Francis Adu

Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities of pterygota macrocarpa and cola gigantea (sterculiaceae)

Pterygota macrocarpa and Cola gigantea are African medicinal plants used in traditional medicine for the treatment of sores, skin infections, and other inflammatory conditions including pains. This study therefore aims at investigating the antimicrobial properties of ethanol leaf and stem bark extracts of P. macrocarpa and C. gigantea using the agar diffusion and the micro-dilution techniques and also determining the anti-inflammatory properties of the extracts of these plants in carrageenan-induced foot edema in seven-day old chicks. The minimum inhibitory concentration of both ethanol leaf and bark extracts of P. macrocarpa against the test organisms was from 0.125 to 2.55 mg/mL and that of C. gigantea extracts was 0.125 to 2.75 mg/mL. Extracts with concentration of 50 mg/mL were most active against the test organisms according to the agar diffusion method. All the extracts of P. macrocarpa and C. gigantea at 30, 100, and 300 mg/kg body weight except ethanol leaf extract of C. gigantea exhibited significant anti-inflammatory effects (P ≤ 0.001).

Antibiotic producing microorganisms from River Wiwi, Lake Bosomtwe and the Gulf of Guinea at Doakor Sea Beach, Ghana

BackgroundMicroorganisms have provided a wealth of metabolites with interesting activities such as antimicrobial, antiviral and anticancer. In this study, a total of 119 aquatic microbial isolates from 30 samples (taken from water bodies in Ghana) were screened by the agar-well diffusion method for ability to produce antibacterial-metabolites.ResultsAntibacterial activity was exhibited by 27 of the isolates (14 bacteria, 9 actinomycetes and 4 fungi) against at least one of the indicator microorganisms: Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212), Bacillus thuringiensis (ATCC 13838), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Proteus vulgaris (NCTC 4635) and Bacillus Subtilis (NCTC 10073). A sea isolate MAI2 (identified as a strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa) exhibited the highest antibacterial activity (lowest zone of inhibition = 22 mm). The metabolites of MAI2 extracted with chloroform were stable to heat and gave minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging between 250 and 2000 μg/ml. Bioautography of the extract revealed seven active components.ConclusionThis study has therefore uncovered the potential of water bodies in the West African sub-region as reservoirs of potent bioactive metabolite producing microorganisms.

Antibiotic resistance patterns of escherichia coli isolates from hospitals in Kumasi, Ghana

Nosocomial infections are infections acquired by a patient as a result of treatment in a hospital or healthcare service providing center and symptoms occurs within a short period of hospitalization. The study was to determine the antibiotic resistance patterns of Escherichia coli isolated from Kumasi-South, Tafo and Suntreso Hospitals, Kumasi, Ghana. Total of 600 swabs samples from the hospitals were collected between January and June, 2010. The isolates were identified using morphological and biochemical means. A total of 97 E. coli isolates were obtained from the hospitals. Beds in hospital wards had the highest number of E. coli strains (53.6%), followed by floors (20.6%) while drainages had the least isolates (3.1%). Majority of the E. coli isolates (90.7%) exhibited resistance to ampicillin while 6.2 and 3.1% showed intermediate and sensitive respectively. Co-trimoxazole, 78.4% of the isolates were resistant while 9.3 and 12.4% exhibited intermediate and sensitive responses respectively. E. coli isolates (28.6 to 46.4%) were resistant to gentamicin, ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone while 14.4 to 47.4% gave intermediate responses. Most isolates (80.4%) exhibited multi-drug resistance. There is a need to observe proper personal hygiene, use of effective disinfectants and proper disposal of contaminated/pathogenic materials in these hospitals to control nosocomial infections.

In vitro Activity and Evaluation of Quality of Some Selected Penicillins on the Ghanaian Market using Developed HPLC Methods

The use of antibiotics in health delivery is inevitable since it is one of the most prescribed medications. The quality and efficacy of these medications are crucial in health systems since they can affect the quality of healthcare delivery. The study was designed to determine the quality and activity of some penicillins on the Ghanaian market. A total of 54 samples (29 capsules and 25 suspensions) of different brands and batches were collected from different pharmacies in Accra and Kumasi, Ghana, from October 2011 to May 2012. The activity (zones of inhibition) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the samples were determined by the agar-well diffusion and micro-dilution methods respectively against two typed strains of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Quality of the samples was determined quantitatively by developed and validated HPLC methods. The MICs of flucloxacillin and cloxacillin samples were ≥ 1400 µg/mL, whiles that of amoxicillin samples were ≥ 200 µg/mL, with reference to the standard antibiotics which gave MICs of 200 to 800 µg/mL against all the test bacteria with the suspensions exhibiting higher antimicrobial activity. Specificity, linearity, precision and accuracy of the developed HPLC method were determined. HPLC analysis of the samples revealed that 75% of amoxicillin capsule samples and 92.3% of amoxicillin suspension samples contained the right amount of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) with percentages ranging from 93.2 to 104.3% and 81.0 to 104.1% respectively. For samples of flucloxacillin capsules, 62.5% of the samples showed API content from 96 to 120.5%. All the suspension samples have their API within BP and USP specification of 114.4 to 120.0%. Capsules (58.6%) of all the samples contained the right API whereas 64% of them were recorded for suspensions. Out of the 54 samples evaluated, 61.1% were within the BP and USP specifications. The biological assay revealed higher MIC values for all the penicillin samples evaluated compared with the reference samples. Among the samples evaluated, amoxicillin showed better quality of 82.8% as compared to flucloxacillin (31.3%) and cloxacillin (44.4%) samples. Efforts should therefore be made to improve the quality and storage conditions of these antibiotics and also constant monitoring and surveillance of activity and potency of these antibiotics should be done.

Prevalence and antibiotic resistance of coagulase-negative Staphylococci isolated from poultry farms in three regions of Ghana

The use of antibiotics in animal production has been associated with the development and spread of antibiotic-resistant organisms including commensals. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) species, which were until recently considered non-pathogenic, have been associated with opportunistic infections and high resistance to several antibiotics. This study sought to determine the prevalence, identity, and phenotypic resistance of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. isolated from some selected poultry farms and farm workers in the Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, and Greater Accra regions of Ghana. Poultry litter samples and oral swabs of poultry farm workers were collected, from which bacterial species were isolated, identified, and analyzed. Various selective media were used for the presumptive identification of the different species. Confirmation of bacterial identity was done using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. Antibiotic susceptibility testing of the isolates was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Zones of growth inhibition were interpreted based on the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) guidelines. Two hundred and fifty-six coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp., comprising S. sciuri (42.97%), S. lentus (35.94%), S. gallinarum (6.64%), S. xylosus (4.30%), S. haemolyticus (3.91%), S. saprophyticus (1.95%), and S. cohnii (0.39%) were confirmed by MALDI-TOF. CoNS were isolated from samples from the Brong Ahafo (48.83%), Ashanti (33.59%), and Greater Accra (17.78%) regions. Isolates from poultry litter constituted 55.47%, and farm workers 44.53%. All the isolates were susceptible to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and amikacin. The isolates exhibited high resistance toward tetracycline (57.03%), doxycycline (43.75%), and oxacillin (43.36%). Multi-drug resistance (MDR) was observed in 19.14% of the isolates. MDR was higher in isolates obtained from poultry farm workers (61.22%) than isolates from poultry litter (38.78%). The above findings call for stricter monitoring of antibiotic usage in both animal production and in humans.

Phytochemical Screening and Antimicrobial Activity of Entandrophragma angolense

Entandrophragma angolense (Welw.) C.DC. (Meliaceae) is a deciduous plant commonly found on in west Africa and it is used for treatment microbial infections, wounds, rheumatic and arthritic pains . The methanol stem bark extract was investigated for its antimicrobial activity using the agar well diffusion method and macro-dilution technique and time kill kinetics. The antimicrobial activity of the methanol extract and its fractions were evaluated against five bacteria species and a fungus including Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, Bacillus subtilis NCTC 10073, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 4853 and clinical strains of Candida albicans and some of the test bacteria . Phytochemical screening of the crude extract revealed the presence of tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, saponins and cardiac glycosides. The MICs of the methanol extract against the test organisms were: S. aureus (11.0 mg/mL), E. faecalis (9.0 mg/mL), B. subtilis (13.0 mg/mL) E. coli (17.0 mg/mL), P. aeruginosa (19 mg/mL) and C. albicans (15.0 mg/mL). The fractions of the methanol extract (pet ether, ethyl acetate and aqueous fractions) exhibited varying antimicrobial activities, with the highest activity exhibited by the aqueous fraction. The extract exhibited bacteriostatic and fungistatic activity against all test organisms. Time kill studies showed that the extract exhibited an inhibition of bacterial and fungal growth. The results indicate that the methanol stem bark of E. angolense has antibacterial and antifungal activities and may justify the medicinal uses of the plant in the management of bacterial and fungal infections.

Antibiotic Use And Practices In Selected Fish Farms In The Ashanti Region Of Ghana

Background: Antibiotics may be used in fish farms to prevent or treat bacterial infections especially in hatcheries. This affects a wide range of bacteria and has potential impact on receiving water bodies and fish pathogens and has been reported to contribute to antibiotic resistance in other parts of the world but there is no available report from Ghana. Aim: This study was carried out to assess some fish farming practices among catfish and tilapia farmers which may contribute to antibiotic resistance. Method: Validated questionnaires were administered to 63 fish farmers and 9 fishery officers in six zones of the Ministry of Fisheries, Ashanti Region of Ghana. Results/Findings: Seventy three percent of farmers claimed not to use antibiotics on their farms. Three farmers (4.8%) used tetracycline on the fish farms whilst two hatchery farmers add antibiotics (tetracycline or chloramphenicol) to fish feed. 93.6% of respondents who use manure on fish farms use poultry manure from commercial poultry farms and use it mainly to fertilize fish ponds. Conclusion: Most of the fish farmers interviewed do not use antibiotics on fish farms, practices such as manure use and untreated waste disposal may contribute to antibiotic resistance on fish farms in Ghana.