Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25371579›Full record

ArticleAfrican journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM2014

The immunostimulatory and antimicrobial property of two herbal decoctions used in the management of HIV/AIDS in Ghana.

George Asumeng Koffuor, Rita Dickson, Stephen Yao Gbedema, Edmund Ekuadzi, Gabriel Dapaah, Lydia Francisca Otoo

Open access · diamondAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
1.9field-weighted citation impact, top 13% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Bioactive fractions ofMetabolism open · 2026
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  4. The Immune Effects of an African Traditional Energy Tonic in In Vitro and In Vivo Models.Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM · 2017
    Article
  5. Review
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

George Asumeng KoffuorDepartment of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Rita DicksonDepartment of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Stephen Yao GbedemaDepartment of Pharmaceutics; Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Edmund EkuadziDepartment of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Gabriel DapaahDepartment of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Lydia Francisca OtooDepartment of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology · GH

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHIV/AIDS is a pandemic retarding economic growth and destroying human capital globally. This study therefore investigated the perceived efficacy of Betula alba (BA) and Sutherlandia frutescens (SF) decoctions used in the management of HIV/AIDS in Ghana. MATERIALS AND

methodsA study on the records of HIV/AIDS patients attending Habibi Herbal Clinic, Kumasi, Ghana, was conducted to obtain information on the initial viral load presented during their maiden visit and results after treatment with the herbal decoctions. The decoctions were assessed for immunostimulatory property in cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressed ICR mice. Total white blood cell count, as well as lymphocyte and neutrophil counts were determined and their effects compared with Levamisole. The decoctions were also screened for antimicrobial activity by the micro dilution method.

resultsThe two herbal decoctions used significantly reduced (P ≤ 0.001) the patients' viral loads (47.42 ± 17.28 % to 13.69 ± 12.42 %; n=16). BA (1, 2, and 4 mg/kg) and SF (0.4, 0.8, and 1.6 mg/kg) caused significant increment (P ≤ 0.001) in total WBC and lymphocyte count in mice comparable to that produced by 2.5 mg/kg Levamisole. The decoctions also exhibited antimicrobial activity against gram negative and gram positive bacteria as well as Candida albicans (MIC 0.607 to 3.062 mg/ml). Phytochemicals present in both plants include saponins, terpenoids and coumarins.

conclusionThe Betula alba and Sutherlandia frutescens decoctions have interesting immunostimulatory and antimicrobial properties and hence could be useful in the management of HIV/AIDS and associated opportunistic infections.

Indexed as

Acquired Immunodeficiency SyndromeAdjuvants, ImmunologicAdultAnimalsAnti-Infective AgentsBetulaCandida albicansFabaceaeFemaleGhanaGram-Positive BacteriaHIV InfectionsHumansMaleMiceMice, Inbred ICRAdjuvants, ImmunologicAnti-Infective AgentsPlant ExtractsBetula albaMicro-well dilution assayMinimum inhibitory concentrationSutherlandia frutescen,sViral load

Identifiers

PMID25371579
PMCPMC4202435
OpenAlexW2060011783

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.