Context:Traditional medicine, which is more available and affordable for the poor uses medicinal plants for the treatment and management of various ailments, including the sickle cell disease (SCD). About 24 million Nigerians are carriers of this sickled cell gene, while approximately 2.4 million are SCD patients. Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae) possesses high nutritional value and has been used in folklore medicine to treat various ailments related to pain and inflammation. Chemical, pharmacological and pharmacognostical applications of Moringa oleifera have been reported.Objective:This study investigated the antisickling potential of polar and non-polar extracts of the seed, flower and leaf of Moringa oleifera for the first time.Materials and Methods:Using crude methanol extract, aqueous extract, ethyl acetate and butanol, the in vitro antisickling activities of Moringa oleifera fractions, were evaluated using erythrocyte cells deoxygenated with 2% sodium metabisulphite. p-Hydroxybenzoic acid and normal saline were employed as positive and negative controls.Results:Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of saponins, free anthraquinones, and alkaloids. Extracts of the seed and flower demonstrated a higher (P<0.05) antisickling activity in comparison to the leaf extract. The leaf extract, as well as those of the seed and flower, equally demonstrated a (P<0.05) reversal of sickled erythrocytes.Discussions and Conclusions:These findings suggest that Moringa oleifera may play a role in the management of SCD, by incorporation of its fractions into recipes. More extensive biological evaluations and further studies will be necessary for the chemical characterization of the antisickling principles.

Background. Gari 50-9.31, 0.06-0.11, 1.56-4.31 and 1.35-1.64 for gari-soybean fortified gari; and 0.31-12.56, 0.03-0.12, 0.17-5.45 and 0.34-1.41

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The possibility of enhancing the sensory attributes of soy yoghurt through the use of composite soymilk was investigated. The effect of using starter cultures from different sources on the chemical characteristics and consumer acceptability was also studied. Soy milk containing 0, 10 and 20% coconut milk were used in the production of soy yoghurt using commercially available yoghurt starter and starters isolated from naturally fermenting soy milk and cow milk. Chemical and sensory characteristics of soy yoghurts obtained were evaluated. The pH of the yoghurt premixes at the beginning of fermentation ranged between 6.25 and 6.45; after fermentation the values were between 4.81 and 5.51 with commercially available starter bringing about greatest pH reduction. Chemical compositions of obtained soy yoghurts were as follows: titratable acidity as %lactic acid (0.25-0.43%), crude protein (2.66-3.62%), fat content (0.13-0.89%), total solid content (7.91-9.06%). Variation in premix formulation had no significant (P>0.05) effect on the chemical composition of different soy yoghurts obtained. Addition of coconut milk to soy milk improved the sensory characteristics of soy yoghurts with the premix containing 10% coconut milk fermented with starter obtained from cow milk producing yoghurts with the best taste, aroma, and acceptability. Results from the present study have demonstrated a further way of enhancing soy yoghurt acceptability by the western 'palate'.

Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in milk from 100 different herds of free-grazing cows in Abeokuta, Nigeria, was analysed by immunoaffinity column cleanup and HPLC with fluorescence detection. AFM1 was found in 75% of the samples, the toxin levels in positive samples ranged from 9.0 to 456.0 ng/l. The mean AFM1 level in positive samples was 108.15 ng/l, exceeding, for example, the European Union maximum level by a factor of two. These results indicated that there is an urgent need to more closely control the milk of free-grazing cows for AFM1 in order to protect the health of humans consuming milk and milk products.

There are indications that significant levels of mycotoxins may be absorbed from inhaled fungal spores. The problem is likely to be most serious with aflatoxins. Indoor airborne fungi in three feed mills in south-western Nigeria were assayed using Sabouraud dextrose agar and coconut agar medium. Fungi isolated include Aspergillus flavus, Rhizopus spp., Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus candidus, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus terreus with incidence rates of 61, 15, 12, 5, 5 and 2%, respectively. Amount and type of aflatoxins produced in Sabouraud dextrose broth by aflatoxigenic strains of A. flavus isolated at the three mills were strain dependent. Exposure of feed mill workers to aflatoxins was assessed by HPLC analysis of blood samples. Subjects from different occupational groups served as a control group. The mean concentrations of aflatoxin B1, B2, G1 and G2 in blood samples of the feed mill workers varied from 73.4-189.2, <0.1-0.5, 0.3-1.9 and <0.1-3.4 ng/ml, respectively. There was a significant difiference between the mills regarding blood aflatoxin levels of the workers; poorly ventilated mills resulted in higher blood aflatoxin B1 levels. Aflatoxin B1 was not detected in the blood samples of the control group; mean concentrations of aflatoxin B2, G1 and G2 detected in this group varied from <0.1-0.3, 0.4-1.5 and <0.1-0.3 ng/ml, respectively. Results from the present study showed that ventilation of feed mills is an important issue that should be considered to lower the risk of aflatoxin exposure among feed mill workers.

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