Browsing by Author "Kagoya, Sarah"
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Item Aflatoxins in Uganda: An Encyclopedic Review of the Etiology, Epidemiology, Detection, Quantification, Exposure Assessment, Reduction, and Control(International Journal of Microbiology, 2020) Omara, Timothy; Nassazi, Winfred; Omute, Tom; Awath, Aburu; Laker, Fortunate; Kalukusu, Raymond; Musau, Bashir; Nakabuye, Brenda Victoria; Kagoya, Sarah; Otim, George; Adupa, EddieUganda is an agrarian country where farming employs more than 60% of the population. Aflatoxins remain a scourge in the country, unprecedentedly reducing the nutritional and economic value of agricultural foods. *is review was sought to synthetize the country’s major findings in relation to the mycotoxins’ etiology, epidemiology, detection, quantification, exposure assessment, control, and reduction in different matrices. Electronic results indicate that aflatoxins in Uganda are produced by Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus and have been reported in maize, sorghum, sesame, beans, sunflower, millet, peanuts, and cassava. *e causes and proliferation of aflatoxigenic contamination of Ugandan foods have been largely due to poor pre-, peri-, and postharvest activities, poor government legislation, lack of awareness, and low levels of education among farmers, entrepreneurs, and consumers on this plague. Little diet diversity has exacerbated the risk of exposure to aflatoxins in Uganda because most of the staple foods are aflatoxin-prone. On the detection and control, these are still marginal, though some devoted scholars have devised and validated a sensitive portable device for on-site aflatoxin detection in maize and shown that starter cultures used for making some cereal-based beverages have the potential to bind aflatoxins. More efforts should be geared towards awareness creation and vaccination against hepatitis B and hepatitis A to reduce the risk of development of liver cancer among the populace.Item Antivenin plants used for treatment of snakebites in Uganda: ethnobotanical reports and pharmacological evidences(Tropical Medicine and Health, 2020) Omara, Timothy; Kagoya, Sarah; Openy, Abraham; Omute, Tom; Ssebulime, Stephen; Kiplagat, Kibet Mohamed; Bongomin, OcidentSnakebite envenomation is a serious public health concern in rural areas of Uganda. Snakebites are poorly documented in Uganda because most occur in rural settings where traditional therapists end up being the first-line defense for treatment. Ethnobotanical surveys in Uganda have reported that some plants are used to antagonize the activity of various snake venoms. This review was sought to identify antivenin plants in Uganda and some pharmacological evidence supporting their use. A literature survey done in multidisciplinary databases revealed that 77 plant species belonging to 65 genera and 42 families are used for the treatment of snakebites in Uganda. The majority of these species belong to family Fabaceae (31%), Euphorbiaceae (14%), Asteraceae (12%), Amaryllidaceae (10%) and Solanaceae (10%). The main growth habit of the species is shrubs (41%), trees (33%) and herbs (18%). Antivenin extracts are usually prepared from roots (54%) and leaves (23%) through decoctions, infusions, powders, and juices, and are administered orally (67%) or applied topically (17%). The most frequently encountered species were Allium cepa, Carica papaya, Securidaca longipedunculata, Harrisonia abyssinica, and Nicotiana tabacum. Species with global reports of tested antivenom activity included Allium cepa, Allium sativum, Basella alba, Capparis tomentosa, Carica papaya, Cassia occidentalis, Jatropa carcus, Vernonia cinereal, Bidens pilosa, Hoslundia opposita, Maytensus senegalensis, Securinega virosa, and Solanum incanum. There is need to identify and evaluate the antivenom compounds in the claimed plants.Item Awareness and Adoption of Soil and Water Conservation Technologies in a Developing Country: A Case of Nabajuzi Watershed in Central Uganda(Environmental management, 2018) Kagoya, Sarah; Paudel, Krishna P.; Daniel, Nadhomi L.Soil and water conservation technologies have been widely available in most parts of Uganda. However, not only has the adoption rate been low but also many farmers seem not to be aware of these technologies. This study aims at identifying the factors that influence awareness and adoption of soil and water conservation technologies in Nabajuzi watershed in central Uganda. A bivariate probit model was used to examine farmers’ awareness and adoption of soil and water conservation technologies in the watershed. We use data collected from the interview of 400 households located in the watershed to understand the factors affecting the awareness and adoption of these technologies in the study area. Findings indicate that the likelihood of being aware and adopting the technologies are explained by the age of household head, being a tenant, and number of years of access to farmland. To increase awareness and adoption of technologies in Uganda, policymakers may expedite the process of land titling as farmers may feel secure about landholding and thus adopt these technologies to increase profitability and productivity in the long run. Incentive payments to farmers residing in the vulnerable region to adopt these considered technologies may help to alleviate soil deterioration problems in the affected area.Item Bioinsecticidal Activity of Eucalyptol and 1R-Alpha-Pinene Rich Acetonic Oils of Eucalyptus saligna on Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky, 1855 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)(Journal of Health and Environmental Research, 2018) Omara, Timothy; Kizza Kateeba, Fredrick; Musau, Bashir; Kigenyi, Erisa; Adupa, Eddie; Kagoya, SarahExploration of plants, animals, microbes and their products for green pesticides have been the mainstay of modern agriculturalists. Plant bioactive oils have been utilized in formulation of green pesticides, which are less toxic, least deleterious on biocontrol agents, readily biodegraded and have no or few ecological effects as compared to synthetic equivalents. This study evaluated the bioinsecticidal activity of Eucalyptol and 1R-Alpha-Pinene rich acetonic essential oils of dry leaves of the Sydney Blue gum (Eucalyptus saligna Smith) on common granivorous maize weevil. Fresh leaves of Eucalyptus saligna were harvested and the essential oils extracted from its dry powder by hydrodistillation. The chemical composition of the essential oil was analyzed by tandem GC/MS. Twelve components were identified, and the main components were Eucalyptol (34.36%) and 1R-alpha pinene (17.92%). Acetonic essential oils of 2μL, 4μL, 6μL and 8μL in 1ml acetone were used in contact toxicity, fumigant and repellent bioassays. In contact toxicity, 8μL/ml oil exerted a rapid effect on the weevils giving 100% mortality in the first day of exposure; 6μL/ml achieved 100% mortality 96 hours after treatment. Both fumigant and repellent activities showed a gradual increase in insect mortality and repellency with time of exposure as the concentrations of the essential oils were increased; 100% repellency was achieved at 8μL in the second hour and this remained constant with time. The lowest repellency of 20% was obtained at 2μL. In fumigant toxicity, the highest mortality was 70% recorded at 8μL on the third day of exposure. The results indicated that the acetonic essential oil of dry Eucalyptol and 1R-Alpha-Pinene rich Eucalyptus saligna leaves can be developed into a bioinsecticide for controlling maize weevil as a repellent, toxicant and fumigant candidate.Item Clausena anisata (Willd.) Hook.f. ex Benth. (Rutaceae): ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, toxicity, and clinical application(Traditional Medicine Research, 2022) Omara, Timothy; Kiprop, Ambrose K.; Kosgei, Viola J.; Kagoya, SarahClausena anisata (Willd.) Hook.f. ex Benth. is a plant extensively used in traditional medicine. Here, a synopsis of the research on various aspects of Clausena anisata (Willd.) Hook.f. ex Benth. is presented. An electronic literature review revealed that formulations containing Clausena anisata (Willd.) Hook.f. ex Benth. are used to manage and treat diabetes, eye problems, malaria, snake envenomation, malignancies, as well as venereal, gastrointestinal, reproductive, respiratory, dermatological, and odonatological ailments. To date, 90 compounds have been isolated and characterized from extracts of Clausena anisata (Willd.) Hook.f. ex Benth. Crude extracts and isolated compounds from Clausena anisata (Willd.) Hook.f. ex Benth. possess anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiplasmodial, antiproliferative, anti-human immunodeficiency virus-1, antimycobacterial, antihypertensive, and antidiabetic activities. These bioactivities can be attributed to alkaloids, coumarins, limonoids, and phenylpropanoids present in different parts of the plant. Although some studies have indicated moderate toxicity of the extracts, some of the dominant compounds in this species, such as estragole and carbazole alkaloids, are mutagenic or cytotoxic. A clinical trial utilizing a Ghanaian herbal formulation containing Clausena anisata (Willd.) Hook.f. ex Benth. was found to be effective in reducing pain associated with osteoarthritis. Research progress to date supports the traditional use of this species in herbal medicine. However, these studies do not explain the relationships between traditional uses, pharmacological activities, and mechanisms of action. Thus, further studies should be designed to understand the biochemical properties and physiological effects of Clausena anisata (Willd.) Hook.f. ex Benth. extracts, facilitating the development and utilization of this medicinal resource.Item Medicinal Plants Used as Snake Venom Antidotes in East African Community: Review and Assessment of Scientific Evidences(Journal of Medicinal and Chemical Sciences, 2021) Omara, Timothy; Kiwanuka Nakiguli, Caroline; Naiyl, Rania Awad; Atieno Opondo, Florence; Otieno, Sadia Benard; Ndiege, Merab Lilian; Mbabazi, Immaculate; Nassazi, Winfred; Nteziyaremye, Papias; Kagoya, Sarah; Okwir, Augastine; Etimu, EdmondPoisonous snake envenomation is a complex neglected health problem implicated in mortality, disability, psychological morbidity, and socio-economic losses recorded worldwide. An antivenin serum, the only medically recommended treatment for snakebites, has several drawbacks including, hypersensitivity, inability to prevent local tissue damage, are scarce and unaffordable in most snakebite endemic areas. In many rural communities all over the world, plants have been utilized for managing snakebites. This review seeks to identify plants reported as antivenom remedies in the East Africa and the scientific studies thereof which could support their use in the treatment of snake envenomation. A review of scientific articles was undertaken to identify information on traditional knowledge of medicinal plants used to treat snake envenomation in East Africa and their antivenom efficacy. A total of 361 plant species were retrieved to have been reported as traditional therapies for snakebites in East Africa. The review identified distinct cases of doctrine of signatures and zoopharmacognosy in snakes using Opilia amentacea, Hugonia castaneifolia and Microglossa pyrifolia respectively. Evaluations of the antivenom efficacy of 44 species (12.2%) have been done globally, and most species found to be effective in neutralizing the lethal activities of snake venoms. Ethnomedicinal plants play a revered holistic role in East African antisnake venom therapy. Conyza sumatrensis, Hyptis pectinata, Justicia betonica, and Maesa lanceolata used to treat specific snakebites merit further studies.Item Medicinal Plants Used in Traditional Management of Cancer in Uganda: A Review of Ethnobotanical Surveys, Phytochemistry, and Anticancer Studies(Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2020) Omara, Timothy; Kiprop, Ambrose K.; Ramkat, Rose C.; Cherutoi, Jackson; Kagoya, Sarah; Moraa Nyangena, Decrah; Azeze Tebo, Tsedey; Nteziyaremye, Papias; Nyambura Karanja, Lucy; Jepchirchir, Abigael; Maiyo, Alfayo; Jematia Kiptui, Betty; Mbabazi, Immaculate; Kiwanuka Nakiguli, Caroline; Nakabuye, Brenda Victoria; Chepkemoi Koske, Margaret)e burden of neoplastic diseases is a significant global health challenge accounting for thousands of deaths. In Uganda, about 32,617 cancer cases were reported in 2018, accompanied by 21,829 deaths. In a view to identify some potential anticancer plant candidates for possible drug development, the current study was designed to compile the inventory of plants with reported anticancer activity used in rural Uganda and the evidences supporting their use in cancer therapy. An electronic survey in multidisciplinary databases revealed that 29 plant species belonging to 28 genera distributed among 24 families have been reported to be used in the management of cancer in Uganda. Anticancer plants were majorly from the families Bignoniaceae (7%), Caricaceae (7%), Fabaceae (7%), Moraceae (7%), and Rutaceae (7%). Most species occur in the wild (52%), though some are cultivated (48%). )e growth habit of the plants is as trees (55%) or herbs (45%). Anticancer extracts are usually prepared from leaves (29%), bark (24%), roots (21%), and fruits (13%) through decoctions (53%), as food spices (23%) or pounded to produce ointments that are applied topically (10%). Prunus africana (Hook.f.) Kalkman, Opuntia species, Albizia coriaria (Welw. ex Oliver), Daucus carota L., Cyperus alatus (Nees) F. Muell., Markhamia lutea (Benth.) K. Schum., and Oxalis corniculata L. were the most frequently encountered species. As per global reports, Allium sativum L., Annona muricata L., Carica papaya L., Moringa oleifera Lam., Opuntia species, Prunus africana (Hook.f.) Kalkman, and Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don. are the most studied species, with the latter having vincristine and vinblastine anticancer drugs developed from it. Prostate, cervical, breast, and skin cancers are the top traditionally treated malignancies. )ere is a need to isolate and evaluate the anticancer potential of the bioactive compounds in the unstudied claimed plants, such as Cyperus alatus (Nees) F. Muell., Ficus dawei Hutch., Ficus natalensis Hochst., and Lovoa trichilioides Harms, and elucidate their mechanism of anticancer activity.Item Pollution of Mpanga River by Kabundaire Abattoir Effluents, Fort Portal Tourism City, Uganda(Asian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Research, 2021) Businge, Fred; Kagoya, Sarah; Omara, Timothy; Angiro, ChristopherAbattoirs are one of the most pronounced but yet ignored sources of highly recalcitrant wastewater that has significant impacts on the environment. The aim of this study was to assess the impacts of Kabundaire abattoir effluents on the quality of water in the receiving Mpanga river, Fort Portal tourism city of Uganda. The study also estimated the amount of water used and wastewater generated in the facility between December 2018 and December 2019, and the number of animals slaughtered per month in the abattoir. Study Design: This research employed a quantitative research design. Place and Duration of Study: Samples were collected from six different sites of Mpanga river at intervals of 2 km from Fort Portal town: upstream (Kahungabunyoni and Kagote A), midstream/ effluent discharge point (Kabundaire and Mpanga market) and downstream (Rwabuhinga and Kitumba) along Mpanga river stretch in the morning and evening hours. The analyses were done at National Water & Sewerage Corporation, Fort Portal, Uganda. The sampling and experimental work was done between May 2019 and August 2019. Methodology: The physicochemical properties (pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, total nitrates and total phosphates) and microbiological (Escherichia coli and total coliform) profile of the water samples were determined following standard methods. To quantify the amount of water used and wastewater generated, the number of cattle, goats and sheep slaughtered per day between December 2018 and April 2019 were retrieved from abattoir records and extrapolated. Results: Analytical results indicated that the evaluated water quality parameters were in the range of 6.93 ± 0.02 to 7.90 ± 0.16, 22.0 ± 0.14 ℃ to 23.6 ± 0.26 ℃, 0.01 ± 0.00 mg/L to 0.26 ± 0.02 mg/L, 6.30 ± 0.03 mg/L to 10.00 ± 0.03 mg/L, 4.20 ± 0.05 mg/L to 9.70 ± 0.02 mg/L, 4 × 102 CFU/mL to 48 × 103 CFU/mL, 1.4 × 104 CFU/mL to 6.6 × 106 CFU/mL for pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, total phosphates, total nitrates, Escherichia coli and total coliforms, respectively. Most of the parameters were above permissible limits except pH, temperature and total nitrates. An average of 133 cattle, 78 goats and 33 sheep are slaughtered in Kabundaire abattoir every month. The actual number varies by month, depending on the demand for meat. The amount of water used, and the wastewater generated were estimated at 15,768 m3/year and 18,396 m3/year, respectively. Conclusion: Discharge of effluents from Kabundaire abattoir into Mpanga river negatively affects its water quality. Mpanga river water is not safe for domestic use without further treatment/purification. We recommend that an anaerobic wastewater treatment facility should be installed at Kabundaire abattoir to enhance environmental conservation. Further studies should determine the actual amount of water used and wastewater generated at the facility.Item The Scourge of Aflatoxins in Kenya: A 60-Year Review (1960 to 2020)(Journal of Food Quality, 2021) Omara, Timothy; Kiprop, Ambrose K.; Wangila, Phanice; Wacoo, Alex Paul; Kagoya, Sarah; Nteziyaremye, Papias; Odero, Mark Peter; Kiwanuka Nakiguli, Caroline; Obakiro, Samuel BakerAflatoxins are endemic in Kenya. +e 2004 outbreak of acute aflatoxicosis in the country was one of the unprecedented epidemics of human aflatoxin poisoning recorded in mycotoxin history. In this study, an elaborate review was performed to synthesize Kenya’s major findings in relation to aflatoxins, their prevalence, detection, quantification, exposure assessment, prevention, and management in various matrices. Data retrieved indicate that the toxins are primarily biosynthesized by Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus, with the eastern part of the country reportedly more aflatoxin-prone. Aflatoxins have been reported in maize and maize products (Busaa, chan’gaa, githeri, irio, muthokoi, uji, and ugali), peanuts and its products, rice, cassava, sorghum, millet, yams, beers, dried fish, animal feeds, dairy and herbal products, and sometimes in tandem with other mycotoxins. +e highest total aflatoxin concentration of 58,000 μg/kg has been reported in maize. At least 500 acute human illnesses and 200 deaths due to aflatoxins have been reported. +e causes and prevalence of aflatoxins have been grossly ascribed to poor agronomic practices, low education levels, and inadequate statutory regulation and sensitization. Low diet diversity has aggravated exposure to aflatoxins in Kenya because maize as a dietetic staple is aflatoxin-prone. Detection and surveillance are only barely adequate, though some exposure assessments have been conducted. +ere is a need to widen diet diversity as a measure of reducing exposure due to consumption of aflatoxin-contaminated foods.Item Spectroscopic Analysis of Selected Priority Trace Metals in the Extant East African Gilled Lungfish (Protopterus amphibius) in Lira Municipal Lagoon and Its Edibility Health Risk(Science Journal of Analytical Chemistry, 2018) Omara, Timothy; Ogwang, Remish; Ndyamuhaki, Sarah; Kagoya, Sarah; Kigenyi, Erisa; Musau, Bashir; Adupa, EddieThis investigation analyzed the concentrations of three trace metals in gilled lungfish of Lira Municipal lagoon of Lira District and estimated the health risk associated with its consumption. Three fresh lungfish samples from the down, middle and up sluices of the lagoon were caught, eviscerated, washed and sundried. Edible muscles of the samples were oven dried at 105°C, desiccated and pulverized. 2.0 ± 0.1g of the fine fish powders were ashed at 550°C, acid digested, and the filtrates used to prepare 1 litre sample solutions. The sample solutions were analyzed for Lead, Zinc and Cadmium by Atomic absorption spectrometry. Spectroscopic results showed that no Cadmium was detected while the statistical mean concentrations of Zinc and Lead in the fishes from down, middle and up streams in mg/kg were 157.8 ± 0.01, 160.2 ± 0.02, 158.2 ± 0.01 and 6.84 ± 0.01, 1.69 ± 0.03, 5.12 ± 0.01 respectively. The above results showed that the trace metals in the investigated fish samples are deleteriously above the maximum permissible Zinc (0.7mg/kg) and Lead (0.3mg/kg) levels in fish indicated by CODEX STAN 193-1995. The statistical Estimated Daily Intakes were from 26.27 to 26.66 mg/kg/day for Zinc and 0.28 to 1.48 mg/kg/day for Lead. A heightened Health Risk Index value of 88.67 for Zinc was observed in the middle stream lungfish samples while Lead had the lowest Health Risk Index value of 2.00 in the middle stream fish from the lagoon. All the Health Risk Index values were greater than unity except for Chromium that was undetected in the fish muscles thus the lungfish of the lagoon is unsafe for human consumption and continuous consumption will impact human health. The immediate strategy lies in fencing the lagoon area and putting a stringent restriction against fishing from the lagoon.