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research
SATURday, OCTOBER 16, 2010
Omani henna’s therapeutic qualities
D
r Omar Habbal at SQU’s College of Medicine is researching the therapeutic qualities
of Omani henna based on samples
of branches and seeds drawn from
various parts of the Sultanate. Almost half of current pharmaceuticals
are derived from the plant kingdom.
Traditional healers have long used
plants to prevent or cure infectious
diseases. Plants are rich in a wide variety of secondary metabolites, such
as tannins, terpenoids, alkaloids and
flavonoids, and have demonstrated its
in vitro antimicrobial and antiphrastic
activities. Henna is known to have
medicinal properties. Engravings of
ancient Egyptians show that they used
henna for prophylactic and therapeutic purposes.
Results
More recent findings demonstrated the usefulness of henna to treat
headaches and skin diseases among
many other usages in cosmetic preparations. An aqueous preparation of
this plant is used as a cosmetic, and
the powdered leaves have been in use
from the most ancient times in Eastern countries for dyeing the hair and
the nails with a reddish-yellow tint. In
the world henna has been used since
1890 for tinting the hair. A brown resinous component in henna is believed
to have chemical properties similar to
tannins and was named ennotannic
acid. This fraction was deployed both
topically and internally in the treatment of jaundice, leprosy, smallpox,
Date palm by-products to
treat hospital wastewater
H
ospital wastewater is considered
an intense source
of pollution despite the
little attention paid to it. It
contains various organic
compounds, mainly pharmaceuticals, dyes and chlorinated organic compounds.
In addition, it contains radionuclides, heavy metals
and other chemicals. The
treatment of such wastewater is required to take place
prior to its mixing with municipal wastewater because
many of these pollutants
persist in the environment
and by-pass the conventional wastewater treatment methods.
Dr Al Sayid Ibrahim al Shafi of the Department of Chemistry, College of
Science at SQU, is conducting a research project to introduce two different
sorbents, both prepared from date palm tree by-products that are considered
as waste in themselves. Date pits (stones) will be the source of activated carbon that is expected to be efficient for the removal of pharmaceuticals and
other organic pollutants in the hospital wastewater, however, activated carbon
shows low removal capacity for heavy metals from wastewater.
Palm leaves will be dehydrated to produce a carbonaceous sorbent that
is loaded with functional groups and capable of efficient removal of many
heavy metals via ion exchange. The project will constitute bench studies for
the removal of some pharmaceuticals and nonylphenol (endocrine disrupting
chemical) and some selected heavy metals starting with synthetic solutions.
Representative samples of hospital wastewater will be also investigated for
water quality characterisation, including Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD),
Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and concentrations of heavy metals in addition
to any pharmaceuticals. The sorbents from Omani date palm will be examined
for their ability to remove these pollutants. A group of analytical techniques
such as LC-MS and ICP-MS will be utilised to evaluate the level of these
pollutants in the hospital wastewater before and after the treatment. Batch and
column studies will be carried out for the removal of these pollutants.
Contemporary social changes
and their effect on work values
D
r Aida al Niblawi of the Department of Sociology and
Social Work in the College of
Arts and Social Sciences at SQU is
conducting a study to trace contemporary social changes and their effect
on work values, in general, and those
in the Sultanate, in particular.
The study has relied on social
theories to discover the nature of
contemporary changes and their reflections on the processes of social
change in the Omani society.
Moreover, the study will analyse
Omani work values which have witnessed a gap between the traditional
values of work and the modern ones
resulting from globalisation. Such
gap has also caused the emergence
of new value system through which
change occurs from material to postmaterial values, particularly those
related to self-development, responsibility and initiative.
The new research
centre in SQU
The Humanities Research Centre’s
work includes examining heritage
manuscripts and publishing research
on the humanities in general
T
and some other skin infections. Skin
allergic and toxic reactions from henna have been reported. Such reactions
are usually due to impurities and additives rather than natural henna constituents. Different species of henna
are present and grown in the Sultanate
of Oman. Omani henna is prevalent in
Eastern and central areas of the Sultanate. In addition to its use as a cosmetic, henna leaves are also used as a
local anaesthetic, anti-inflammatory,
antipyretic and for treating mouth ulcers. The antimicrobial and fungicidal
effect of henna has long been known.
The Study
The present study investigated the
influence of the Omani henna on a variety of bacteria. Fresh and dry leaves
and seeds of henna were obtained
from several regions of the Sultanate
representing a wide geographical distribution. Henna leaves were cut into
small pieces then crushed with a pestle
and mortar. Seeds were crushed into
fine powder with a pestle and mortar.
Leaves (fresh and dry) were soaked in
ethanol while henna seeds (fresh and
dry) were also soaked in ethanol for
three days. The mixture was filtered
and the crude extract was collected.
The crude extract was then distilled.
The semi-dry extract was collected
for further drying in an oven at 370C.
The henna crude dry extract was then
tested for its antimicrobial activity using standard antimicrobial assays.
The effects of henna
The most striking antimicrobial
effect of henna is demonstrated by
the inhibitory effect of all dilutions
on both Shigella sonnei and S.aureus.
The dry leaves seemed to have stronger activity on the Shigella sonnei than
the fresh leaves, which were shown to
be more effective at higher concentrations. This may be due to the presence
of certain natural constituents in the
fresh leaves such as chlorophyll and
water. It was noticed that the antimicrobial activity of the Omani henna
samples were generally more evident
in the leaves of the plant rather than
the seeds. The latter have only demonstrated a limited antibacterial activity and at higher concentrations.
Dyeing
Quinones are present in henna,
these are aromatic rings with 2 ketone
substitutions. They are ubiquitous
in nature and are characteristically
highly reactive. These compounds,
being coloured, are responsible for
the browning reaction in cut or injured fruits and vegetables and are an
intermediate in the melanin synthesis pathway in human skin. It is the
presence of quinones in henna, which
gives that material its dyeing properties. Leaves of the Omani henna are
strikingly most effective against the
spectrum of bacteria tested as compared to seeds. This is probably due
to the inherent characteristics of the
fully grown plants and the maturity of
its chemically active constituents such
as quinones. Such constituents would
not have been established in seeds.
Although, fresh leaves did demonstrate such bacteriostatic activities
in general, these were less evident
when compared with the effect of dry
leaves. It is possible that the drying
effect on the plant causes the active
ingredients to be more concentrated
than those in the green leaves, where
water and other constituents are still
present.
The social implications of
tourism on Jabal al Akhdar
The interaction between
the local community
and the tourism industry
examined
W
ithin the framework of
co-operation between the
Omani Studies Centre at
SQU and the Sultanate’s governmental bodies, the OSC is continuing its
work on ‘The Economic and Social
Dimensions of Tourism Development on Jabal al Akhdar’, financed
by the Ministry of Tourism, which
started last February and is expected
to last for twelve months. This is a
strategic study whose results will be
used in future developmental plans
for the region. The study aims to
examine and analyse the interaction
between the local community and
growing tourism. This should provide a scientific framework which
deals with the development of tourism in the Sultanate as a social process which involves and benefits citizens without hurting the social and
environmental foundations of the
area.
Methodology
The study depends on a variety of
research methods, both qualitatively
and quantitatively. The most important of these is a field survey which
depends on observing the local community’s attitudes towards the tourist
activities on Jabal al Akhdar, ways to
develop them and methods to secure
the local community’s interaction
with them. The study will also use
personal interviewing and focal discussion groups.
So far, the study team has made
three exploratory visits to Al Jabal
al Akhdar in which they visited all
existing tourism projects to get information of the present situation
in the area. They also met with local officials, shaikhs and dignitaries,
and acquainted themselves with both
future plans for tourist development,
and possible obstacles which may
impede the sector’s development
there, and suggested ways of removing impediments which would be
part of the study’s conclusions. The
team also studied the area’s attractions for tourists and investigated
the best ways of making it a destination of choice for local and overseas
visitors.
In co-operation with a number
of SQU students, the team distributed questionnaires to a number of
residents and visitors in the area and
downloaded the data in SPSS program. They are now working on a
data analysis.
Research partnership
Dr Mohsin al Kindi, the OSC
Director, says that this study serves
several government institutions, and
that the OSC is committed to conducting even more projects which
will provide valuable information.
He adds that the OSC is working on
new projects that invites researchers
and scholars to submit any research
proposals which can help promote
the Sultanate’s interests.
he Humanities Research Centre (HRC) is the latest centre to be launched at SQU and, as its name
suggests, it deals with research in humanities. Like
existing centres, it aims to support SQU scholars in their
efforts to upgrade the academic and research position of
the university, both regionally and internationally. It began
operations in the Spring of 2010.
Professor Farouq O Fawzi, the HRC’s Director, believes that the Centre’s importance is made manifest in the
decree of its establishment which states: “The rapid and
turbulent global challenges which affect the Sultanate’s infrastructure, necessitating adjustments to its economy, social life, education, and commercial and business practices
have produced a pressing need for the development of effective responses and policies to assist decision-makers in
every sphere of Omani life. It was stipulated in the guiding
pronouncements of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos that SQU
should become a powerhouse of ideas and expertise to
meet the rising expectations of Omani citizens and respond
to the demands of public and private institutions.” Professor Fawzi goes on to say that the centre aspires to make
bridges of co-operation among the different disciplines
in the humanities and to achieve a position of excellence,
both regionally and internationally.
Organisational structure
Professor Fawzi says that the HRC has already established an organisational structure to serve its research
policy. It comes under the office of the Deputy ViceChancellor for Postgraduate Studies and Research and includes two committees, one for consultations and the other
for research and activities. The main function of the first
committee is to supervise the centre’s general policies and
plans. The second committee advises the director on matters related to the centre’s research activities. The HRC Director is responsible for its general management, research
policies and programmes carried out by the centre’s research groups as well as for locating sources of funding for
its projects and co-ordinating its relations with institutions
inside and outside SQU.
Activities
Professor Fawzi says that the most significant function
of the HRC is to supervise scientific activities and establish
research groups with clear objectives headed by responsible co-ordinators. The HRC’s policy on types of research
will be flexible, especially in the early years. It will not
interfere with, direct, or impose any specific research topic
on potential researchers, but will leave the co-ordinators
free to choose their project and make appropriate arrangements with the HRC management. After it has been approved by the centre’s committee for research and activities, work on a project will start immediately.
Professor Fawzi adds that the most important objectives
of the HRC include deciding on a research mechanism
which sheds light on several aspects related to Omani society in particular and to Arab society in general by focusing
on topics which need more investigation. It also hopes to
conduct distinguished research on social, administrative
and legal matters and to raise awareness of the importance
of humanities study and provide conditions needed for its
development.
Professor Fawzi says that the HRC’s vision and mission
have defined its objectives which focus on finding ways to
encourage research in the human sciences and to form a
research culture which will produce scholarly papers publishable in refereed international journals. The centre already carries out SQU’s policy of supporting and publishing research projects in the humanities, tracking foreign
research in the area, and translating high quality selections
from that source.
Funding
Professor Fawzi comments that since the HRC is a new
centre, locating sources for its funding both inside and outside SQU is still in its early stages. Such funds may be
found, for example, through co-operation with institutions
which deal with humanities studies by signing memoranda
of understanding. Grants are also available from the internal budget, His Majesty’s grants for strategic research, and
grants through contracts and research collaboration. It is
hoped that the grants offered by the Research Council will
be extended to cover projects in the human sciences just as
those in science and technology. Funding from any source
will certainly be a great encouragement to researchers.
Plans
The HRC Director says that the centre hopes to benefit
from SQU’s five-year strategic research plan which aims to
deepen the university’s research culture now that the campus
ambience has become so conducive for this. But this is not
enough in itself because research excellence also demands
the establishment of postgraduate and especially doctoral
programmes in the humanities colleges, and appropriate
support in terms of personnel and finance. The new centre
will publish books and research papers, examine heritage
manuscripts, translate texts and renowned pieces of research
in collaboration with the departments of the humanities colleges and with similar institutions outside SQU.
Challenges
Professor Fawzi adds that since the centre is still at the
founding stage its work plan is restricted to departments
in the humanities colleges and an aim of forming research
groups run and supervised by the centre. An important
matter will be the time available for researchers whose
commitments will be divided between the centre and their
departments. Until the appointment of its full-time director
and staff, the centre should find incentives to encourage
potential researchers to make known their ideas and specific interests. In addition, the centre should include the most
recent data bases and journals to meet the needs of specific
specialisations and attract productive researchers. The centre’s library should be as good as the big libraries at SQU,
e.g. that of the College of Medicine, and in preparation for
which, the centre must begin to collect records, documents,
folkloric manuscripts, references and renowned journals in
the human sciences needed for conducting research.
Professor Fawzi concludes by emphasising the fact that
the HRC was established to support serious research because, in addition to its scientific value, refereed research
published by the centre will count heavily in applications
for academic promotion at SQU.