Pharmacological Active Compounds Research Articles

Differential Tick Salivary Protein Profiles and Human Immune Responses to Lone Star Ticks (Amblyomma americanum) From the Wild vs. a Laboratory Colony.

Ticks are a growing concern to human and animal health worldwide and they are leading vectors of arthropod-borne pathogens in the United States. Ticks are pool blood feeders that can attach to the host skin for days to weeks using their saliva to counteract the host defenses. Tick saliva, as in other hematophagous arthropods, contains pharmacological and immunological active compounds, which modulate local and systemic immune responses and induce antibody production. In the present study, we explore differences in the salivary gland extract (SGE) protein content of Amblyomma americanum ticks raised in a laboratory colony (CT) vs. those collected in the field (FT). First, we measured the IgG antibody levels against SGE in healthy volunteers residing in Kansas. ELISA test showed higher IgG antibody levels when using the SGE from CT as antigen. Interestingly, antibody levels against both, CT-SGE and FT-SGE, were high in the warm months (May–June) and decreased in the cold months (September–November). Immunoblot testing revealed a set of different immunogenic bands for each group of ticks and mass spectrometry data revealed differences in at 19 proteins specifically identified in the CT-SGE group and 20 from the FT-SGE group. Our results suggest that differences in the salivary proteins between CT-SGE and FT-SGE may explain the differential immune responses observed in this study.

Effects of combined infrared and steam blanching on enzyme inactivation and product quality ofChrysanthemum indicumL. flower

The effects of combined infrared and steam blanching (ISB), steam blanching (SB) and infrared blanching (IB) on enzyme inactivation (peroxidase, POD, and polyphenol oxidase, PPO), characteristic bioactive components content (phenolics, carotenoids and flavonoids), 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (5‐HMF), micromorphology and color of Chrysanthemum indicum L. flower were comparatively studied. It was shown that ISB and SB treatments allowed a stable surface temperature at approximately 99°C, while IB caused the temperature rose up to a high value of 129.2°C. ISB treatment enhanced POD and PPO inactivation, and resulted in highest characteristic components, color, and micromorphology retention, as well as the lowest 5‐HMF content. The results demonstrated that ISB can be an alternative to conventional IB and SB for the inactivation of POD and PPO in fresh plants with the added values of higher retention of bioactive compounds, better external appearance, and lower evolution of maillard reaction. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Chrysanthemum indicum L. flower has a bright yellow color and various pharmacological active compounds. Because of the short blooming period and perishable characteristic, fresh Chrysanthemum indicum L. flower must be dried to extend its shelf‐life for off‐season use. Blanching is an essential step before drying of agricultural products to inactivate enzymes that cause brown discoloration and loss of bioactive components. However, conventional blanching methods are time‐consuming. Therefore, a method of combined infrared and steam blanching was proposed in this paper. The results can serve as a basis to design ISB treatment before drying of fruit and vegetables to save blanching time, control enzyme browning, and non‐enzyme browning and improve product quality.

Evaluation of the immunomodulatory effect against splenocytes of Balb/c mice of biflorin obtained from Capraria biflora by a new isolation method

Biflorin (6,9-dimethyl-3-(4-methylpent-3-en-1-yl) benzo[de]chromene-7,8-dione) is a promising substance that has been increasingly studied in the past decades due to its diverse pharmacological properties (i.e. antitumor, antioxidant, antiinflamatory, antimicrobial activity etc.). Aiming the comprehension of its antitumoral activity we investigated the cell proliferation and cytotoxicity habilities of biflorin against mice splenocytes Balb/c. Biflorin was able to stimulate mice splenocytes Balb/c in 48h of incubation at a concentration of 20.2μM. Its immunostimulation promoted the production of cytokines such as: TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-6 and IL-17, inducing the immune profile toward a Th1 response. Moreover, an original method which led to an excellent yield with less processing time compared to the methods described in the literature was developed to obtain biflorin, from sawdust of Capraria biflora L., Scrophulariaceae. This method shows a great potential of increasing the production of this pharmacological active compound.

The potent therapeutic effect of novel cyanobacterial isolates against oxidative stress damage in redox rats.

Cyanobacteria are immense sources of several pharmacological activecompounds such as flavonoids and carotenoids with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. The potential therapeutic effect of two novel cyanobacterial isolates, Cronbergia siamensis (KY296358.1) and Sphaerospermopsis aphanizomenoides (KU212886.1), against hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 )-induced oxidative stress damage in the rat model was determined in this study. In vitro antioxidant activity of the two studied isolates was evaluated by radical scavenging assay and ferric reducing power. The possible prophylactic activity of S. aphanizomenoides (KU212886.1) against H2 O2 -induced oxidative stress in the rat model was assessed invivo. Serum alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase were measured for the liver functions in redox rats. Liver malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione, oxidized glutathione, nitric oxide, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were assessed as oxidative stress markers. The effect of S. aphanizomenoides on the transcripts level of superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) and catalase (CAT) genes in the rat's liver tissues was measured using qRT-PCR. Oral administration of S. aphanizomenoides extract in low and high doses (100, 200mgkg-1 b.w) resulted in significant improvement in biochemical parameters of liver functions and oxidative stress markers. Also, the endogenous antioxidant defence enzymes and the expression of their related genes (Mn/SOD, CAT) were upregulated. Immunohistochemistry of Caspase-3, an apoptotic marker, showed potent amelioration in the liver tissues. The novel isolate S. aphanizomenoides proved invitro and invivo antioxidant activity against redox rat model. This isolate provides a new source of pharmacological compounds with great importance in pharmacological and medical fields.

EVALUATION OF COCAINE SAMPLES SEIZED IN THE STREETS OF THE STATE OF RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

Fifty-two samples of street cocaine seized in the state of Rio de Janeiro, from May 2016 to April 2017, were evaluated according to their purity, presence of inorganic and sugar diluents and concentration of pharmacologically active adulterants. Cocaine contents, as well as the adulterants caffeine, lidocaine and phenacetin, were evaluated by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The samples were screened by Raman spectroscopy for the presence of inorganic diluents and carbohydrates. The main diluents were calcium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate, which were found in 93% and 71% of the cocaine hydrochloride samples, respectively. Caffeine was found in 91% of the cocaine hydrochloride samples, while phenacetin was found in all freebase cocaine samples. Freebase cocaine samples were majorly composed of pharmacological active compounds (adulterants), unlike cocaine hydrochloride samples, which were majorly composed of inorganic compounds (diluents). It could be observed, by Raman Spectroscopy associated to multivariate analysis, similarities on cocaine hydrochloride composition according to certain criminal gangs. The percentage of pharmacological active compounds varied significantly on the analyzed samples, showing that these adulterants are indiscriminately added to street cocaine, what may increase consumers’ health risks.

Identification of Cytotoxicity of Marine Sponge Dendrilla Membranosa Against L929 Cell Line

Marine sponges are rich sources of pharmacological active compound. Marine sponge, Dendrilla membranosa was collected from the Vizhingam coast. The sponge extract was tested against eight human bacterial pathogens. The bioactive compounds present in marine sponge were determined by GC-MS analysis. The cytotoxic effect of the sponge was evaluated by using MTT assay. The extracts showed potent anti-bacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Streptococcus pyogens. The bioactive compound present in marine sponge was identified by GC-MS analysis and the compounds are ethane, butane, formate pentane, Alpha d-galactopyranoside, 2-Ethylhexyl2-ethylhexanoate, Hexahydro hexitol, Styrene, Alpha-d glucopyranoside 1-pentyl-2-proppyl-1-octene, nonadecane, 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, bis-2, Octanoic acid. The test material showed none cytotoxic response to fibroblasts cells. The results of present investigation revealed that, Dendrilla membranosa is a potential source of novel anticancer and antibacterial leads.

Adjustment of the formula of local surface water quality assessment

Separation and identification of the active pharmacological compounds from some medicinal plants (Citrus aurantifolia, Rhodomyrtus tomentosa, Camellia sinensis) by Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) showed the yields of crude extracts obtained from Citrus aurantifolia, Rhodomyrtus tomentosa and Camellia sinensis leaves at 1.5%, 5.62% and 10.4% respectively. Toluene: ethyl acetate (93:7) (v:v) solvent was suitable for the separation of active compounds in crude extract of Citrus aurantifolia, Rhodomyrtus tomentosa leaves while chloroform: ethylacetate: formic acid (5:4:1) (v:v:v) solvent was suitable for the extraction of active compounds in crude extract from Camellia sinensis leaves. Furthermore, the results showed that the number of compounds in extract from Citrus aurantifolia were likely affected by the vacuum evaporator effects. The TLC fingerprints of all three medicinal plants had the same visual ability when the fingerprint detected by UV (λ = 254 nm) and the reagent containing 0.1 g vanillin in 28 mL of methanol: 1 mL of sulfuric acid. In brief, the three active compounds including citral (Citrus aurantifolia), rhdomyrtone (Rhodomyrtus tomentosa) and catechin hydrate (Camellia sinensis) contained in the extract of 3 medicinal herbs had the limited detection (LOD) at 195 ng/spot, 321.5 ng/spot and 625 ng/spot, respectively.

Phytochemistry of Commiphora erythraea: A Review

Commiphora erythraea (Burseraceae) resin derives from the bark injury of the plant, a small tree native to the Arabian Peninsula. The resin is commonly known as myrrh and it is traditionally used to protect livestock from ticks and to treat diseases related to inflammation. The resin is constituted by a volatile and a non-volatile fraction. The volatile fraction is a source of furanosesquiterpenoids among which furanodienone showed to be the most promising pharmacological active compound. The composition and pharmacological activities of the extracts and the isolated compounds have been reviewed.

English

Root bark extract of Terminalia avicennioides was obtained by cool maceration with 750 ml n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol, independently for 48 h using soxhlet extractor. ATCC 33591 standard strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was used. Strain resistance to methicillin/oxacillin antibiotic was verified by a retest of its sensitivity to oxacillin antibiotic. The antimicrobial test and zone of inhibition were determined using the agar well diffusion method. The isolated bioactive fractions of the extract were subjected to FTIR and GC-MS analysis. Results revealed both fractions; (TLb4 and TLb17) were both bacteriostatic and bactericidal. The growth of MRSA was inhibited at extract concentrations of 60, 120, 180 and 240 µg/ml, within the susceptible range of ≥ 14 mm, with a mean inhibitory zone sensitivity of 14 mm at 60 µg/ml, 15.76 mm at 120 µg/ml and 15.33 mm at 180 µg/ml for fraction TLb4 and 15.33 mm at 60 µg/ml, 17.33 mm at 120 µg/ml and 20 mm at 180 µg/ml for TLb17 (≥ 14 mm). GC-MS detected oleic acid and analogs of palmitic acid as pharmacological active compounds of both fractions. FTIR showed the presence of alkyl halides. These bioactive agents revealed could be effective therapeutic agents for the treatment of MRSA. Key words: Methicillin-resistant, Staphylococcus aureus, inhibition, bacteriostatic, bactericidal, Terminalia avicennioides.

The activity of extracts chara vulgaris against promastigotes of leishmania tropica.

Leishmaniasis is a widespread parasitic disease caused by Leishmania parasite, this disease considers as a major health problem worldwide. The available therapy is unsatisfactory expensive with a cytotoxic side effects. Studies of marine algae as a source of pharmacological active compounds have increased worldwide. This study was aimed to investigate the effect of a type of green algae (Chara vulgaris) on promastigotes of L. tropica, by using. various concentrations (500, 250, 125, 62.5, 31.25, 15.6 µg/mL) in vitro by MTT assay [3-(4.5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)- 2.5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide)], to investigate its effect on the proliferation of promastigotes, by three incubation periods (24, 48, 72 hr.) The results showed a significant (p< 0.05) decrease in survived of promastigotes in treatment groups with concentrations that ranged between 15 to 500 μg/ ml. This study revealed a major growth inhibition effect of the organic extract of C. vulgaris against L. tropica promastigotes, and the extract of ethyl acetate showed potential activity is better than the aqueous extract.

Histological and ultrastructural studies on the effect of Cleome droserifolia plant from Sinai on the liver and kidney tissues of rats

Sinai regions are characterized by the presence of large number of medicinal plants that are highly used in folk treatments but only a small number of these plants have received scientific and medical evaluation to assess their efficacy. Among these plants, Cleome droserifolia plant, which is commonly used in the Egyptian folk medicine for treatment of many diseases. The present study was planned to examine the safety of using an extract of Cleome droserifolia plant. This study focuses on the histopathological and ultrastructural changes induced by the plant extract in liver and kidney of the experimental rats. Cleome droserifolia treatment produced cellular swelling, cytoplasmic granulation with necrotic cells in addition to appearance of patches of depleted glycogen within the hepatic cytoplasm. The glomeruli were hypertrophied with thickening of Bowman's capsule and the renal tubules exhibited damaged epithelial lining cells in addition to the appearance of numerous lysosomes. Such changes in the present study may be due to the toxic effect or accumulation of one or more of the active pharmacological compounds of the plant in the liver or kidney tissues of the treated rats. It is recommended that future studies and chemical analytical techniques are required to separate and purify the main components from the plant responsible for safety and quality assurances for good practices of the plant.

Histological and ultrastructural studies on the effect of Cleome droserifolia plant from Sinai on the liver and kidney tissues of rats

Sinai regions are characterized by the presence of large number of medicinal plants that are highly used in folk treatments but only a small number of these plants have received scientific and medical evaluation to assess their efficacy. Among these plants, Cleome droserifolia plant, which is commonly used in the Egyptian folk medicine for treatment of many diseases. The present study was planned to examine the safety of using an extract of Cleome droserifolia plant. This study focuses on the histopathological and ultrastructural changes induced by the plant extract in liver and kidney of the experimental rats. Cleome droserifolia treatment produced cellular swelling, cytoplasmic granulation with necrotic cells in addition to appearance of patches of depleted glycogen within the hepatic cytoplasm. The glomeruli were hypertrophied with thickening of Bowman's capsule and the renal tubules exhibited damaged epithelial lining cells in addition to the appearance of numerous lysosomes. Such changes in the present study may be due to the toxic effect or accumulation of one or more of the active pharmacological compounds of the plant in the liver or kidney tissues of the treated rats. It is recommended that future studies and chemical analytical techniques are required to separate and purify the main components from the plant responsible for safety and quality assurances for good practices of the plant.

Drug-induced enterocolitis: Prevention and management in primary care.

Drug-induced enterocolitis is a condition diagnosed with increasing frequency. It includes a variety of morphological and functional alterations of the small and large intestine as a consequence of exposure to pharmacological active compounds. A number of factors play a key role in this condition or participate in the onset of enterocolitis, which is the result of an interplay between the effect of the drug molecule and the tolerance of the bowel to damaging insults. The patient's age, gender, dose of drug, time of exposure, pharmaceutical preparation, drug-drug and drug-food interactions, gut barrier integrity, underlying intestinal conditions, and gut microbiota composition are all involved in the occurrence and extent of the injury. This review approaches the topic from the viewpoint of primary care, and focuses on epidemiology, mechanisms of damage, protective systems and diagnostic tools. Although the first-line therapeutic measure is the discontinuation of the drug, some options for prevention and treatment are discussed.

Protective effect of Juglans regia L. against ultraviolet B radiation induced inflammatory responses in human epidermal keratinocytes

BackgroundJuglans regia L. has a history of traditional medicinal use for the treatment of various maladies and have been documented with significant antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. Although all parts of the plant are medicinally important, but male the flower of the plant has not been yet investigated against the photo-damage. PurposeThe present study, we sought to determine the photoprotective effect of the male flower of J. regia L. against ultraviolet-B radiation-induced inflammatory responses in human skin cells. MethodsThe profile of pharmacological active compounds present in the male flower of J. regia was analyzed by GC–MS. Then, the antioxidant property of methanolic extract of J. regia (MEJR) was analyzed by in vitro free radical scavenging assays. Further, we analyzed the sun protection factor of this extract by spectrophotometry. Moreover, we investigated the photoprotective effect of MEJR against UVB induced inflammatory signaling in human epidermal cells. Human skin epidermal keratinocytes (HaCaT) were pretreated with the MEJR (80 µg/ml), 30 min prior to UVB-irradiation at a dose of 20 mJ/cm2 and were investigated for lipid peroxidation, enzymatic antioxidants activity, apoptosis and inflammatory markers expression level. ResultsThe GC–MS results showed the presence of good amount of pharmacologically active compounds in the MEJR. We observed that the MEJR possess significant free radical scavenging activity and it was comparable with standard antioxidants. Further, the MEJR exhibits 8.8 sun-protection-factor (SPF) value. Pretreatment with MEJR, 30 min prior to UVB-irradiation, prevented ROS generation, lipid peroxidation and restored the activity of antioxidant status in HaCaT cells. Moreover, MEJR pretreatment significantly prevented UVB activated inflammatory markers like TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6, NF-κB, COX-2 in HaCaT. ConclusionThe present findings suggest that MEJR exhibit photoprotective effects and hence it may be useful for the treatment of inflammation related responses. The pharmacological mechanism of MEJR partly associated with its UV absorbance, modulation of inflammatory signaling as well as due to its free radical scavenging capability.

A REVIEW ON PHYTOCHEMISTRY AND PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF MILKWEED FAMILY HERBS (ASCLEPIADACEAE)

Calotropis procera and Gymnema sylvestre are a perennial shrub and woody climber, respectively, and belonging to the family Asclepiadaceae. They are commonly known as milkweed family herbs. The Calotropis commonly have two species, i.e., C. procera and C. gigantean. All parts of plant exude white milky latex when cut. It has been widely used in traditional medicine due to its pharmacological active compounds found in all parts of plants such as bark, roots, and leaves and especially its latex which exudes from damaged or broken stem and leaves. G. sylvestre an ayurvedic herb came to be known as “destroyer of sugar” because in ancient times Ayurveda physicians observed that chewing a few leaves of G. sylvestre suppressed the taste of sugar. It also reported to possess antidiabetic, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory, antiulcer, and anticancer potential. The gymnemic acid is the main constituent which is responsible for number of pharmacological activities. The present review assembles the data on pharmacognostic and pharmacological potential of C. procera and G. sylvestre.

The effects of olive leaf extract from a Sicilian cultivar in an experimental model of hepatic steatosis

Olive oil is a well-known product for its health benefit, but the leaf has also been used as a traditional medicine in the Mediterranean for centuries. Olive leaves contain a great variety of chemical substances belonging to phenolic acids, phenolic alcohols, flavonoids and secoiridoids, and many other pharmacological active compounds with an important antioxidant effects such as oleuropein (OE), hydroxytyrosol (HT), tyrosol, cumaric acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, vanillic acid, rutin, verbascoside, luteolin, quercetin, dimethyloleuropein and ligstroside. Characterization of these compounds demonstrated that they can play an important role in human health, because of their ability to improve glucose homeostasis, ameliorate dyslipidemia and reduce inflammatory cytokine. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of olive leaf extract (OLE) from Sicilian cultivar in an in vitro model of hepatic steatosis to evaluate the protective effects again free fatty acids accumulation in hepatocytes. We report here that OLE treatment ameliorated the lipid metabolism, and this effect was coupled with a parallel decrease in number of lipid droplets and a concomitant increase in FABP-4, SIRT-1 and HO-1 expression. Furthermore, OLE treatment induced a significantly reduction of the inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α.

Evaluation of Anticonvulsant Activity and HPLC–DAD Profiling of <i>Achillea fragrantissima</i> (Gaisoom) Extracts Growing in Saudi Arabia

In Kingdom of Saudi Arabia <em>Achillea fragrantissima</em> is a fragrant, perennial herb has long been used medicinally for its analgesic properties among Rafha residents. The present study concluded that <em>Achillea fragrantissima</em> (Gaisoom) possess a potent anticonvulsant activity against PTZ induced seizures which may be due to GABAA agonistic activity and /or antioxidant activity. The results of the current study showed that the ethanolic extract of Gaisoom at doses of 300 mg/kg and 600 mg/kg has anticonvulsant activity in pentylenetetrazole and maximum electroshock induced seizures models on mice. The Hexane extract have protected the mice against pentylenetetrazole – induced seizures with 100% protection rate and 100% animal survival similar to the anticonvulsant drug phenobarbital. HPLC–DAD fingerprints of different fractions were also carried out to find the pharmacological active compound. The studies are in progress to isolate the compounds by HPLC technique. Supplementary studies are required to explain the exact mechanism of action by which Gaisoom act as an anticonvulsant agent.

X-ray crystal structure and conformational flexibility study of a N-substituted 2,6-diphenylpiperidine derivative

Piperidine is one of the basic skeletons in many of pharmacological active compounds derived from natural or synthetic medicaments. Substitution of various groups in the piperidine ring regulates conformational flexibility due to the nature of the substituent on the nitrogen atom. One of the N-substituted piperidine derivatives, PMDPM, phenyl(3-methyl-2,6-diphenylpiperidin-1-yl)methanone, was crystallized and analysed by X-ray crystallography. The crystallographic data are: C23H25NO, M = 355.46, triclinic, space group P1, a = 8.2543(7), b = 10.5543(8), c = 12.6184(6) A, α = 77.901(7), β = 71.270(2)°, γ = 70.390(5)°; V = 974.3(1) A3, Z = 2, d cal = 1.212 Mg/m3, λ(MoK α) = 0.71073 A. The core piperidine ring of PMDPM shows a positional disorder and adopts dual conformations as chair and twisted boat. The phenyl rings are oriented axially to the piperidine ring with the dihedral angle of 22.0(1)° between them. The packing is stabilized by C–H⋯O intra molecular interactions including few C–H⋯π and π⋯π weak interactions.

Medicinal plants used in Lesotho for treatment of reproductive and post reproductive problems

Ethnopharmacological relevanceReproductive healthcare has been highlighted as a major challenge in Lesotho mainly due to the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections. As a result other reproductive ailments have not received much attention, particularly because healthcare facilities are already limited and many of them are inaccessible. For these reasons, medicinal plants play a major role in primary healthcare system in the country, in addition the plants are easily accessible, more affordable, and their use forms part of the cultural heritage. However, documentation of medicinal plants used for reproductive ailments is scattered, more importantly the biological and pharmacological properties, as well as toxicity of many of these plants are not yet known. Aim of the studyTo document the plants used by both male and female Basotho (residing in Lesotho) for the treatment of reproductive ailments, to explore their recorded biological and pharmacological effects as well as their toxicity, and to establish if these plants are used for similar purposes in other southern African cultures. Materials and methodsThe results stem from published findings of recent interviews of traditional medicinal practitioners in the Maseru District of Lesotho, first author's own experiences and observations from the Qacha's Nek District as well as comprehensive literature survey including numerous books and unpublished data. Electronic databases such as Google, Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect were also used to search for the chemical compounds, pharmacological activity, and toxicity of the plants. ResultsA total of 87 plant species are reported to be used for the treatment of several reproductive problems such as infertility, complications associated with pregnancy (twelve plants are used to treat conditions such as colic, heartburn, nausea, and constipation), cleansing and/ or toning of the uterus (with a purpose either to induce pregnancy or to get rid of the placenta, for example Withania somnifera and Zantedeschia albomaculata), difficult childbirth, as well treatment of breast and cervical cancer, cysts, fibroids, and testicular tumours (e.g. Hypoxis hemerocallidea). For the toning of the uterus, it is common to use a combination of plants, e.g. Gunnera perpensa, Scabiosa columbaria, and Eriospermum ornithogaloides. ConclusionsOf the 87 plants used for reproductive healthcare, the highest number (31) is used for the treatment of infertility (in both men and women). The pharmacological effects, active compounds, and toxicology of many of these plants are not yet known.

Phytochemical screening, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Acalypha ciliata plant

BackgroundPhytochemical screening, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of hexane, ethylacetate and methanol crude extracts of Acalypha ciliata plant was studied in this work. This plant according to folk medicine has been reported to be used for treatment of female sterility, dressing of sores and schistosomiasis.MethodsThe preliminary screening of the various extracts was carried out using standard methods and the results revealed the presence of flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, reducing sugar, anthraquinones, resins and glycosides. The antimicrobial screening was carried out using the following organisms; Staphylococcus aureus, Eshericha coli, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruguinosa, Salmonella typhi, Klebsiellae pneumoniae, Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium notatum and Rhizopus stolonifer. The free radical scavenging capacity using hydrogen peroxide was equally determined to evaluate the antioxidant activities of the extracts.ResultsThe result obtained showed that Acalypha ciliata extracts have interesting pharmacological active compounds and antimicrobial effects, and as such could be used in ethno medicine for treatment of bacterial infections and ailments.ConclusionThe extracts of Acalypha ciliata plant contains notable chemical compounds that are responsible for its antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. Further investigations on the chemical compositionsand possible isolation of active ingredients would be carried out.