Vol. 1 No. 2 (2012): African Journal of Pharmacology and Therapeutics
This issue brings together a collection of studies focused on infectious disease management, public health service evaluation, and preclinical drug evaluation. The articles address critical healthcare challenges in East Africa—particularly Kenya—ranging from the efficacy of global health recommendations to the development of novel therapeutic options and diagnostics.
A key focus of the issue is the evaluation of current public health interventions and disease surveillance. Researchers analyze the genetic makeup of influenza strains circulating in Kenya to determine if the World Health Organization’s recommended vaccine formulations were a match for the local population during the 2010–2011 season. In another vital public health study, the issue examines the quality of Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) services and the uptake of antiretroviral prophylaxis among HIV-positive pregnant women in the Kakamega District, identifying key operational gaps and successes in maternal care.
The remaining research shifts toward pharmacology, diagnostics, and drug resistance. One study explores the challenging issue of antimalarial drug resistance, detailing how resistant strains of the malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei show cross-resistance to primaquine, while remaining susceptible to atovaquone. Additionally, the issue features natural product research demonstrating the glucose-lowering efficacy of Momordica charantia (Karela) extracts in diabetic models, alongside a diagnostic study assessing various animal sources of antibodies to develop an ELISA detection test for chloramphenicol.
