Objectives: Ricinus communis leaves are used in herbal preparations for treating candidiasis, skin and wound infections in Ghana. This study aimed at comparing the phytochemical profile of aqueous, methanol, petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and ethanolic extracts of the leaves of Ricinus communis and determine the growth inhibitory activities, bactericidal, bacteriostatic and fungicidal effects of the respective extracts on Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonaie and Candida albicans. Results:The aqueous, methanol and ethanol extracts were shown to contain most of the phytochemicals analyzed. All solvents extracts exhibited inhibitory activity against the growth of all microorganisms under study. The methanol extract showed highest zones of inhibition and was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05) compared to other solvents extracts. All solvents extracts exhibited both bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects on the test organisms at varying concentration, with MIC values ranging from 3.13 to 25.0 mg/ml and MBCs were from 200 to 400 mg/ml. MFCs of Candida albicans was between 200 and 400 mg/l. Our data confirm the anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties of R. communis and showed that the biologically relevant phytochemicals from the leaves of this plant can be extracted with the solvents aqueous, methanol and ethanol.

Introduction: Isolated bioactive components of plants or their raw extract are utilized as complementary or alternate remedy in copious illnesses. The current research was aimed at assessing the activity of aloin A isolated from Aloe barbadensis Miller and its formulated ointment against six (6) selected clinical isolates. Methods:The column chromatography was utilized in isolating aloin A from chloroform/methanol solvent polarity. The characterization of the isolated compound was performed by spectroscopy techniques corresponding to UV, IR, 1 H-and 13 C-NMR spectroscopy. It was formulated as ointment using polyethylene glycol (PEG) and both the ointment and the isolated compound were probed for in vitro antimicrobial activity.Results: Aloin A has been isolated from chloroform/methanol solvent mixture. The structure has been explicated as (10S)-10-β-d-glucopyranosyl-1,8-dihydroxy-3-(hydroxymethyl)-9(10H)-anthracenone(1S)-1,5-anhydro-1-[(9S)-4,5dihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-10-oxo-9,10-dihydro-9-anthracenyl]-d-glucitol. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the isolated aloin A on the pathogens ranged from 2.5 to 5.0 mg/ml and 0.32 to 5.0 mg/ml for both aloin A and the formulated ointment respectively. It was further revealed that the activity of aloin A showed dose dependence against all the test microorganisms. There was no significant difference in the activity of the drug against K. pneumoniae, S. aureus, E. coli, C. albicans and T. flavus (P > 0.05) when the concentration was raised from 2.5 to 5 mg/ml, however, there was significant difference (P ˂ 0.05) in activity against P. aeruginosa. The formulated ointment exhibited dose dependent activity against all test microorganisms. At low concentrations, the ointment showed no significant difference in diameter zone of inhibition against all test microorganisms (P > 0.05) except P. aeruginosa which exhibited a highly significant difference (P < 0.05). Conclusion:Both the isolated aloin A and its formulated ointment demonstrated substantial inhibition of growth of the pathogenic strains. These findings sturdily suggest that aloin A is a nascent drug that could be explored as skin and wound transmittable agent.

In this study, we validated the effect of Moringa oleifera leaves as food supplement on poultry. Proximate neutron activation analysis was used in determining the level of some of the vital nutritional minerals and potential toxic elements in the serum of the birds during the experimental process, including Magnesium, Copper, Vanadium, Chlorine, Aluminum, Manganese, Calcium, Mercury, Cadmium, Arsenic, Sodium and Potassium. Incorporation of Moringa oleifera leaves in maize meal fed to poultry showed profound, statistically significant effect on their weight (p ˂ 0.05) as well as intensity in coloration of the beaks and legs, combs and wattles, in contrast to a control (maize-meal only) feeding of broilers (p > 0.05). Moreover, a significant level of the biochemical minerals of serum Calcium (1.17-1.20 mmol·L −1), Sodium (141.6-152.6 mmol·L −1), Potassium (4.1-5.7 mmol·L −1), Chloride (95-110 mmol·L −1), Albumen (30-55 mmol·L −1) and Triglyceride (0.3-1.7 mmol·L −1) were observed in broilersfedwith the formulated Moringa oleifera leaves and maize meal as compared to the maize meal only (control). Addition of Maringa oleifera leaves to poultry feed will lead to high output performance in poultry production.

The effect of the application of oil from baobab seeds on the antioxidant capacity and stability of ascorbic acid in the fruit pulp at varying temperature were evaluated. Ascorbic acid analysis of the fruit pulp revealed that the concentration in the raw extract of the pulp sullied rapidly matched with the extract treated with the seed oil. Compared with the raw extracts the formulated fruit pulp presented the highest concentration of the total ascorbic acid when both samples were subjected to varying temperatures at extended time periods. The results clearly indicated the antioxidant enrichment property of the baobab seed oil. This study demonstrates the potential of oil derived from baobab seed as having antioxidant enrichment capacity and might be a potential ingredient in pharmaceutical cosmetics formulations and food preparations.