Emmanuel Orire Ikuomola,1 Umar Uthman Shehu,1 Ismahil Adekunle Adeniyi,1 Mary Olaoluwa Agunloye,1 Ekementeabasi Aniebo Umoh,1 Victor Kehinde Abodunrin,2 Deborah Doyin Alade,3 Adedoyin Bisola Arogundade,3 Yetunde Sidqout Akinsanya,4 Blessing Oluwagbamila Omolaso51Department of Physiology, Kampala International University Western Campus, Ishaka, Uganda; 2Department of Anatomy, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun, Nigeria; 3Department of Physiology, Elizade University, Akure City, Ondo, Nigeria; 4Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Fountain University, Osogbo, Osun, Nigeria; 5Department of Physiology, University of Medical Sciences, Ondo City, Ondo, NigeriaCorrespondence: Emmanuel Orire Ikuomola, Email ikuomolaemmanuelorire@kiu.ac.ugAbstract: Male infertility contributes to approximately 40– 50% of infertility cases worldwide and poses a substantial public health challenge, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Uganda, where access to conventional fertility treatments remains limited by cost and availability, traditional medicinal plants are widely used as a therapeutic option for managing male reproductive disorders. However, the scientific evidence supporting their efficacy and mechanisms of action remains fragmented. This narrative review synthesizes current evidence on medicinal plants used in Uganda for the management of male infertility, with particular emphasis on their testosterone-modulating mechanisms and the strength of available evidence. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar to identify studies evaluating medicinal plants used in Uganda and the broader East African region. The review identified 171 medicinal plant species traditionally used for sexual and reproductive health across the East African Community, of which 66 are documented in Uganda. Frequently cited Ugandan-native species include Mondia whitei and Warburgia ugandensis; Withania somnifera is included as a comparative benchmark. Available preclinical evidence suggests that some of these plants may enhance testosterone production through stimulation of Leydig cell steroidogenesis, modulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis, antioxidant activity, and other phytochemical-mediated mechanisms. Although these findings suggest potential therapeutic avenues, the clinical evidence base remains extremely limited, with no randomized controlled trials for Ugandan-native medicinal plants, and current evidence is insufficient to recommend these plants for clinical use outside of research settings. Future well-designed clinical and pharmacological studies are essential to validate efficacy, establish safety, and facilitate integration into evidence-based reproductive healthcare.Keywords: male infertility, testosterone, medicinal plants, ethnopharmacology, Uganda, phytochemicals, hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis, Mondia whitei, Warburgia ugandensis
Introduction:The central role of oxidative stress in neuronal injury and the progression of neurological disorders underscores the need to identify multi-target agents capable of restoring redox homeostasis. This study evaluated the antioxidant and pharmacological potential of Syzygium aromaticum ethyl acetate fraction (SEAF) using integrated phytochemical, computational, and experimental approaches. Methods:GC-MS was used to characterize the phytochemical composition of the ethyl acetate fraction of Syzygium aromaticum (SEAF). Thirteen phytometabolites with relative peak areas ≥1.0% were selected for ADME-Tox profiling and molecular docking against monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX). In vitro antioxidant assays, acute oral toxicity testing, and in vivo evaluation of cerebellar oxidative stress biomarkers were subsequently performed. Results:GC-MS identified eugenyl acetate (43.08%), eugenol (18.86%), and β-caryophyllene (1.64%) as the predominant metabolites. The prioritized phytometabolites exhibited favorable predicted ADME-Tox profiles and notable binding energies for MAO-B (up to -8.4 kcal/mol) and 5-LOX (up to -6.8 kcal/mol), involving key interactions with HIS367 and HIS372 in MAO-B and GLN363, TYR435, and CYS172 in 5-LOX, comparable to the standard ligands. Although ascorbic acid exhibited greater radical-scavenging and ferric-reducing potencies than SEAF in the DPPH and FRAP assays, respectively, SEAF showed higher total antioxidant activity than ascorbic acid. In vivo, SEAF administration was relatively safe up to 2000 mg/kg and significantly increased cerebellar superoxide dismutase and catalase activities while reducing malondialdehyde levels in HgCl2-treated mice, with effects comparable to vitamin E. SEAF preserved cerebellar cortex histoarchitecture and Nissl substance in Purkinje cells against mercuric chloride-evoked oxidative damage. Conclusion:Syzygium aromaticum exhibited potent antioxidant effects through combined radical scavenging, enzymatic enhancement, modulation of oxidative stress-related targets, and preservation of cerebellar histoarchitecture, supporting its potential as a candidate for further preclinical development.
Ekom Monday Etukudo,1 Ibe Michael Usman,2 Augustine Oviosun,1 Vivian Onyinye Ojiakor,1 Wusa Makena,1 Elna Owembabazi,1 Patrick Maduabuchi Aja,3 Emeka Anyanwu11Department of Anatomy, Kampala International University Western Campus, Ishaka-Bushenyi, Uganda; 2Anatomy Department, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Rwanda, Butare, Rwanda; 3Department of Biochemistry, Kampala International University Western Campus, Ishaka-Bushenyi, UgandaCorrespondence: Ibe Michael Usman, Email i.m.usman@ur.ac.rwIntroduction: The central role of oxidative stress in neuronal injury and the progression of neurological disorders underscores the need to identify multi-target agents capable of restoring redox homeostasis. This study evaluated the antioxidant and pharmacological potential of Syzygium aromaticum ethyl acetate fraction (SEAF) using integrated phytochemical, computational, and experimental approaches.Methods: GC-MS was used to characterize the phytochemical composition of the ethyl acetate fraction of Syzygium aromaticum (SEAF). Thirteen phytometabolites with relative peak areas ≥ 1.0% were selected for ADME-Tox profiling and molecular docking against monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX). In vitro antioxidant assays, acute oral toxicity testing, and in vivo evaluation of cerebellar oxidative stress biomarkers were subsequently performed.Results: GC-MS identified eugenyl acetate (43.08%), eugenol (18.86%), and β-caryophyllene (1.64%) as the predominant metabolites. The prioritized phytometabolites exhibited favorable predicted ADME-Tox profiles and notable binding energies for MAO-B (up to − 8.4 kcal/mol) and 5-LOX (up to − 6.8 kcal/mol), involving key interactions with HIS367 and HIS372 in MAO-B and GLN363, TYR435, and CYS172 in 5-LOX, comparable to the standard ligands. Although ascorbic acid exhibited greater radical-scavenging and ferric-reducing potencies than SEAF in the DPPH and FRAP assays, respectively, SEAF showed higher total antioxidant activity than ascorbic acid. In vivo, SEAF administration was relatively safe up to 2000 mg/kg and significantly increased cerebellar superoxide dismutase and catalase activities while reducing malondialdehyde levels in HgCl2-treated mice, with effects comparable to vitamin E. SEAF preserved cerebellar cortex histoarchitecture and Nissl substance in Purkinje cells against mercuric chloride-evoked oxidative damage.Conclusion: Syzygium aromaticum exhibited potent antioxidant effects through combined radical scavenging, enzymatic enhancement, modulation of oxidative stress-related targets, and preservation of cerebellar histoarchitecture, supporting its potential as a candidate for further preclinical development.Keywords: antioxidants, cerebellum, oxidative stress, phytomedicine, Syzygium aromaticum
Background:Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD) is a prevalent metabolic disorder with no effective approved pharmacotherapy. Andrographolide, a bioactive diterpenoid from Andrographis paniculata, has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, but its mechanisms in MAFLD remain unclear. Methods:An integrated computational and experimental approach was applied. Network pharmacology was used to identify shared targets between andrographolide and MAFLD using public drug-target and disease databases. Protein-protein interaction analysis, pathway enrichment, and molecular docking with hub proteins were then performed. For experimental validation, hepatic steatosis was induced in HUH7 cells with oleic acid (1 mM, 24 h) and treated with andrographolide (14 µM). Lipid accumulation was measured by Oil Red O staining, and hub gene expression was analyzed by qRT-PCR. Results:In silico analysis identified 253 shared targets, with TNF, IL6, AKT1, TP53, IL1B, JUN, VEGFA, STAT3, CASP3, and EGFR as major hubs. Enrichment analysis highlighted lipid metabolism, and inflammation signaling pathways. Molecular docking showed strong binding to AKT1 (-7.7 kcal/mol), EGFR (-7.5 kcal/mol), and STAT3 (-7.2 kcal/mol). In vitro, andrographolide reduced oleic acid-induced lipid accumulation by 38% (p = 0.0032). qRT-PCR revealed significant downregulation of AKT1 (73.5%, p = 0.0159), EGFR (72.0%, p = 0.0137), and STAT3 (53.6%, p = 0.0220) mRNA expression in andrographolide-treated steatotic hepatocytes. These transcript-level changes are correlative observations and do not confirm direct inhibition of AKT1, EGFR, or STAT3 protein activity, which requires phosphorylation-specific validation. The mRNA findings suggest a potential association between andrographolide treatment and modulation of these signaling pathways at the transcriptional level. Conclusion:Andrographolide alleviates hepatic steatosis and is associated with transcriptional modulation of AKT1, EGFR, and STAT3 mRNA. However, protein-level validation is absent, and these findings should be considered hypothesis-generating rather than mechanistic proof of target inhibition. The results support further investigation of andrographolide as a potential multi-target therapeutic candidate for MAFLD.
Marie Louise Sezerano, Emery NiyonkuruNational Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Public Health, Bujumbura, BurundiCorrespondence: Emery Niyonkuru, National Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Public Health, Bujumbura, Burundi, Email niyoemery01@gmail.comAbstract: Moringa oleifera (M. oleifera) is a multipurpose medicinal plant with over 160 catalogued bioactive compounds and reported activity across metabolic, inflammatory, infectious, and neoplastic diseases, yet its pharmacology has remained mechanistically fragmented, limiting translational interpretation. In this narrative review, we synthesize evidence from in silico analyses, cellular systems, animal models, and human studies to evaluate whether structurally diverse phytochemicals—including glucosinolates, isothiocyanates, flavonoids, and phenolic acids—converge on interconnected redox and inflammatory regulatory networks centered on NF-κB and Nrf2/Keap1 signaling, offering a plausible systems-level explanation for their coordinated effects on immune function, oxidative stress, and metabolic homeostasis. Preclinical evidence for this convergence is extensive and consistent, with documented effects on inflammatory signaling, oxidative stress regulation, and cell fate determination relevant to hepatoprotection, cardiometabolic regulation, neuroprotection, and tumor biology. Clinical evidence, by contrast, is considerably more limited: available trials report modest and inconsistent benefits for glycemic control, cardiovascular parameters, and immune-related outcomes, constrained by heterogeneous phytochemical composition, minimal pharmacokinetic characterization, and variable extraction and formulation methods. Safety data indicate general tolerability at commonly used doses, though reproductive effects and herb–drug interactions remain incompletely defined. Collectively, current evidence positions M. oleifera as a mechanistically plausible, multi-target modulator of redox and inflammatory networks rather than a validated therapeutic agent; realizing its clinical potential will require standardized preparations, rigorous pharmacokinetic profiling, biomarker-anchored trial design, and evaluation in well-powered controlled trials.Keywords: Moringa oleifera, phytochemical bioactives, redox homeostasis, immunomodulation, multi-target pharmacology, translational therapeutics
