Browsing by Author "Komakech, Richard"

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    In Vitro Antiosteoporosis Activity and Hepatotoxicity Evaluation in Zebrafish Larvae of Bark Extracts of Prunus jamasakura Medicinal Plant
    (Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2020) Komakech, Richard; Shim, Ki-Shuk; Omujal, Francis; Agwaya, Moses; Nambatya, Grace Kyeyune; Motlalepula, Gilbert Matsabisa; Kang, Youngmin
    Osteoporosis is one of the main health problems in the world today characterized by low bone mass and deterioration in bone microarchitecture. In recent years, the use of natural products approach to treat it has been in the increase. In this study, in vitro antiosteoporosis activity and hepatotoxicity of P. jamasakura bark extracts were evaluated. Methods. Mouse bone marrow macrophage (BMM) cells were incubated with tartrate-resistant acid phosphate (TRAP) buffers and p-nitrophenyl phosphate and cultured with different P. jamasakura bark extracts at concentrations of 0, 6.25, 12.5, 25, and 50 μg/ml in the presence of the receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand (RANKL) for 6 days. The osteoclast TRAP activity and cell viability were measured. Nitric oxide (NO) assay was conducted using murine macrophage-like RAW 264.7 cells treated with P. jamasakura ethanolic and methanolic bark extracts at concentrations of 0, 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, 100, and 200 μg/ml. For hepatotoxicity assessment, zebrafish larvae were exposed to P. jamasakura bark extracts, 0.05% dimethyl sulfoxide as a negative control, and 5 μM tamoxifen as a positive control. The surviving larvae were anesthetized and assessed for hepatocyte apoptosis. Results. TRAP activity was significantly inhibited ( < 0.001) at all concentrations of P. jamasakura extracts compared to the control treatment. At 50 μg/ml, both ethanolic and methanolic extracts of P. jamasakura exhibited significant ( < 0.01) BMM cell viability compared to the control treatment. P. jamasakura ethanolic and methanolic extracts had significant inhibitory ( < 0.01) effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NO production at 200 μg/ml and exhibited significant ( < 0.01) and ( < 0.05) stimulative effects, respectively, on RAW 264.7 cell viability. No overt hepatotoxicity was observed in the liver of zebrafish larvae in any of the treatments. Conclusion. The TRAP activity of P. jamasakura bark gives a foundation for further studies to enhance future development of antiosteoporosis drug.
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    A Micropropagation Protocol for the Endangered Medicinal Tree Prunus africana (Hook f.) Kalkman: Genetic Fidelity and Physiological Parameter Assessment
    (Frontiers in Plant Science, 2020) Komakech, Richard; Kim, Yong-Goo; Kim, Wook Jin; Omujal, Francis; Yang, Sungyu; Okello, Denis; Kyeyune, Grace Nambatya; Matsabisa, Motlalepula Gilbert; Kang, Youngmin
    Prunus africana is an endangered medicinal plant and hence new propagation methods are urgently required to increase its populations. Unfortunately, propagation through seeds is challenging due to its long flowering cycle and recalcitrant seeds. We developed a protocol for micropropagation using nodal segment explants. A woody plant medium supplemented with vitamins, 15 g L−1 sucrose, and 1.0 mg L−1 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) supported the optimum rate (100%) of axillary shoot initiation. Supplementation with 15 g L−1 sucrose and 1.5 mg L−1 indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) provided the optimum rate (75%) of root initiation. Rooted plantlets were successfully planted in sterilized horticultural soil containing perlite (2:1 v/v) and the survival rate was 98% following acclimatization. The photosynthetic rate assessed using FlourPen FP110 series showed that the ratio of variable fluorescence to maximum fluorescence mean value for in vitro regenerated P. africana (0.830 ± 0.0008) was similar to that of the maternal P. africana plant (0.825 ± 0.005), indicating similarity in their photosynthetic performance; a pivotal process for growth and development. The Fourier transform near-IR (FT-NIR) spectrometer analysis of the in vitro regenerated and the maternal P. africana plant samples exhibited homogeneity in the absorbance peaks at 8,273, 6,344, and 4,938–4,500 cm−1 associated with lipids, starch, and proteins. The genetic fidelity of regenerated plants was confirmed using the randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique. Our protocol is suitable for use in large-scale P. africana to meet the increasing demands for it in the global market.
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    Wetland Restoration and Conservation. Case of Uganda
    (East African Nature and Science Organization, 2024-08-28) Twinomujuni, Dennis; Tumwebaze, Adson; Baluku, Edwin; Ogwal, Francis Sabino; Komakech, Richard
    Wetlands are the “natural filters with a variety of important ecosystem benefits and are more relevant in improving people’s livelihoods. However, as a result of increasing global economic pressures, they have drastically decreased resulting in more global environmental challenges such as climate change. This has attracted international and regional attention for wetland management through restoration which has several success and failure stories. This review aimed at establishing the dynamics for wetland restoration success and failure in Uganda through narrative literature review. This showed that institutional and policy environment, land tenure systems, traditional and indigenous knowledge, and project scope significantly affect the restoration outcomes. Therefore, there is a need for comprehensive interdisciplinary collaboration for effective and efficient governance and alternative live- hoods analysis, the integration of traditional knowledge for land tenure system support, fostering gender sensitive and a multisectoral, approach and prioritizing community-centered practices to address land tenure system complexities and ensure the sustainability of wetland ecosystems for future generations in restoration initiatives