In 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognized mycetoma as one of the neglected tropical conditions due to the efforts of the mycetoma consortium. This same consortium formulated knowledge gaps that require further research. One of these gaps was that very few data are available on the epidemiology and transmission cycle of the causative agents. Previous work suggested a soil-borne or ...

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and its development is frequently associated with oxidative stress-induced by carcinogens such as arsenicals. Most foods are basically health-promoting or disease-preventing and a typical example of such type is honey. This study was undertaken to investigate the ameliorative effects of Acacia honey on sodium arsenite-induced oxidative stress in the ...

The aqueous extracts of twenty plants were screened by agar diffusion methods for their antibacterial activity against Rathyibacter tritici, a causal organism of tundu diseases of wheat. The combined extracts of leaf extracts of Datura stramonium and stem extracts of Acacia catechu in general showed a strong enhancement in activities over the individual extracts of leaves extracts of Datura str...

Six woody legume tree species, Acacia ehrenbergiana (Hayne.), Acacia nilotica (Willd.), Acacia saligna (Labill.), Acacia tortilis (Forssk.), Acacia tortilis var. reddiana ( Savi.) and Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) were performed the growth characteristics and to identify the resistance of native isolated Rhizobium strains from root zone surrounding trees to environmental stressesantibiotic, high...

Honey is widely used for treating burns, ulcers and wounds, but the mechanisms of action are poorly known and the product is mainly used as an antimicrobial. We have examined here the wound healing properties of honey on human fibroblasts, using an in vitro scratch wound healing model. Three kinds of widely used monofloral honeys were used, viz. acacia (Robinia pseudacacia), buckwheat (Fagopyru...

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. We investigated the molecular mechanism of antiproliferation potential of Acacia honey on NCI-H460 cells by cell cycle, viability, cytokines, calcium ion and gene expression analysis. Acacia honey inhibited cells proliferation, arrested G0/G1 phase, stimulated cytokines, calcium ion release as well as suppressed p53 and Bcl-2 expressi...

Myrmecophytic Acacia species produce food bodies (FBs) to nourish ants of the Pseudomyrmex ferrugineus group, with which they live in an obligate mutualism. We investigated how the FBs are protected from exploiting nonmutualists. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of the FB proteomes and consecutive protein sequencing indicated the presence of several Kunitz-type protease inhibitors (PIs). PIs...

Riparian ecosystem along rivers and streams are characterised by lateral and longitudinal ecological gradients and, as a result, harbour unique biodiversity. Riparian ecosystems in the fynbos of the Western Cape, South Africa, are characterised by seasonal dynamics, with summer droughts followed by high flows during winter. The unique hydrology and geomorphology of riparian ecosystems play an i...