Evaluation of CD4 and Total White Blood Cell Counts in Relation to Blood Glucose, Age, and Gender in Diabetic Patients at Maragua Level 4 Hospital diabetic clinic.

Kennedy Muna — 2025-06-23

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major health challenge that affects glucose metabolism and weakens the immune system. This study examined CD4 and white blood cell (WBC) counts in relation to random blood glucose (RBG), age, and gender in diabetic patients.
Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study involving 138 diabetic patients at Maragua Level 4 Hospital. WBC and CD4 counts, as well as RBG, were measured. Data were analyzed using SPSS v26 to determine associations with age and gender.
Results: Higher WBC counts and lower CD4 counts were linked to poor glucose control (p < 0.05). CD4 counts were negatively associated with age (r = -0.162, p = 0.02) and RBG (r = -0.149, p = 0.03). WBC counts were significantly higher in patients with poor glucose control (p = 0.007).
Conclusion: Monitoring WBC and CD4 counts may help improve diabetes care by identifying patients at risk of complications.

Phytochemical and Antifungal Analysis of Root Bark, Inner Seed and Seed Coat Crude Extracts of Jatropa curcas

Kennedy Muna Kuria — 2026-10-10

Background: Jatropha curcas, a member of the Euphorbiaceae family, is known for its medicinal and biofuel applications. Rich in phytochemicals such as alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, and phenolics, it has shown antimicrobial properties, though its antifungal potential remains underexplored. This study evaluated the antifungal activity of Jatropha curcas root bark, inner seed, and seed coat crude extracts while identifying bioactive compounds responsible for this activity.

Materials and methods: Samples were harvested from Kitui, Kenya, authenticated at the National Museums of Kenya, air-dried, ground, and extracted using hexane and methanol in a Soxhlet apparatus. Phytochemical screening employed standard qualitative tests to detect alkaloids, glycosides, phenols, tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, and coumarins. Antifungal activity was assessed by measuring inhibition zones of different extract concentrations (50 µl/ml and 100 µl/ml) against Candida auris.

Results: Phytochemical screening revealed that glycosides and terpenoids were present in all extracts, while phenols, flavonoids, tannins, and coumarins were mainly detected in methanol extracts. Alkaloids were absent in root bark and seed coat but moderately present in inner seed extracts. Antifungal tests showed that hexane extracts exhibited higher inhibition zones than methanol extracts. Among the plant parts, root bark hexane extract at 100 µl/ml demonstrated the highest antifungal activity, with a 15 mm inhibition zone.

Conclusion: These findings confirm the presence of bioactive compounds in Jatropha curcas with potential antifungal properties. The hexane-extracted root bark exhibited the strongest antifungal activity, suggesting its possible use in developing natural antifungal agents. Further research is recommended to isolate specific active compounds and understand their mechanisms.

Journal of Medical and Biomedical Laboratory Sciences Research

Evaluation of CD4 and Total White Blood Cell Counts in Relation to Blood Glucose, Age, and Gender in Diabetic Patients at Maragua Level 4 Hospital diabetic clinic.

Phytochemical and Antifungal Analysis of Root Bark, Inner Seed and Seed Coat Crude Extracts of Jatropa curcas