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Medicinal Herbs against Central Nervous System Disorders

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Impairment of the central nervous system (CNS) or the nerves conducting messages results in CNS disorders. These CNS disorders could be mild or severe depending on the type of disorder. CNS disorders include depression, anxiety, Huntington’s disease, epilepsy, and others. Over
the years, natural medicine has been used globally in the management of disorders related to the CNS. These herbal interventions are sometimes used as substitutes for orthodox agents used in the management of CNS disease. Examples of these plants include Desmodium adscendens, Cleome rutidosperma, Withania somnifera, Baccopa monnieri, Rauvolfia
serpentina, Acorus calamus, Emblica officinalis , and Strychnos nux-vomica . The mechanisms of action they employ include binding to CNS receptors with pharmacologic and therapeutic effects, normalization of hormones such as corticosterone, amelioration of depressive-like
behaviors, anti-inflammatory effects, acetylcholinesterase activity, stimulation of γ-aminobutyric acid receptors, reactive oxygen scavenging properties, and abrogation of monoamine oxidase activity.

This chapter by Dr. Godwin Anywar et. al. compiles some of the documented medicinal plants used in the management of CNS disorders.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9781119794127.ch15

Hasifa Kabejja

Natural Sciences

World Aquaculture Safari 2025: Biggest Aquaculture Meeting in Africa

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WORLD AQUACULTURE SAFARI 2025: Biggest Aquaculture Meeting in Africa, 24th-27th June 2025, Speke Resort Munyonyo, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
  • WORLD AQUACULTURE SAFARI 2025: Biggest Aquaculture Meeting in Africa
  • Date: 24th-27th June 2025
  • Venue: Speke Resort Munyonyo, Kampala, Uganda

*****About the Conference

East Africa is the fastest growth node for aquaculture on the African continent. This is predominantly as a result of the farming of tilapia, but several other species contribute to the sector. East Africa is also a world leading region in the farming of seaweed, with exciting developments around several other marine species such as sea cucumber and more.

The EU-funded TRUEFISH Project, which seeks the advancement of aquaculture in the Lake Victoria Basin, showcased the region to the World Aquaculture Society (WAS) Board in 2022, which was well accepted and led to the pinning down of June 2025 as a suitable date for an aquaculture conference in the region. This in turn led to the signing of a hosting agreement between WAS and Landell Mills as an implementing partner of TRUEFISH.

Through Egypt (2022), Zambia (2023) and Tunisia (2024), the African Regional Aquaculture (AFRAQ) Conferences have shown steady growth. It is however important to emphasize that Aquaculture Safari 2025 is a World Aquaculture Conference, incorporating both the continental event and the showcase global event. Undoubtedly, it will address key African topics such as tilapia and catfish production, but the conference will cater to a global audience covering a diverse range of presentations, species, meetings, discussions, workshops and more. Commitments of participation have been received from the likes of the FAO, the World Bank, the African Development Bank, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit, the African Union and others.  The trade show and exhibition promises to assemble the largest selection of aquaculture goods and service providers under one roof, in Africa, to date.

*****Theme and aim of the Conference

Organized under the theme “Aquaculture on the Rise,” World Aquaculture Safari 2025 aims to:

  1. Showcase the aquaculture industry in Africa and globally
  2. Forge international collaborations and linkages, in areas such as research, development, species sectors, feeds, investments, markets, trade and more.
  3. Unify the global aquaculture sector.

*****Expected participants and activities lined up for the Conference

Participants will range from academia to state officials, from technology providers to students, from farmers to fish buyers and exporters, and more. Apart from papers from across the world, plans are also afoot for an extensive farmer’s day, several side events such as aquaculture investment and seaweed workshops, and a field day to visit some of the largest fish farms on Lake Victoria. African countries will also showcase their aquaculture sectors in the trade show, allowing for global networking.

For international visitors the tourism opportunities before and after the conference are limitless. These include trekking for gorillas and chimpanzees (get your permits early!), visiting some of Africa’s famous Big Five game reserves in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, visiting or rafting the Nile River, witnessing the majestic Murchison Falls, seeing Mount Kilimanjaro or experiencing the tropical seas of Zanzibar.

Africa awaits its international aquaculture guests with excitement. Details loading soon. Registration will also open soon on the World Aquaculture Society (WAS) website – https://www.was.org/.

For details on World Aquaculture Safari 2025: https://www.was.org/Magazine/2024/04/38/ 

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Hasifa Kabejja

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Natural Sciences

CARTA Fellow Anywar Attends 2024 World Science Forum

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Dr. Godwin Anywar, at the 2024 World Science Forum that took place in Budapest, Hungary from 20th-23rd November. College of Natural Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

Godwin Anywar, cohort 6, Makerere University, attended the 2024 World Science Forum that took place on November 20 – 23, 2024 in Budapest, Hungary. At the forum, he participated in a side event: ‘Trust in Science’, a workshop for early career researchers organized by the Global Young Academy (GYA) and the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP). 

On November 26 – 28, 2024, he attended the twentieth annual meeting of the African Science Academies (AMASA 2024) and the General Assembly of the Network of African Academies of Sciences (NASAC), in Algiers, Algeria. He presented on ‘Promoting Science Diplomacy for Sustainable Development in Africa’ as one the co-leads of the Science Diplomacy in Africa working group of the Global Young Academy’. 

Godwin also participated in the Uganda Text Book Academic and Non-Fiction Authors Association (UTANA)- hybrid symposium on authorship capacity where he moderated a panel session on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and academic authorship. With the theme ‘Capacity building for academic and nonfiction authorship for Africa’s Transformation’ the symposium took place from November 14 -15, 2024 in Kampala, Uganda. 

Additionally, he attended and moderated a session on the regulation and registration of herbal medicinal products (HMP) in African countries. Organized by the Society for Medicinal Plants and Natural Products Research (GA) in collaboration with PharmaConnect Africa NPC and The Natural Products Research Network for Eastern and Central Africa (NAPRECA), the session was part of an eSeminar series ‘Regulation of Natural Products – a Global Challenge’.

Source: CARTA Newsletter Issue 83

Mark Wamai

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Natural Sciences

CARTA Fellow Anywar Appointed Member of BMC Editorial Board

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Dr. Godwin Anywar (2nd Right) displays his certificate after attending the Science Diplomacy Course in Trieste, Italy, from June 17 to 21, 2024. Photo: CARTA.

Godwin Anywar, cohort 6, Makerere University, was appointed a Member of the editorial board of BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies on June 18, 2024. The appointment is on a rolling basis, renewable after every two years.

He also attended the Science Diplomacy Course in Trieste, Italy, from June 17 to 21, 2024, under the auspices of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Washington, DC, USA, and The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Trieste, Italy.

Source: CARTA Newsletter Issue 78

Mark Wamai

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