Godwin Upoki Anywar

Makerere University · Plant Sciences, Microbiology & Biotechnology

Aims: The potential activity against Candida albicans of five commonly used medicinal plant species of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in southwestern Uganda was investigated. Study Design: The phytochemical profiles of Tetradenia riparia, Erucastrum arabicum, Plectranthus lactiflorus, Solanecio mannii and Platostoma africanum were analyse...

Communities adjacent to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP) in South-western Uganda largely depend on traditional herbal treatment for basic health care. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of medicinal plants in the treatment of fungal infections by these communities. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews, focus gro...

Aims: The purpose of this study was to investigate the antibacterial and antifungal properties of selected wild nutraceutical plants from Nebbi district in Uganda. Study Design: Experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, An...

Abstract Background: An ethnobotanical study was carried out in Namungalwe Sub County, Iganga District Eastern Uganda, to document medicinal plant species used in disease management among children. Methods: Ethnobotanical data was collected through interviews with households and key informants, Focus Group Discussions and the Snow ball technique. T...

Background The emergence of multidrug resistant Candida species to available drugs has led to renewed interest in the use of herbal medicines globally. This study scientifically verified antifungal effectiveness of five commonly used plant species in Pader district, against selected pathogenic candida strains. Methods Powdered roots of Momordica f...

Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI), also known as prickly pear, has been used in traditional medicine. This is attributed to its medicinal properties that contribute to treatment of conditions including asthma, stomach ulceration, and diabetes. We carried out a cross-sectional study in 2018 in Kasese district, western Uganda, to determine the traditional u...

Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI), also known as prickly pear has been used in traditional folk medicine. This is due to its medicinal properties that contribute to treatment of conditions including asthma, stomach ulceration, and diabetes. We carried out a cross-sectional study in 2018 in Kasese district, western Uganda to determine the traditional uses...

Ethnobotany Research and Applications 29:41 (2024)-http://dx. Abstract Background: Medicinal plants provide health care to rural communities that have limited access to modern medicine in Uganda. Thus, documenting medicinal plants is important for their sustainable utilisation and conservation of medicinal plants and associated indigenous knowledge...

Background The African cherry orange tree Citropsis articulata Swingle & Kellerman (family Rutaceae) is traditionally used to manage erectile dysfunction. This study aimed to determine the aphrodisiac activity of C. articulata leaves and root bark in male Wistar rats. Methods Aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts of leaves and root bark were prepare...

Albizia coriaria (Fabaceae) crude extracts are key ingredients of several licensed and unlicensed herbal products in East Africa. However, there is limited and often contradicting information regarding its toxicity. We therefore evaluated the acute and subacute toxicity of the ethanolic stem bark extract of A. coriaria in mature healthy Wistar albi...

The dataset includes the diversity, occurrence points and a distribution map of species of the subgenus Leptostemonum in Uganda. The data was obtained following field surveys carried out in various parts of Uganda. These were guided by distribution data retrieved from Makerere University Herbarium and Flora of Tropical East Africa (FTEA). At each s...

Introduction: Coumarins are naturally occuring metabolites from plants and a few micro-organisms. They have been widely used in the food and drug industry in their natural or synthetic forms. Numerous coumarins possess several biological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcers, anti-tumour, anti-microbial, anti-coagulant. The aim of this...

Introduction: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder that majorly affects the joints leading to pain, swelling, and stiffness and inflammation. Curcumin is a chemical compound from Curcuma longa(Tumeric). The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the treatment of RA using curcumin. Methods: Curcumin...

Introduction Phytochemical standardization of herbal materials involves establishing consistent levels of one or more active ingredients or markers. It ensures the authenticity and quality of herbal materials, extracts, and their products. This research aimed to apply the herbal chemical marker ranking system (Herb MaRS) originally proposed for qua...

Background There has been a lot of debate on genetically modified (GM) crops both globally and locally in Uganda. Whereas some of the debates have been informed by scientific research, many are not. The level of acceptance and attitudes of people towards GM crops is a function of their knowledge. However, there is a paucity of studies on the knowle...

Globally, the prevalence of prostate cancer is only the second to lung cancer. In Africa however, the commonest cancer among men is cancer of the prostate. The use of natural compounds from plants such as quercetin is being explored as a potential cure. Quercetin is a plant-based flavonoid that has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticancer prop...

For centuries, wild edible plant species have sustained local communities across Africa by supplementing households’ diets in seasons of food shortage. Wild edible plants contain inorganic nutrients, which are essential for the proper functioning of organisms. However, their nutritional contents have not been well researched and are generally poorl...

Introduction: Mangifera indica leaves are among the most common materials employed in manufacturing herbal medicinal products. Despite the phytochemical variation of M. indica cultivars, there are no monographs to guide the cultivation, processing, and authentication of the materials. Methods: This study characterized 15 Ugandan M. indica leaf v...

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Malaria is among the most prevalent and devastating parasitic diseases globally with most cases reported in Sub-Saharan Africa. One of the major reasons for the high malaria prevalence is the ever-increasing emergence of resistant strains of malaria-causing parasites to the currently used antimalarial drugs. This, t...

Impairment of the central nervous system (CNS) or the nerves conducting messages results in CNS disorders. These CNS disorders could be mild or severe depending on the type of disorder. CNS disorders include depression, anxiety, Huntington's disease, epilepsy, and others. Over the years, natural medicine has been used globally in the management of...

Background Malaria remains the leading cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa. Although recent developments such as malaria vaccine trials inspire optimism, the search for novel antimalarial drugs is urgently needed to control the mounting resistance of Plasmodium species to the available therapies. The present study was conducted to document ethnobo...

Introduction Forest resources are an important source of products on which rural communities depend for survival. Mpanga Central Forest Reserve (CFR) is a valuable resource to adjacent communities through provision of different goods and serves for subsistence and income generation. It also serves as an important eco-tourist site. However, there is...

Background Acalypha rhomboidea, Asystacia gangetica, Crassocephalum sacrobasis, Crotalaria ochroleuca, Heterosis rotundifolia, Hibiscus cannabinus, Hibiscus sp., Hibiscus surratensis, Ipomoea eriocarpa, Maerua angolensis, Senna obtusifolia and Vigna membranacea are among the common wild edible plants in the Acholi sub-region, northern Uganda. This...

There are high mortality and morbidity rates from poisonous snakebites globally. Many medicinal plants are locally used for snakebite treatment in Uganda. This study aimed to determine the in vitro anti-venom activities of aqueous extract and oils of Toona ciliata against Naja melanoleuca venom. A mixture of venom and extract was administered intra...

Introduction: In Uganda, many people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) use untested herbs for therapy Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-HIV-1 activity of selected plant species. Methods: Twenty-two 22 plant extracts were tested against HIV-1 Pseudovirions (PV) HXB2 (IIIB) strain in using the human glioblastoma cell line; U87.CD4.C...

Background Globally, diarrheal and respiratory diseases are among the main causes of mortality and morbidity. In Uganda, cities are facing proliferation of trade in herbal medicines (HM), including those for diarrhea and/or cough. Information on the economic, and the ethnopharmacological aspects of these HM is scarce, deterring the sector from achi...

Abstract Background The emergence of resistant Candida species to antifungal drugs has led to resurgence in herbal usage globally. However, little is known about anti-candida plants. This study explored ethnomedicinal plants as treatment option for candidiasis in Pader, Northern Uganda. Methods A cross-sectional survey of potential anti-candida pla...

The high global bacterial infection burden has created need to investigate the neglected potential drivers of pathogenic bacteria, to inform disease prevention. Kampala is facing a proliferation of herbalists, selling herbal medicine (HM), of largely unregulated microbiological quality. We evaluated the bacterial contamination burden in HM sold in...

Vaccines are the most cost-effective and efficacious means of reducing the disease burden of infectious diseases. Traditionally vaccines are prepared by using an attenuated version of the pathogen or by preparing and inactivating a disease-causing organism or a suitable part of it. A novel approach to vaccine making involves the production of vacci...

Introduction: Many people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) in Uganda widely use herbal medicines. However, their toxicity and safety have not been investigated. The use of these plants can potentially cause harmful effects to the health of patients. The purpose of this study was to determine the cytotoxicity of some commonly used medicinal plant specie...

Introduction: The Uganda National Drug Authority requires phytochemical screening, freedom from microbial contamination, and evidence of safety and efficacy of the constituent plants to register herbal products. Since Uganda has no pharmacopeia, safety, efficacy, and plant processing information are not readily available. We documented the plant m...

Background: Plants have long been used in traditional medicine and in cultural practices such as circumcision. Circumcision is one of the oldest and most widely performed procedures globally. Although male circumcision among the Bagishu in Eastern Uganda has been widely studied, these studies have focused on social and cultural aspects of the ritua...

Abstract Background Antimicrobial resistance is swiftly increasing all over the world. In Africa, it manifests more in pathogenic bacteria in form of antibiotic resistance (ABR). On this continent, bacterial contamination of commonly used herbal medicine (HM) is on the increase, but information about antimicrobial resistance in these contaminants i...

Some African countries have decriminalized cannabis production for medicinal purposes. This has resulted in the commercial cultivation of the once illegal crop from hidden areas to either indoor or outdoor gardens. Cannabis health and socio-economic effects have been widely researched while ignoring its environmental impacts on commercial-scale cul...

Cannabis is the most widely used illicit substance globally. Cannabis is an important crop in Africa and was originally cultivated by poor farmers who could not benefit from legal agriculture. Currently, African farmers produce enough cannabis to meet continental demand while exporting small quantities. We reviewed the literature on cannabis cultiv...

Cannabis has been used for recreation and in traditional medicine in Africa for centuries since its introduction by Arab traders from India. Though Cannabis contains a variety of phytochemicals, its psychotropic activity is attributed mainly to the psychoactive compound Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ-9-THC). Additionally, cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabi...

African traditional medicine is as old as mankind. There has been a recent resurgence in the use of traditional medicine all over the world, and in Africa specifically. The term traditional medicine is usually interchangeably used with complementary medicine and alternative medicine in some countries. Although different African governments have con...

In ethnopharmacology, scientists often survey indigenous communities to identify and collect natural remedies such as medicinal plants that are yet to be investigated pharmacologically in a laboratory setting. The Nagoya Protocol provided international agreements on financial benefit sharing. However, what has yet only been poorly defined in these...

Background: Globally, diarrheal and respiratory diseases are among the top ten causes of mortality, and are the major ailments for which humans seek treatment. Kampala, the capital city of Uganda is facing a proliferation of herbalists that sell herbal medicine (HM) used to manage ailments such as diarrhea and cough. The ethnopharmacological and ec...

Introduction: The worldwide burden of viral infections has triggered a resurgence in the search for new and more efficient antiviral drugs. Scientists are also repurposing existing natural compounds such as the antimalarial drug artemisinin from Artemesia annua L. as potential drug candidates for some of the emerging and re-emerging viral infection...

Introduction There is widespread use of Aloe species in traditional healing practices in East Africa for a variety of diseases. Unfortunately, there is a tendency of mistakenly referring to all species of the genus Aloe as Aloe vera, despite the diversity of aloes in the region. The names for the different Aloe species in local languages are usuall...

We investigated the potential antimalarial and toxicological effects of 16 medicinal plants frequently used by traditional healers to treat malaria, fever, and related disorders in the Greater Mpigi region in Uganda. Species studied were Albizia coriaria, Cassine buchananii, Combretum molle, Erythrina abyssinica, Ficus saussureana, Harungana madaga...

Introduction: Despite concerns about toxicity, potentially harmful effects and herb-drug interactions, the use of herbal medicines remains widely practiced by people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) in Uganda. Objective: The objective of the paper was to comprehensively review the literature on the toxicity and chemical composition of commonly used med...

Background: In Sub-Saharan Africa, herbal therapy continues to be utilized for HIV-1 disease management. However, the therapeutic benefits of these substances remain ambiguous. To date, little is known about the effects of these plant extracts on chronic CD4 + T-cell activation and exhaustion which is partly driven by HIV-1 associated microbial tr...

Background: In the Acholi sub-region, consumption of wild edible plants is still an integral part of the food culture, particularly during times of food shortage. However, much of indigenous traditional knowledge has not been documented due to the history of prolonged civil war in the area. We conducted an ethnobotanical survey to document the wild...

Our study investigates 16 medicinal plants via assessment of inhibition of proinflammatory enzymes such as cyclooxygenases (COX). The plants are used by traditional healers in the Greater Mpigi region in Uganda to treat inflammation and related disorders. We present results of diverse in vitro experiments performed with 76 different plant extracts,...

According to the World Health Organization, the global burden of neurological disorders (NDs) is projected to increase from 92 at present to 103 million Disability Life Adjusted Years (DALYs) by 2030. However, NDs are not prioritized in modern healthcare systems considering the funds allocated and the limited availability of specialized modern heal...

In ethnopharmacological research, many field assessment tools exist. Yet, these miss that critical point of how to really determine which species merit the costly lab studies, e.g., evaluation of traditional use via pharmacological assays and isolation of bioactive secondary metabolites. This gap can be filled with the introduction of a new tool fo...

Toxic or poisonous plants have both intrigued and fascinated man throughout history. They have been, and are still, shrouded in mystery and secrecy in many societies, forming the mainstay of religion and superstition. Knowledge on poisonous plants has been the preserve of a select few, such as hunters and herbalists. The historical use of toxic pla...

Antibiotic resistance poses one of the greatest threats to global health today; conventional drug therapies are becoming increasingly inefficacious and limited. We identified 16 medicinal plant species used by traditional healers for the treatment of infectious and inflammatory diseases in the Greater Mpigi region of Uganda. Extracts were evaluated...

Background: There are high mortality and morbidity rates due to poisonous snakebites globally with sub-Saharan Africa having some of the highest cases. However, traditional medicine practitioners (TMP) have been treating snakebites in Uganda for long despite the fact that few studies have been conducted to document such vital and rich indigenous tr...

Background There is high mortality and morbidity due to poisonous snakebites globally, with Sub Saharan African having one of the highest rates. However, Traditional Medicine Practitioners (TMP) have been treating snakebites in Uganda for long. However, few studies have been conducted to document such vital traditional indigenous knowledge before i...

Introduction: People living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) widely use medicinal plants for boosting immunity and managing infections. The aim of this study was to document the medicinal plant species used by herbalists to boost the immune system of people living with HIV/AIDS in Uganda. Materials and methods: Semi-structured questionnaires were administered...