Aim: To determine safety and anti-herpes activity of selected medicinal plants cited by Community Health Workers in Mukhwa sub-location, Bukaya location in Kakamega County, Kenya. Study Design: Ethno-medical interview for selection of medicinal plants and In-vitro experiment for determination of safety and anti-herpes activity. Methodology: Eight medicinal plants were selected for safety and determination of anti-herpes activity of water extracts using Vero cell and Human herpes Virus type 1. The metabolism of 3 -(4, 5-Dimethylthiazole -2-y) -2, 5-diphenyltetra-zolium bromide (MTT) was used for cytotoxicity and different levels of extract antiviral experiments. End point titration technique (EPTT) was used for virus quantification and antiviral screening test. Place and Duration of the Study: Plant samples were collected in September 2013 in MukhwaOriginal Research Article Radol et al.; BJPR, 13(5): 1-13, 2016; Article no.BJPR.29317 2 sub-location, the processing and biological experiments were carried out between March 2014 and October 2015 at the center of traditional medicine and drug research of Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi. Results: Safety profile: Tithonia diversifolia (Whole root) gave maximum nontoxic extract concentration (MNC) at 20 µg/mL, extract concentration killing 50% of cells (CC 50 ) was 460 µg/mL. Schkuhria pinnata (Leaves); MNC ˂20 µg/mL, CC 50 90 µg/mL. Entada abyssinica (Stem bark); MNC 20 µg/mL, CC 50 > 500 µg/mL. Garcinia buchanii (Stem bark); MNC 40 µg/mL, CC 50 >500 µg/mL. Croton macrostachyus (Stem bark); MNC 40 µg/mL, CC 50 >500 µg/mL. Vernonia adoensis (Whole root); MNC 20 µg/mL, CC 50 470 µg/mL. Plumeria alba (Leaves); MNC ˂20 µg/mL, CC 50 120 µg/mL. Caesalpinia decapetala (Whole root); MNC 20 µg/mL, CC 50 500 µg/mL. Anti-herpes activity: The best anti-herpes activity was obtained from G. buchanii (Stem bark), giving an extract concentration inhibiting 50% of virus activity (IC 50 ) at 20 µg/mL) and C. decapetala (Whole root) giving IC 50 at 80 µg/mL. Therapeutic index of G. buchanii was ˃ 25 and that of C. decapetala was ˃ 6. Conclusion: Majority of the medicinal plants selected for anti-herpes activity have narrow nonetoxic limits. Of all the selected medicinal plants, G. buchananii and C. decapetala are the most promising for selective anti-herpes activity.

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Aims: To Determine antioxidant value and chemical groups in selected medicinal plants used for conditions associated with Herpes simplex and Herpes zoster infections in Mukhwa sub-location, Kakamega County, Kenya. Study Design: A qualitative ethnobotanical survey for plant identification and chemical analysis for antioxidant assay and chemical group detection. Place and Duration of Study: Plant samples were collected in Mukhwa sub-location in September 2014. Sample processing and chemical group detection was carried out at the Center of Traditional Medicine and Drug Research of Kenya Medical Research Institute. Antioxidant assay was carried out at the Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences of the Kenya Medical Training College. Methodology: All 12 Community Health Workers, comprising 7 females and 5 males, were interviewed for identification of plant species. Antioxidant assay was carried out using the 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) reduction assay and detection of flavonoids, terpenoids, alkanoids, saponins and phenols carried out using physicho-chemical methods. Results: Caesalpinia decapetala, Garcinia buchananii and Entada abyssinica, were the most potent sources of antioxidant with the concentration giving 50% DPPH reduction (RSa50) of 50, 20 and 10  µg/ml, respectively. The most abundant chemical groups were; alkaloids in Schkuhria pinnata, terpenoids in E. abyssinica, flavonoids in G. buchananii, the latter also contained the highest amount of phenols. Conclusion: The findings of antioxidant and chemical groups in selected medicinal plants support their use for HIV conditions.

Prostate cancer is a type of malignancy that is defined by abnormal development of cells in the prostate tissue. Prostate cancer needs early intervention since its incidence and prevalence is high across the world leading to high morbidity and mortality. Prostatic specific antigen test which is the commonly used screening test in Kenya and across the world is nonspecific, expensive and inaccessible to many people in rural setting who are in need. The definitive histological test is invasive and requires specialized facilities and personnel. This study sought to investigate sarcosine in urine as a predictor of prostate cancer to supplement prostatic specific antigen test in the diagnosis of prostate carcinoma. Cross sectional study design was employed in this study for all suspected prostate cancer identified according to clinical assessment during the study period. Midstream urine samples of about 30mls was collected in plastic tubes, centrifuged and supernatant collected and analyzed using ELISA method for sarcosine. Raw data obtained was tabulated in excel and transferred to statistical package for social science. Differences in means and standard deviation from various age groups was analyzed using one-way Anova and Independent t test. The Bonferroni was used as post Hoc to test the means that were significant from others. Significance level was set at 95%. The concentration of sarcosine (4.30±0.11nmol/ml) in prostate cancer participants was significantly higher than the concentration (0.47±0.06nmol/ml) of control participants using ELISA (p<0.001;). Hence Sarcosine in urine needs to be analyzed for the testing of prostate tumor since it is raised in confirmed prostate carcinoma participants as compared to negative control units. The age groups of the prostate tumor participants had no significant variation in sarcosine concentration using ELISA method (p=0.57). Similarly, the age groups of the control individuals were not significantly different in sarcosine concentration (p=0.17). Future studies need to dwell in incorporating sarcosine metabolite in urine.