that about 55 fruits should be eaten per day and this number is very high as compared to what health experts recommend whereby, they say that about 3-5 fruits should be eaten per day (Hampl, Taylor et al. 2004). All the three varieties of mangoes and oranges were rich in vitamin C and should be eaten when they are just ripening. Alfonso and american tungerine are among the mango and orange varieties that should be eaten to avoid some health problems like; cancer, coronary heart disease among others since they contain much of vitamin C compared to other varieties.
Phytochemical analysis and anti-bacterial activity of Steganotaenia araliacea stem bark for management of diarrhea
(Busitema University, 2024) Chemusto Dan
Diarrhea remain a major concern in developing countries of Africa leading to high rates of death especially among children below the age of 5 and it is attributed to bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi. Due to increased resistance of the prescribed drugs by diarrhea causing bacteria, alternatives medications derived from medicinal plants are being considered especially in the developing countries. Steganotaenia araliacea commonly known as the African parsley tree is traditionally used in Africa to manage various diseases including diarrhea. The main goal of this study was to analyze the phytochemical composition of the methanolic extract of the plant and evaluate its antibacterial activity. Alcoholic extracts of S. araliacea bark were subjected to various phytochemical analysis to identify the phytochemical components present in the plant. These phytochemicals (alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols and tannins) were then quantified using different standards whose calibration curves were used to determine the total amount of each phytochemical. Antibacterial assay of the Crude extract of Steganotaenia araliacea was carried out to investigate its effectiveness on E. coli bacteria. The results of the phytochemical analysis confirmed the presence of various phytochemical compounds including alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, saponins, tannins and phenolic compounds. Quantification results showed that the extract had a high concentration of alkaloids (125.05.mg/g), moderate concentration of phenols and tannins (78.27 and 64.45 respectively) with low concentration of flavonoids (40.37). Antibacterial activity of the stem bark extracts of the plant material showed no inhibition on E. coli. Further investigation should be carried out against other bacterial strains like Salmonella typhi to fully explore the antibacterial potential of steganotaenia araliacea.

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