UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI PHYTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION OF TURRAEA ROBUSTA, TURRAEA NILOTICA AND EKEBERGIA CAPENSIS FOR ANTIPLASMODIAL AND CYTOTOXIC COMPOUNDS. BY BEATRICE NJERI IRUNGU I80/80299/2010 A Thesis Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirements for Award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry of the University of Nairobi 2014 i DECLARATION I declare tha t this thesis is my original work and has not been submitted elsewhere for examination or award of a degree. Signature.................................................... Date......................................... Beatrice Njeri Irungu I80/80299/2010 Department of Chemistry School of Physical Sciences University of Nairobi This thesis is submitted for examination with our approval as research supervisors Signature Date Professor Jacob Midiwo ................... ................. Department of Chemistry University of Nairobi P.O Box 30197-00100, Nairobi-Kenya
[email protected] Professor Abiy Yenesew ……………… …………… Department of Chemistry University of Nairobi P.O Box 30197-00100, Nairobi-Kenya
[email protected] Dr. Jennifer Orwa ........................ ........................ Kenya Medical Research Institute Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research P.O. Box 54840-00200, Nairobi- Kenya
[email protected] ii DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to my husband Kimani Maina for enduring this long process with me, always offering support and love. our children Maina Kimani and Nyawira Kimani Though too young to understand what mum was going through, you supported me in your own little ways. I pray that this will serve as an encouragement as you walk through your academic pathways. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The road towards a doctorate degree is not walked alone. Thus, this project would not have been possible without the support of my supervisors/mentors, friends and colleagues, to only some of whom it is possible to give particular mention here.