Browsing by Author "Nassazi, Winfred"

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    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, Eddie
    Uganda 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.
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    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, Edmond
    Poisonous 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.