Phytochemical screening and repellence potencies of bioactive molecules of plant extracts derived from Ocimum suave, Ocimum americanum and Eucalyptus citriodora against Anopheles gambiae

The purpose of the study was to find out the influence of devolved governance system in participation management of public funds in Meru and Tharaka Nithi counties in Meru community. Devolved governance system in Kenya has taken root with the central government devolving funds, policies and programs with minimal involvement of the people on the grass root level.. Since the advent of devolution it is critical to find out whether people have taken the initiative to influence governance and be involved in fund management. The research questions guiding the study were: What is the influence of Devolved System of Governance in managing funds in County Governments in Meru Community? What is the influence of devolution and public participation in governance of County Governments in Meru Community? How does devolution and political representation in counties influence performance of governance in County Governments in Meru Community? To which extent does devolution and public participation in decision making is being institutionalized by county governments in Meru community? What is the effectiveness of control activities in the management of public funds in county governments in Meru community? The research was conducted in Meru and Tharaka Nithi Counties and through purposeful sampling had two case studies from each county in Meru community. Data was collected using guided interviews and semi structured questions. The data was collected through a focus group discussion, documents and audio-visual materials.. The study examined the literature review to understand devolved governance system and its practice globally, regionally and in Meru and Tharaka Nithi Counties. The theoretical framework was anchored on the governance theory, devolution theory, management theory and participation theory which imply that citizens are able to participate in fund management. The study findings indicated that the devolved system of governance is able to improve on financial planning, which eases the decision making process. It improves the transparency on financial matters and there is accountability on financial utilization which has influenced the financial management in Meru and Tharaka Nithi Counties. The study concluded that public participation is a pivotal factor in the budgeting process as optimal participation by the public reduces instances of fractious processes and the budgets captured the wishes of the masses. The essence of assuring public participation is requisite in the quest to have openness in budget making. Keywords: Devolved governance system, Participation, management, Public Funds.

Seasonal aromatic Lamiaceae shrub Ocimum suave has insecticidal and therapeutic bioactive compounds. The plant's phytochemical profile and effective solvents for extraction have limited information, despite its potential as a sustainable pest management alternative. The phytochemical composition and quantification of solvent-extracted Ocimum suave leaves, stems, roots, and combined samples were examined. The plant samples were obtained at Dakawa-Mvomero. A laboratory-based experimental design was employed to assess the effect of different extraction solvents on the phytochemical profile and quantification of bioactive compounds in Ocimum suave. A completely randomized design (CRD) was used with three replications to minimize experimental error and increase the reliability of the results. Alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, and essential oils were detected in plant samples using methanol, dichloromethane (DCM), n-hexane, and distilled water-extraction solvents. Samples underwent standard quantification chemical tests. Saponins (p=0.027), essential oils (p=0.018), and alkaloids (0.018) showed significant differences. These findings demonstrate that solvent type significantly impacts compound extraction efficiency. Root tannins were concentrated at 3.51mg/l and stem at 3.36mg/l with methanol. Leaf, stem, and root terpenoids were highly concentrated in dichloromethane 7.20% and n-hexane 5.80% extracts. Dichloromethane 6.50%, methanol 6.20%, and n-hexane 6.10% concentrated essential oils from all plant parts. Saponins in roots, stems, and leaves were 5.60% concentrated with distilled water. N-hexane solvent concentrated leaf flavonoids (4.55%) and stem alkaloids (3.25%). The findings emphasise solvent choice in phytochemical yields and suggest Ocimum suave may be an eco-friendly pesticide.

Background: Cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In Kenya, cancer as a disease ranks third as a cause of death after infectious and cardiovascular diseases and the cancer cases are increasing at an alarming rate. Objective: The current study was aimed at determining the prevalence trends of cancer in Meru and Tharaka Nithi Counties with an aim of putting proper infrastructural and human capacity development to combat cancer. Methods: A random selection of patients aged between five to eighty-two years clinically diagnosed as cancer patients who were visiting Meru and Chuka General Hospitals for a period of one year were recruited for the study. The participants were requested to give a verbal consent and respond to a brief questionnaire concerning their gender, age and the type of cancer they are suffering from. This study used retrogressive approach where the trend of cancer incidences and death rate were determined for the last eight years (2011 to 2018) using the hospital data. Data were analysed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). Results: This study established that the prevalence of cancer in people visiting hospitals in Meru and Tharaka Nithi Counties was 0.32% and 0.38% respectively. Further, the prevalence trends of cancer cases in the two counties have been increasing over the last eight years. Conclusion: The study concludes that cancer is prevalent in Meru and Tharaka Nithi Counties. It is therefore recommended that proper infrastructural and human capacity development be put in place to combat cancer.

The adulticidal activities of essential oils of eleven plants namely Chenopodium ambrosioides, Eucalyptus citriodora, Eucalyptus globules, Lippia adoensis, Mentha spicata, Nigella sativa, Ocimum lamiifolium, Ocimum suave, Piper nigrum, Schinus molle and Thymus vulgaris were assessed against a laboratory colony of Anopheles arabiensis in Ethiopia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) glass bottle bioassay was adopted to conduct bioefficacy tests. For each replicate, ten blood-unfed female An. arabiensis were exposed to different concentrations of essential oils coated in glass bottles, and mortality was recorded at intervals of 5 minutes for one hour to assess the mean percentage mortality and LC50 and LC90 values. The residual toxicity of six essential oils was also assessed by exposing adult An. arabiensis in nylon netting Barraud cages treated by oils. Of all the essential oils assessed for adulticidal activities, O. suave was found to be toxic at low concentration (LC50 = of 0.0014 ml% v/v; LC90 = 0.0027 ml% v/v). The next efficacious oil was that of T. vulgaris with LC50 and LC90 values of 0.0028 ml% v/v and 0.005 ml% v/v, respectively. The lowest activity was due to S. molle, E. globulus and P. nigrum. At a concentration of 0.05 ml% v/v, O. suave killed 100% of An. arabiensis within five minutes of exposure, while P. nigrum at the same duration caused similar rate of mortality at a concentration of 50 fold. Residual toxicity tests revealed O. suave to persist for 15 days, killing all mosquitoes in the first five days and 80% up to 10 days. The lowest residual activity was noted for E. citriodora which persisted only for 2 days. The essential oil O. suave acquired the highest level of toxicity at low concentration and within a short time. The efficacious nature of most plants has an implication for more screening of components of these plants with potential adulticides and develops for mosquito control.

Correlation between chemical composition and antibacterial activity of essential oils of some aromatic medicinal plants growing in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Education is a fundamental right that should be accessible to all members of the society. However, one of the major contemporary social problem confronting most African Countries in the world is the Teenage Pregnancy. Teenage pregnancy limits girls’ access to higher education in developed and developing countries. Teenage parenthood and pregnancy during adolescence are risk factors for school dropout. Despite the numerous interventions put in place to address the challenge of teenage pregnancy among secondary school students, this problem continues witnessed in Kenyan secondary schools, particularly in Tharaka Nithi County. The low effectiveness in combating teenage pregnancy can be attributed to many factors among them parental influence. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate parental influence on teenage pregnancy among secondary school students in Tharaka Nithi County. Descriptive research design adopted for the study. Data gathered from 15 secondary schools based on school categories using the Cluster sampling procedure. Clusters based on the school national ranking. The target population was 11,936 form three students in Public and Private secondary in schools in Tharaka Nithi, County. A sample size of 410 respondents comprising 30 teachers, and 380 students (300 girls and 80 boys) used. The instruments for data collection used were structured questionnaires and personal interviews. Pilot testing done in two schools in Meru County. The overall reliability coefficient of instruments using Cronbach’s alpha yielded 0.754. Data were analysis by use of descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Chi-square). Data analysis undertaken with the help of the Statistical package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0 software. The study established that there is a strong positive significant influence of parental influence on teenage pregnancy among secondary school students in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. The study recommends that the National and Tharaka Nithi county governments should engage parents in workshops to train them on comprehensive sex education and provide them with educational materials and guidelines. The research findings of the present study can shed light on secondary schools administrators, the Ministry of education policymakers, teachers, parents, and other stakeholders on teenage pregnancy among secondary schools in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. This knowledge can inform appropriate measures to mitigate the parental influence on teenage pregnancies. The findings of this study add to the body of knowledge and act as a basis for further research.

During screening of twenty six essential oils against Botrytis cinerea, the essential oils of the ten plants viz. Chenopodium ambrosioides, Eucalyptus citriodora, Eupatorium cannabinum, Lawsonia inermis, Ocimum canum, O. gratissimum, O. sanctum, Prunus persica, Zingiber cassumunar and Z. officinale were found to exhibit absolute fungitoxic activity (100% growth inhibition). The essential oils of O. sanctum, P. persica and Z. officinale were selected for further investigation because these oils showed lower Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) as compared to the other fungitoxic oils. The selected oils were subsequently standardized through physico-chemical and fungitoxic properties. The MIC values of O. sanctum, P. persica and Z. officinale were found to be 200, 100 and 100 ppm (mg/l) respectively. The oils showed fungistatic nature at their respective MIC. The oils were thermostable, and exhibited a wide range of fungitoxicity against 15 other post-harvest fungal pathogens. The oils had the potency to withstand high inoculum density. The antifungal potency of oils was found to be greater in comparison to some prevalent synthetic fungicides. Practical applicability of the essential oils was observed in control of grey mould of grapes caused by B. cinerea during storage. The O. sanctum- and P. persica-oil-treated grapes showed enhancement of storage life up to 5 and 4 days respectively. The storage life of Z. officinale-oil-treated grapes was found to be enhanced up to 6 days. The oils did not exhibit any phytotoxic effect on the fruit peel. Therefore, the oils could be recommended as a potential source of ecofriendly botanical fungicide, after long term and wide ranging trials.

Despite the government of Kenya supporting the training and employment of teachers to deliver quality education to learners with hearing challenges, the academic performance in primary schools for learners with hearing impairments has been poor. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of augmentative and alternative assistive technology devices on academic performance in primary schools for learners with hearing challenges in Meru and Tharaka Nithi counties, Kenya. The study was guided by the capability theory. The mixed-methods approach and descriptive research design were adopted. The target population was the three primary schools for learners with hearing impairments in Meru and Tharaka Nithi Counties. It interviewed head teachers and County Educational Directors of Education and issued questionnaires to learners. Staff participated in a focused group discussion. The learners, teaching and non-teaching staff, were selected using simple random sampling technique, while the three head teachers and the two County Educational Directors of Education were selected purposively. Descriptive statistics and correlation were used in the quantitative data analysis, while thematic technique was used on qualitative data. Analysis of data was done by computing inferential and descriptive statistics using SPSS. Dismal academic performance was reported in the three primary schools. The study noted inadequate and poorly maintained augmentative and alternative assistive technology devices, inadequate learners’ skills, weak guidelines for using the devices and insufficient support from the government. The utilization of augmentative and alternative assistive technology devices was low. The study recommended that the Ministry of Education should purchase all the required augmentative and alternative assistive technology devices, allocate adequate funds for their maintenance and establish a policy that fosters the utilization of augmentative and alternative assistive technology devices in the school. The findings suggest changes in the curriculum, qualification of staff, funding, and teaching pedagogies.

Non-target organisms are not well studied. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of seven essential oils, two fixed oils, d-limonene and eugenol on the mortality, behavior and infectivity of entomopathogenic nematodes (ENPs). The oils were diluted at 1% (v/v) in water with Tween® 80 PS at 0.05% (v/v), and water with Tween® alone was used as the control treatment. In the mortality test, 2 mL of solution containing 50 µL of the nematode suspension, 20 µL of oil/compounds solution isolated with Tween 80, and 1930 µL of water were placed in plastic containers. After four days, the number of dead juveniles was counted. In the bioassay of the behavior of the EPNs, the frequency of lateral body beats of the infective juveniles in liquid medium was analyzed after exposure to the solutions. In the infectivity test, after contact of the EPNs with oils and essential oil chemical compounds, the juveniles were washed and applied to second-instar Spodoptera eridania larvae. All oils and isolated compounds caused mortality in H. amazonensis and S. rarum, with Ocimum canum and the isolated compound eugenol showing the highest efficacy against H. amazonensis and O. canum, Eucalyptus citriodora, Zingiber officinale, Salvia sclarea and the isolated compound eugenol being the most effective against S. rarum. There was a reduction in the number of lateral beats of H. amazonensis and S. rarum for all treatments, with the exception of Cymbopogon winterianus in H. amazonensis and Annona muricata in S. rarum. The infectivity of H. amazonenis and S. rarum on S. eridania was reduced when exposed to the solutions, with the exception of the isolated compound d-limonene in both species, soursop for H. amazonenis and rosemary for S. rarum, which were classified as non-toxic to the species tested. The results obtained in this study may be useful for the choice of oils and essential oil chemical compounds with potential use in integrated pest management programs.

Efficiency of essential oils and pure compounds in the management of Plutella xylostella, Spodoptera eridania and Diaphania hyalinata

s. PHYTOPHARM 2012 M 106 Obzory po kliniceskoj farmacologii i lekarstvennoj terapii [Reviews of clinical pharmacology and drug therapy] ТОМ 10/2012/2 ocimum americanum l. or hoary basil is an annual herbaceous plant native to Asia and Africa which has attracted increased interest due to its antimicrobial activity against a wide range of pathogenic microorganisms. To evaluate the antimicrobial property of essential oil extracted from the leaves of ocimum americanum against oral bacteria related to periodontal disease. Three species of periodontal pathogens including Porphyromonas gingivalis W50, Prevotella intermedia ATCC 25611 and Fusobacterium nucleatum ATCC 25586 were included in the study. Agar diffusion was performed initially to screen the antimicrobial activity of ocimum americanum essential oil. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MiC) and Minimum bactericidal concentration (MbC) were then determined using the Millipore membrane method. in the agar diffusion, essential oil extracted from ocimum americanum exhibited antimicrobial activity against all test bacteria with the zone of inhibition ranging from 24 to 30 mm. The MiC values against P. gingivalis and P. intermedia were 0.35 mg/ml whereas that of F. nucleatum was 0.70 mg/ml. The MbC values against P. gingivalis and P. intermedia were 0.70 mg/ml whereas that of F. nucleatum was 1.4 mg/ml. ocimum americanum essential oil has an antimicrobial activity which may be a beneficial component of oral health care products to control or prevent periodontal disease by reducing these bacteria in the oral cavity. OCIMUM AMERICANUM L. ESSENTIAL OIL EXHIBITS ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY AGAINST ORAL BACTERIA RELATED TO PERIODONTAL DISEASE © Thaweboon Sroisiri, Thaweboon Boonyanit Faculty of Dentistry, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand BREEDING AND SELECTION OF HIGH QUALITY PLANTS OF RHODIOLA ROSEA © Thomsen Mette Goul Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research (Bioforsk), Kapp, Norway The composition and content of chemical compounds are one of the most important factors when breeding medicinal plants. The chemical composition in R. rosea is mainly influenced by genetic factors but also factors like temperature and day length strongly affects the content of compounds. furthermore, clonal differences may exist in response to growth conditions and affect the concentration of metabolites. five Norwegian clones of R. rosea, two male and three female clones, from a clone collection was selected on the basis of the content of the marker compounds, total Rosavins and Salidrosid. The seeds from each of the female clones were collected and seed propagated plants from these three were planted at six different locations in Norway. After four seasons the plants were analysed for content of secondary metabolites. Content of Tot. Rosavines ( % of dry matter)

The government of Kenya has established measures such as training and employment of teachers to deliver quality education to learners with hearing challenges. However, the academic performance in primary schools for learners with hearing impairments has been poor. This study investigated the effect of utilizing assistive technologies on the academic performance in primary schools for learners with hearing challenges in Meru and Tharaka Nithi counties, Kenya. It specifically examined the effect of listening assistive technologies on academic performance. It was guided by the capability theory. The three hearing-impaired special schools in Meru and Tharaka Nithi County were the study's sample. There were 91 pupils, 13 teachers, and 9 technical support personnel. Three school principals and 2 County Educational Directors for Education were interviewed. The study used a cross-sectional survey. Questionnaires, interview guide, focused group discussion, and document analysis were utilized to collect data. Descriptive statistics and correlation were used to analyze quantitative data, while thematic technique was used on qualitative data. The findings were presented using tables, figures and identified themes. A pre-test was conducted to address the validity and reliability of the research instruments. The study discovered a positive link between the use of listening assistive devices and academic achievement in primary schools for students with hearing impairments. It also noted a low usage of listening assistive technologies, which was ascribed to listening assistive device inadequacy, a lack of skills for utilizing them, poor equipment maintenance, and a lack of appropriate support from schools, government, family, and the community. The Ministry of Education should develop a strategy to acquire all the necessary listening assistive technology equipment for students with hearing impairments in all primary schools. Head teachers were advised to develop training strategies for complicated listening assistive devices to reduce the rate of breakages and breakdowns.

Extension training is intended to increase the efficiency and performance of the human resource that acts responsibly in a society based on a communication interaction with knowledge sources. The main objective of this study was to assess the effect of training farmers on banana value addition among smallholder farmers in Meru and Tharaka-Nithi counties. The study adopted a pragmatic paradigm and a cross-sectional survey design and sampled 370 and 30 farmers proportionately obtained from 269,499 and 19,303 smallholder banana farmers in Meru and Tharaka-Nithi counties, respectively. Structured and semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data from the respondents. Secondary data were obtained from official extension and production records in the two counties as well as related literature. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics to determine frequencies, percentages and means. Regression analysis was conducted to examine relationships between the study variables. The results revealed that there was an association between training farmers on the various method of banana value addition and adoption of selected banana value addition technologies was statistically significant at 1% level of significance (p-value = 0.000<0.01, c2=156.391, df 1). The study concludes that farmers having a preferred facilitator in training positively influenced the adoption of banana value addition technologies. The study recommends the government should create and implement policies such as collaborating with high learning institution like universities and set days where they will be training farmers on various methods of banana value addition. Key words: Extension training, banana value addition, small holder farmers.

Background: The essential oil-bearing plants are extensively being used in traditional systems of medicine due to the occurrence of the diversity of phytochemical constituents. The emerging crisis of developing resistance to conventional drugs has increased public health awareness and reliance on natural compounds as safer alternatives.Methods: The essential oil extracted from Eucalyptus citriodora (Hook.) leaves was characterized for physicochemical attributes, formulated with hand sanitizer gel, tested for organoleptic parameters, and antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis.Results: E. citriodora essential oil (EEO) had a camphorous scent, and dark yellow coloration, while exhibiting 0.60% yield (v/w, 97% pure), 0.94 density, 1.47 refractive index, 11.10 viscosity, 0.92 specific gravity, 0.0-9.98º optical rotation, 11.20 acid number, 50.60 ester number, which satisfy the standards specified by ISO (The International Organization for Standardization). The chromatographic analysis of oil identified eucalyptol as the most abundant compound (80.08%) followed by α-terpinyl acetate, isopinocarveol, and globulol as the moderately abundant compounds (4.46-4.81%), while viridiflorol and terpinen-4-ol as less abundant compounds (3.06 and 2.69%, respectively). Formulated hand sanitizer with EEO exhibited physical and microbiological properties that were comparable with the market products. It also had a pleasant scent, was compatible with the skin, was easy to apply, and is acceptable to the users.Conclusion: The current study clearly shows that EEO could be utilized as a potential ingredient in alcohol-based gel hand sanitizer formulation for giving a pleasant smell, acceptable physical appearance and microbial quality parameters.Keywords: Essential oil; Eucalyptol; Hand sanitizer; Gel Formulation; Antimicrobial effects

In ayurveda, plants have been used for the treatment of so many diseases. Herbal drugs are easily available and have fewer side effects. So, many people are attracted towards the herbal drugs. Platycladus orientalis is one of the useful plant in Indian & Chinese medicine. It is used in treatment of so many diseases like diuretic, anticancer, anticonvulsant, stomachic, antipyretic, analgesic and anthelmintic etc. In Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa Platycladus orientalis is grown as an ornamental. The essential oils extracted from leaves, cones and wood are important in body care products used in the Western world. Platycladus orientalis (Commonly- Morpankhi, Family- Cupressaceae) is an evergreen, monoecious trees or shrubs used in various forms of traditional medicines and homeopathy in various ways. In traditional practices Thuja is used for treatment of bronchial catarrh, enuresis, cystitis, psoriasis, uterine carcinomas, amenorrhea and rheumatism. Recent re-searches in different parts of the world have shown that p. orientalis and its active component thujone have the great potential against a various health problems The medicinal plants are widely used by the traditional medical practitioners for curing various diseases in their day to day practice. In traditional systems of medicine, different parts (leaves, stem, flower, root, seeds and even whole plant) of Ocimum canum Linn (known as kalaTulsi in Hindi), a small herb seen throughout India, have been recommended for the treatment of bronchitis, bronchial asthma, malaria, diarrhea, dysentery, skin diseases, arthritis, painful eye diseases, chronic fever, insect bite etc. The Ocimum canum L. has also been suggested to possess antifertility, anticancer, antidiabetic, antifungal, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, antiemetic, antispasmodic, analgesic,adaptogenic and diaphoretic actions.