Hannibal Musarurwa | Walter Sisulu University (original) (raw)

Papers by Hannibal Musarurwa

Systematic Reviews, Oct 27, 2022

Background: Fortification of foodstuffs with iodine, mainly through iodization of salt, which com... more Background: Fortification of foodstuffs with iodine, mainly through iodization of salt, which commenced in several African countries after 1995 is the main method for mitigating iodine deficiency in Africa. We assessed the degree of iodine nutrition in pregnancy across Africa before and after the implementation of national iodine fortification programs (CRD42018099434). Methods: Electronic databases and gray literature were searched for baseline data before implementation of population-based iodine supplementation and for follow-up data up to September 2020. R-metamedian and metamean packages were used to pool country-specific median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) estimates and derived mean UIC from studies with similar features. Results: Of 54 African countries, 23 had data on iodine nutrition in pregnancy mostly from subnational samples. Data before 1995 showed that severe iodine deficiency was prevalent in pregnancy with a pooled pregnancy median UIC of 28.6 μg/L (95% CI 7.6-49.5). By 2005, five studies revealed a trend towards improvement in iodine nutrition state in pregnancy with a pooled pregnancy median UIC of 174.1 μg/L (95% CI 90.4-257.7). Between 2005 and 2020 increased numbers of national and subnational studies revealed that few African countries had sufficient, while most had mildly inadequate, and some severely inadequate iodine nutrition in pregnancy. The pooled pregnancy median UIC was 145 μg/L (95% CI 126-172). Conclusion: Improvement in iodine nutrition status in pregnancy following the introduction of fortification of foodstuffs with iodine in Africa is sub-optimal, exposing a large proportion of pregnant women to the risk of iodine deficiency and associated disorders.

Plant Growth Regulation, Apr 30, 2010

The aromatic medicinal plant Salvia stenophylla contains a-bisabolol, making this plant an import... more The aromatic medicinal plant Salvia stenophylla contains a-bisabolol, making this plant an important contributor to the aromatherapy and cosmetic industries in South Africa. Due to its commercial importance, the cultivation of this plant using an in vitro system was considered. Firstly, seedlings were raised in vitro after breaking dormancy with light, smoke-water or chemical scarification treatments. Germination improved when seeds were smoke-treated or soaked in 70% (v/v) H 2 SO 4. Vigorous plantlet regeneration was achieved when seedling explants were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium with 5.7 lM IAA and 8.9 lM BA. The potential regeneration capacity for this protocol was estimated and over 1,000 plantlets can be produced from a single shoot (6.67 cm with 4-6 nodes) over a period of 3 months. Plants rooted easily regardless of their growth medium. This was followed by their successful rapid establishment and normal growth out of culture (75%). Finally, the volatile compounds in in vitro plants were compared to ex vitro plants via headspace solid phase microextraction linked to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The chemical complexity of microplants was similar to wild plants with in vitro plants continuing to produce a-bisabolol (21%) at high levels. Keywords a-Bisabolol Á Essential oil Á Lamiaceae Á Plant tissue culture Á Seed dormancy Á Smoke-induced germination Abbreviations 2,4-D 2,4 Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid ANOVA Analysis of variance BA N 6-benzylaminopurine HS-SPME-GC-MS Headspace solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry IAA Indole-3-acetic acid LSD Least significant difference MS Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium NAA a

BMC Public Health, Jan 31, 2023

Background Convincing evidence supports the effectiveness of lifestyle interventions in preventin... more Background Convincing evidence supports the effectiveness of lifestyle interventions in preventing the occurrence of diabetes in high-income countries, however little is known about appropriate interventions for use in African countries, where there are higher relative increases in diabetes prevalence. The South African Diabetes Prevention Programme (SA-DPP) was initiated with the aim of preventing or delaying the occurrence of diabetes among South Africans (SAs), through interventions, targeting lifestyle changes related to diet and physical activity. The purpose of the current project is to implement and evaluate the suitability and applicability of the SA-DPP developed and tailored in urban populations in the Western Cape Province, in peri-urban populations in the Eastern Cape Province of SA. Methods The SA-DPP, which is an cluster randomized control trial, will be implemented in adults aged 30-65 years residing in the OR Tambo district, Eastern Cape, SA. Participants will be recruited using self-selected sampling techniques and 24 clusters across peri-urban communities will be randomly allocated to participate in the lifestyle intervention, facilitated by non-professional health workers (NPHW). The diabetes risk screening will follow a twostaged approach, including the community-based screening, using the African diabetes risk score (ADRS), followed by a clinic-based risk status assessment by an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) to exclude unknown diabetes. The lifestyle-change objectives of the current programme relate to, 1) < 30% of total energy intake from fat; 2) < 10% of total energy intake from saturated fat; 3) > 15 g of fibre/1000 kcal; 4) > 4 h/week moderate level of physical activity; and 5) > 2% body mass index (BMI) reduction. Discussion The SA-DPP could represent a successful model for the prevention of diabetes and potentially other lifestyle-related diseases in SA and other countries in the region that are confronted with similar challenges. Trial registration PACTR202205591282906.

South African Journal of Botany, Apr 1, 2009

pneumoniae), antifungal (Candida albicans), anti-inflammatory (COX 1 and 2) and genotoxicity test... more pneumoniae), antifungal (Candida albicans), anti-inflammatory (COX 1 and 2) and genotoxicity tests (Ames test) were carried out on petroleum ether (PE), dicloromethane (DCM), 80% ethanol (EtOH) and water extracts of the two Alepedia species, A. natalensis and A. amatymbica. Water extracts of A. natalensis rhizomes exhibited high activity (MIC values of 0.78 mg/ml) against the four bacterial strains. High activity was also observed in the PE and DCM leaf extract of the same plant against the Gram-positive bacteria. The PE and DCM extracts of A. amatymbica rhizomes exhibited the best activity (MIC values of 0.39 mg/ml) against Bacillus subtilis. The rest of the extracts showed low activity (MIC values N 1 mg/ml). All the extracts showed activity against Candida albicans, with A. natalensis leaf extracts exhibiting the highest antifungal activity with MIC values of 0.88, 0.2 and 0.78 mg/ml for PE, DCM and EtOH respectively. The PE and DCM extracts had high COX-1 activity with percentage inhibitions above 70%. Ethanol extracts had inhibition less than 40% for both A. natalensis and A. amatymbica. All the PE extracts showed higher COX-2 inhibitory activity than for COX-1. PE and DCM extracts both had percentage inhibitions above 70% for both COX-1 and COX-2 inhibition. The Ames test for genotoxity revealed that none of the plant extracts were toxic to the Salmonella TA98 tester strain.

Background The longevity of people living with HIV has been enhanced by the introduction of antir... more Background The longevity of people living with HIV has been enhanced by the introduction of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs in the mid-90s. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is now mandatory for all persons who test HIV positive in South Africa and the government policy is to start treatment upon diagnosis. The ART is based on protease inhibitors (PIs) and nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) and both groups of drugs have been reported to have deleterious side effects manifesting as HIV-associated lipodystrophy syndrome, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases. HIV infection also causes dislocation of the gut microbiota which also contribute towards the observed systemic inflammation even before patients are on ART. The aim of this study is find the relationship between HIV infection, ART, endothelial function, and gut microbial dynamics and how they influence development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and metabolic syndrome. Presented here is the detailed study protoco...

Traditional Health Practitioners (THPs) are considered as the entry level of care in African soci... more Traditional Health Practitioners (THPs) are considered as the entry level of care in African societies and play an important role in the delivery of health services to the population. A phenomenological qualitative study was carried out among pur-posefully selected THPs in Mthatha to understand their roles and the challenges they face in providing maternal health services. The study included a focus group discussion with seven participants, which yielded three themes and seven sub-themes. The content analysis of descriptive data from the focus group discussion revealed threats posed by unregistered and counterfeit THPs to the lives of pregnant women in rural settings. THPs' wide range of services allowed pregnant women to receive prenatal, antenatal, and postnatal care in close proximity. This level of care, however, was characterized by high levels of secrecy and counterfeit practitioners who used human body parts, which jeopardized the practice and made it unpopular. Tradition...

BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies

Background Though Lippia javanica (Burm.f.) Spreng antioxidant activity has been demonstrated, it... more Background Though Lippia javanica (Burm.f.) Spreng antioxidant activity has been demonstrated, its effect in protecting the brain from lead (Pb)-induced oxidative damage is unknown. This study investigated the effect of L. javanica against Pb-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis and acetylcholinesterase activity in rat’s brain. Methods L. javanica herbal tea infusion was prepared, its phytochemical constituent was revealed by liquid chromatography-Mass spectrometer (LC-MS) and was administered simultaneously with Pb. Four groups of male Wistar rats (n = 5/group) were used: control received distilled water; Pb-acetate group received 50 mg Pb/ Kg bodyweight (bw), treatment group received 50 mg Pb/ Kg Pb-acetate + 5 ml/kg bw L. javanica and L. javanica group received 5 ml/Kg bw of L. javanica tea infusion only. After 6 weeks of treatment, oxidative status, acetylcholinesterase activity, inflammation and apoptosis was assessed in brain tissue which was also histologically e...

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Apr 1, 2022

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Frontiers in microbiology, 2017

Nitrogen availability and utilization by Saccharomyces cerevisiae significantly influence ferment... more Nitrogen availability and utilization by Saccharomyces cerevisiae significantly influence fermentation kinetics and the production of volatile compounds important for wine aroma. Amino acids are the most important nitrogen source and have been classified based on how well they support growth. This study evaluated the effect of single amino acids on growth kinetics and major volatile production of two phenotypically different commercial wine yeast strains in synthetic grape must. Four growth parameters, lag phase, maximum growth rate, total biomass formation and time to complete fermentation were evaluated. In contrast with previous findings, in fermentative conditions, phenylalanine and valine supported growth well and asparagine supported it poorly. The four parameters showed good correlations for most amino acid treatments, with some notable exceptions. Single amino acid treatments resulted in the predictable production of aromatic compounds, with a linear correlation between amin...

Pharmacognosy Magazine, 2021

Background: We have shown Sclerocarya birrea fruit peels to possess in vitro antioxidant activity... more Background: We have shown Sclerocarya birrea fruit peels to possess in vitro antioxidant activity but yet to demonstrate its medicinal potential in vivo. Objectives: To investigate the effect of S. birrea fruit peel on diet-induced obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in female Wistar rats. Materials and Methods: S. birrea fruit peels extract was profiled for phytochemicals by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer. Total polyphenols, flavonoid, and total antioxidant capacity was determined by the colorimetric methods. Four groups of female rats (n = 6/group) were administered high energy diet (HED) formulation for 15 weeks then treated daily for 4 weeks as follows: normal diet and HED control groups received distilled water; HED treated with S. birrea hydroethanolic (70% ethanol) extract at 100 mg/kg BW (HED 100) and 200 mg/kg BW (HED200). Fasting glucose and body weights were monitored weekly. Oral glucose tolerance test and blood pressure (BP) were measured before and after tre...

BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies

Background Lippia javanica (lemon bush) is commonly used in the treatment of respiratory ailments... more Background Lippia javanica (lemon bush) is commonly used in the treatment of respiratory ailments, including asthma in southern African countries but there is no scientific evidence to support this claim. This study investigated the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-asthmatic effects of L. javanica using a rat model of asthma. Methods A 5% w/v L. javanica tea infusion was prepared and characterised by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometer (LC-MS). Animals were intraperitoneally sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) and subsequently challenged intranasal with OVA on day 15 except the control group. Animals were grouped (n = 5/group) for treatment: unsensitised control, sensitised control, sensitised + prednisolone and sensitised + L. javanica at 50 mg/kg/day and 100 mg/kg/day – equivalent to 1 and 2 cups of tea per day, respectively. After 2 weeks of treatment, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected for total and differential white blood cell (WBC) count. Nitric oxide (N...

By submitting this dissertation electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained... more By submitting this dissertation electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the sole author thereof (save to the extent explicitly otherwise stated), that the work by others has been duly acknowledged, that reproduction and publication thereof by Stellenbosch University will not infringe any third party rights and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification.

BackgroundFortification of foodstuffs with iodine, mainly through iodisation of salt, which comme... more BackgroundFortification of foodstuffs with iodine, mainly through iodisation of salt, which commenced in several African countries after 1995 is the main method for mitigating iodine deficiency in Africa. We assessed the degree of iodine nutrition in pregnancy across Africa before and after the implementation of national iodine fortification programs (CRD42018099434).MethodsElectronic databases and grey literature were searched for baseline data before implementation of population-based iodine supplementation and for follow-up data up to September 2020. R-metamedian and metamean packages were used to pool country-specific median UIC estimates and derived mean UIC from studies with similar features. ResultsOf 54 African countries, 23 had data on iodine nutrition in pregnancy mostly from subnational samples. Data before 1995 showed that severe iodine deficiency was prevalent in pregnancy with a pooled pregnancy median UIC of 28.6 µg/L (95% CI 7.6 – 49.5). By 2005, five studies reveale...

Industrial Crops and Products

WineLand Magazine The complex relationship between wine aroma and amino acid utilisation by yeast

Frontiers in Microbiology, 2017

Nitrogen availability and utilization by Saccharomyces cerevisiae significantly influence ferment... more Nitrogen availability and utilization by Saccharomyces cerevisiae significantly influence fermentation kinetics and the production of volatile compounds important for wine aroma. Amino acids are the most important nitrogen source and have been classified based on how well they support growth. This study evaluated the effect of single amino acids on growth kinetics and major volatile production of two phenotypically different commercial wine yeast strains in synthetic grape must. Four growth parameters, lag phase, maximum growth rate, total biomass formation and time to complete fermentation were evaluated. In contrast with previous findings, in fermentative conditions, phenylalanine and valine supported growth well and asparagine supported it poorly. The four parameters showed good correlations for most amino acid treatments, with some notable exceptions. Single amino acid treatments resulted in the predictable production of aromatic compounds, with a linear correlation between amino acid concentration and the concentration of aromatic compounds that are directly derived from these amino acids. With the increased complexity of nitrogen sources, linear correlations were lost and aroma production became unpredictable. However, even in complex medium minor changes in amino acid concentration continued to directly impact the formation of aromatic compounds, suggesting that the relative concentration of individual amino acids remains a predictor of aromatic outputs, independently of the complexity of metabolic interactions between carbon and nitrogen metabolism and between amino acid degradation and utilization pathways.

Plant Growth Regulation, 2010

Journal of Plant Growth Regulation, 2012

... Available to Micropropagated Plants of Salvia stenophylla (Burch. ex Benth.) Hannibal T. Musa... more ... Available to Micropropagated Plants of Salvia stenophylla (Burch. ex Benth.) Hannibal T. Musarurwa • Lerı Koegelenberg • Nokwanda P. Makunga Received: 4 February 2011 / Accepted: 1 July 2011 Ó Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011 ...

Systematic Reviews, Oct 27, 2022

Background: Fortification of foodstuffs with iodine, mainly through iodization of salt, which com... more Background: Fortification of foodstuffs with iodine, mainly through iodization of salt, which commenced in several African countries after 1995 is the main method for mitigating iodine deficiency in Africa. We assessed the degree of iodine nutrition in pregnancy across Africa before and after the implementation of national iodine fortification programs (CRD42018099434). Methods: Electronic databases and gray literature were searched for baseline data before implementation of population-based iodine supplementation and for follow-up data up to September 2020. R-metamedian and metamean packages were used to pool country-specific median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) estimates and derived mean UIC from studies with similar features. Results: Of 54 African countries, 23 had data on iodine nutrition in pregnancy mostly from subnational samples. Data before 1995 showed that severe iodine deficiency was prevalent in pregnancy with a pooled pregnancy median UIC of 28.6 μg/L (95% CI 7.6-49.5). By 2005, five studies revealed a trend towards improvement in iodine nutrition state in pregnancy with a pooled pregnancy median UIC of 174.1 μg/L (95% CI 90.4-257.7). Between 2005 and 2020 increased numbers of national and subnational studies revealed that few African countries had sufficient, while most had mildly inadequate, and some severely inadequate iodine nutrition in pregnancy. The pooled pregnancy median UIC was 145 μg/L (95% CI 126-172). Conclusion: Improvement in iodine nutrition status in pregnancy following the introduction of fortification of foodstuffs with iodine in Africa is sub-optimal, exposing a large proportion of pregnant women to the risk of iodine deficiency and associated disorders.

Plant Growth Regulation, Apr 30, 2010

The aromatic medicinal plant Salvia stenophylla contains a-bisabolol, making this plant an import... more The aromatic medicinal plant Salvia stenophylla contains a-bisabolol, making this plant an important contributor to the aromatherapy and cosmetic industries in South Africa. Due to its commercial importance, the cultivation of this plant using an in vitro system was considered. Firstly, seedlings were raised in vitro after breaking dormancy with light, smoke-water or chemical scarification treatments. Germination improved when seeds were smoke-treated or soaked in 70% (v/v) H 2 SO 4. Vigorous plantlet regeneration was achieved when seedling explants were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium with 5.7 lM IAA and 8.9 lM BA. The potential regeneration capacity for this protocol was estimated and over 1,000 plantlets can be produced from a single shoot (6.67 cm with 4-6 nodes) over a period of 3 months. Plants rooted easily regardless of their growth medium. This was followed by their successful rapid establishment and normal growth out of culture (75%). Finally, the volatile compounds in in vitro plants were compared to ex vitro plants via headspace solid phase microextraction linked to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The chemical complexity of microplants was similar to wild plants with in vitro plants continuing to produce a-bisabolol (21%) at high levels. Keywords a-Bisabolol Á Essential oil Á Lamiaceae Á Plant tissue culture Á Seed dormancy Á Smoke-induced germination Abbreviations 2,4-D 2,4 Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid ANOVA Analysis of variance BA N 6-benzylaminopurine HS-SPME-GC-MS Headspace solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry IAA Indole-3-acetic acid LSD Least significant difference MS Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium NAA a

BMC Public Health, Jan 31, 2023

Background Convincing evidence supports the effectiveness of lifestyle interventions in preventin... more Background Convincing evidence supports the effectiveness of lifestyle interventions in preventing the occurrence of diabetes in high-income countries, however little is known about appropriate interventions for use in African countries, where there are higher relative increases in diabetes prevalence. The South African Diabetes Prevention Programme (SA-DPP) was initiated with the aim of preventing or delaying the occurrence of diabetes among South Africans (SAs), through interventions, targeting lifestyle changes related to diet and physical activity. The purpose of the current project is to implement and evaluate the suitability and applicability of the SA-DPP developed and tailored in urban populations in the Western Cape Province, in peri-urban populations in the Eastern Cape Province of SA. Methods The SA-DPP, which is an cluster randomized control trial, will be implemented in adults aged 30-65 years residing in the OR Tambo district, Eastern Cape, SA. Participants will be recruited using self-selected sampling techniques and 24 clusters across peri-urban communities will be randomly allocated to participate in the lifestyle intervention, facilitated by non-professional health workers (NPHW). The diabetes risk screening will follow a twostaged approach, including the community-based screening, using the African diabetes risk score (ADRS), followed by a clinic-based risk status assessment by an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) to exclude unknown diabetes. The lifestyle-change objectives of the current programme relate to, 1) < 30% of total energy intake from fat; 2) < 10% of total energy intake from saturated fat; 3) > 15 g of fibre/1000 kcal; 4) > 4 h/week moderate level of physical activity; and 5) > 2% body mass index (BMI) reduction. Discussion The SA-DPP could represent a successful model for the prevention of diabetes and potentially other lifestyle-related diseases in SA and other countries in the region that are confronted with similar challenges. Trial registration PACTR202205591282906.

South African Journal of Botany, Apr 1, 2009

pneumoniae), antifungal (Candida albicans), anti-inflammatory (COX 1 and 2) and genotoxicity test... more pneumoniae), antifungal (Candida albicans), anti-inflammatory (COX 1 and 2) and genotoxicity tests (Ames test) were carried out on petroleum ether (PE), dicloromethane (DCM), 80% ethanol (EtOH) and water extracts of the two Alepedia species, A. natalensis and A. amatymbica. Water extracts of A. natalensis rhizomes exhibited high activity (MIC values of 0.78 mg/ml) against the four bacterial strains. High activity was also observed in the PE and DCM leaf extract of the same plant against the Gram-positive bacteria. The PE and DCM extracts of A. amatymbica rhizomes exhibited the best activity (MIC values of 0.39 mg/ml) against Bacillus subtilis. The rest of the extracts showed low activity (MIC values N 1 mg/ml). All the extracts showed activity against Candida albicans, with A. natalensis leaf extracts exhibiting the highest antifungal activity with MIC values of 0.88, 0.2 and 0.78 mg/ml for PE, DCM and EtOH respectively. The PE and DCM extracts had high COX-1 activity with percentage inhibitions above 70%. Ethanol extracts had inhibition less than 40% for both A. natalensis and A. amatymbica. All the PE extracts showed higher COX-2 inhibitory activity than for COX-1. PE and DCM extracts both had percentage inhibitions above 70% for both COX-1 and COX-2 inhibition. The Ames test for genotoxity revealed that none of the plant extracts were toxic to the Salmonella TA98 tester strain.

Background The longevity of people living with HIV has been enhanced by the introduction of antir... more Background The longevity of people living with HIV has been enhanced by the introduction of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs in the mid-90s. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is now mandatory for all persons who test HIV positive in South Africa and the government policy is to start treatment upon diagnosis. The ART is based on protease inhibitors (PIs) and nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) and both groups of drugs have been reported to have deleterious side effects manifesting as HIV-associated lipodystrophy syndrome, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases. HIV infection also causes dislocation of the gut microbiota which also contribute towards the observed systemic inflammation even before patients are on ART. The aim of this study is find the relationship between HIV infection, ART, endothelial function, and gut microbial dynamics and how they influence development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and metabolic syndrome. Presented here is the detailed study protoco...

Traditional Health Practitioners (THPs) are considered as the entry level of care in African soci... more Traditional Health Practitioners (THPs) are considered as the entry level of care in African societies and play an important role in the delivery of health services to the population. A phenomenological qualitative study was carried out among pur-posefully selected THPs in Mthatha to understand their roles and the challenges they face in providing maternal health services. The study included a focus group discussion with seven participants, which yielded three themes and seven sub-themes. The content analysis of descriptive data from the focus group discussion revealed threats posed by unregistered and counterfeit THPs to the lives of pregnant women in rural settings. THPs' wide range of services allowed pregnant women to receive prenatal, antenatal, and postnatal care in close proximity. This level of care, however, was characterized by high levels of secrecy and counterfeit practitioners who used human body parts, which jeopardized the practice and made it unpopular. Tradition...

BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies

Background Though Lippia javanica (Burm.f.) Spreng antioxidant activity has been demonstrated, it... more Background Though Lippia javanica (Burm.f.) Spreng antioxidant activity has been demonstrated, its effect in protecting the brain from lead (Pb)-induced oxidative damage is unknown. This study investigated the effect of L. javanica against Pb-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis and acetylcholinesterase activity in rat’s brain. Methods L. javanica herbal tea infusion was prepared, its phytochemical constituent was revealed by liquid chromatography-Mass spectrometer (LC-MS) and was administered simultaneously with Pb. Four groups of male Wistar rats (n = 5/group) were used: control received distilled water; Pb-acetate group received 50 mg Pb/ Kg bodyweight (bw), treatment group received 50 mg Pb/ Kg Pb-acetate + 5 ml/kg bw L. javanica and L. javanica group received 5 ml/Kg bw of L. javanica tea infusion only. After 6 weeks of treatment, oxidative status, acetylcholinesterase activity, inflammation and apoptosis was assessed in brain tissue which was also histologically e...

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Apr 1, 2022

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Frontiers in microbiology, 2017

Nitrogen availability and utilization by Saccharomyces cerevisiae significantly influence ferment... more Nitrogen availability and utilization by Saccharomyces cerevisiae significantly influence fermentation kinetics and the production of volatile compounds important for wine aroma. Amino acids are the most important nitrogen source and have been classified based on how well they support growth. This study evaluated the effect of single amino acids on growth kinetics and major volatile production of two phenotypically different commercial wine yeast strains in synthetic grape must. Four growth parameters, lag phase, maximum growth rate, total biomass formation and time to complete fermentation were evaluated. In contrast with previous findings, in fermentative conditions, phenylalanine and valine supported growth well and asparagine supported it poorly. The four parameters showed good correlations for most amino acid treatments, with some notable exceptions. Single amino acid treatments resulted in the predictable production of aromatic compounds, with a linear correlation between amin...

Pharmacognosy Magazine, 2021

Background: We have shown Sclerocarya birrea fruit peels to possess in vitro antioxidant activity... more Background: We have shown Sclerocarya birrea fruit peels to possess in vitro antioxidant activity but yet to demonstrate its medicinal potential in vivo. Objectives: To investigate the effect of S. birrea fruit peel on diet-induced obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in female Wistar rats. Materials and Methods: S. birrea fruit peels extract was profiled for phytochemicals by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer. Total polyphenols, flavonoid, and total antioxidant capacity was determined by the colorimetric methods. Four groups of female rats (n = 6/group) were administered high energy diet (HED) formulation for 15 weeks then treated daily for 4 weeks as follows: normal diet and HED control groups received distilled water; HED treated with S. birrea hydroethanolic (70% ethanol) extract at 100 mg/kg BW (HED 100) and 200 mg/kg BW (HED200). Fasting glucose and body weights were monitored weekly. Oral glucose tolerance test and blood pressure (BP) were measured before and after tre...

BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies

Background Lippia javanica (lemon bush) is commonly used in the treatment of respiratory ailments... more Background Lippia javanica (lemon bush) is commonly used in the treatment of respiratory ailments, including asthma in southern African countries but there is no scientific evidence to support this claim. This study investigated the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-asthmatic effects of L. javanica using a rat model of asthma. Methods A 5% w/v L. javanica tea infusion was prepared and characterised by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometer (LC-MS). Animals were intraperitoneally sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) and subsequently challenged intranasal with OVA on day 15 except the control group. Animals were grouped (n = 5/group) for treatment: unsensitised control, sensitised control, sensitised + prednisolone and sensitised + L. javanica at 50 mg/kg/day and 100 mg/kg/day – equivalent to 1 and 2 cups of tea per day, respectively. After 2 weeks of treatment, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected for total and differential white blood cell (WBC) count. Nitric oxide (N...

By submitting this dissertation electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained... more By submitting this dissertation electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the sole author thereof (save to the extent explicitly otherwise stated), that the work by others has been duly acknowledged, that reproduction and publication thereof by Stellenbosch University will not infringe any third party rights and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification.

BackgroundFortification of foodstuffs with iodine, mainly through iodisation of salt, which comme... more BackgroundFortification of foodstuffs with iodine, mainly through iodisation of salt, which commenced in several African countries after 1995 is the main method for mitigating iodine deficiency in Africa. We assessed the degree of iodine nutrition in pregnancy across Africa before and after the implementation of national iodine fortification programs (CRD42018099434).MethodsElectronic databases and grey literature were searched for baseline data before implementation of population-based iodine supplementation and for follow-up data up to September 2020. R-metamedian and metamean packages were used to pool country-specific median UIC estimates and derived mean UIC from studies with similar features. ResultsOf 54 African countries, 23 had data on iodine nutrition in pregnancy mostly from subnational samples. Data before 1995 showed that severe iodine deficiency was prevalent in pregnancy with a pooled pregnancy median UIC of 28.6 µg/L (95% CI 7.6 – 49.5). By 2005, five studies reveale...

Industrial Crops and Products

WineLand Magazine The complex relationship between wine aroma and amino acid utilisation by yeast

Frontiers in Microbiology, 2017

Nitrogen availability and utilization by Saccharomyces cerevisiae significantly influence ferment... more Nitrogen availability and utilization by Saccharomyces cerevisiae significantly influence fermentation kinetics and the production of volatile compounds important for wine aroma. Amino acids are the most important nitrogen source and have been classified based on how well they support growth. This study evaluated the effect of single amino acids on growth kinetics and major volatile production of two phenotypically different commercial wine yeast strains in synthetic grape must. Four growth parameters, lag phase, maximum growth rate, total biomass formation and time to complete fermentation were evaluated. In contrast with previous findings, in fermentative conditions, phenylalanine and valine supported growth well and asparagine supported it poorly. The four parameters showed good correlations for most amino acid treatments, with some notable exceptions. Single amino acid treatments resulted in the predictable production of aromatic compounds, with a linear correlation between amino acid concentration and the concentration of aromatic compounds that are directly derived from these amino acids. With the increased complexity of nitrogen sources, linear correlations were lost and aroma production became unpredictable. However, even in complex medium minor changes in amino acid concentration continued to directly impact the formation of aromatic compounds, suggesting that the relative concentration of individual amino acids remains a predictor of aromatic outputs, independently of the complexity of metabolic interactions between carbon and nitrogen metabolism and between amino acid degradation and utilization pathways.

Plant Growth Regulation, 2010

Journal of Plant Growth Regulation, 2012

... Available to Micropropagated Plants of Salvia stenophylla (Burch. ex Benth.) Hannibal T. Musa... more ... Available to Micropropagated Plants of Salvia stenophylla (Burch. ex Benth.) Hannibal T. Musarurwa • Lerı Koegelenberg • Nokwanda P. Makunga Received: 4 February 2011 / Accepted: 1 July 2011 Ó Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011 ...