Marizvikuru Mwale

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of the aqueous leaf extract of Agave sisalana in rats

Agave sisalana is gaining popularity in controlling gastro-intestinal parasites in chickens and treatment of local inflammatory conditions. However, little is known about its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. These properties were determined using the carrageenan, formaldehyde and histamineinduced oedema, as well as formalin, tail flick and acetic acid-induced pain tests. A. sisalana extract was administered per os at 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight of rats. Indomethacin was used as positive control. The 400 mg/kg dose caused 93.4% inflammation inhibition of the carrageenan-induced odema, while 100 mg/kg had 84.9% for the formaldehyde-induced paw oedema. Inflammation inhibition was low (8.1%) for histamine-induced oedema at 400 mg/kg. For tail flick test analgesic activity was low, 55.8 and 0% at 100 and 400 mg/kg, respectively. As for the acetic acid test, analgesic activity was high; 77.2, 81.0, 84.8 and 84.8% for 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg doses, respectively, and for the formalin test it was 66.7 and 100% at 200 mg/kg in phases 1 and 2, respectively. Findings of this study demonstrated that A. sisalana possesses some anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Further investigation is necessary to determine the nutritional composition of A. sisalana that may augment its pharmacological properties.

Perceived Solutions to Constraints to Small-scale Food Vending in a Growing Town in Limpopo Province of South Africa

Abstract The purpose of this study was to identify the constraints small-scale food vendors in Thohoyandou town of Thulamela Municipality in South Africa faced. A mixed qualitative and quantitative research approach was used. Key informant interviews and focus group discussions were carried out in phase 1 of the study. Using the data collected in this phase, a structured questionnaire was developed and administered to 126 food vendors. Small-scale food vendors faced a wide range of challenges that included infrastructure and basic services, legal and policy frameworks. It was suggested that the constraint, could be solved in the following ways: “municipal officials must desist from forcing vendors from stalls,” “provision of sanitation facilities,” “allocating selling stalls,” and “formalising food vending through issuing operator licences,” Furthermore, the need for Thulamela Municipality to consider and adopt various ways of supporting small-scale food vending as part of its overall local economic development strategy was emphasised.