This study sought to characterize the phyto-oil extracted from an unexploited seed of African star apple (Udara) using soxhlet extraction method, normal hexane was used as the solvent at 67°C for 4 h. The percentage oil yield was 23.8%. The extracted oil was liquid at room temperature, pleasant sweet smell with honey-like colour. The oil physicochemical properties such as acid value, peroxide value and saponification value were 17.41 ± 0.43 mg/KOH/g, 57.74 ± 2.77 meq/kg À1 and 236.341 ± 6.80 mg/KOH/g, respectively. Also, free fatty acid of 8.75% and iodine value of 29 ± 0.16 mg/100g were obtained. The identified fatty acids present included n-hexadecanoic acid (7.55%), 13-hexyloxacyctri-dec-10-en-2-one (1.19%), oleic acids (30.21%), octadecanoic acid (5.28%), hexadecanoic acid (2.37%), undecylenic acid (40.33%), 9-octadecanal (7.09%), and 9, 17-octadecadienal (5.98%). The properties of oil extracted revealed that the seed is a good source of oil which could be employed for industrial purposes.Keywords: African star apple / fatty acid analysis / GC-MS / phyto-oil / unexploited seed Résumé -Caractérisation et analyse du profil en acides gras de l'huile extraite des graines non exploitées de l'African star apple (Udara). Cette étude visait à caractériser l'huile extraite d'une graine non exploitée d'un arbre appelé African star apple (Udara), par la méthode d'extraction au Soxhlet ; de l'hexane normal a été utilisé comme solvant à 67°C pendant 4 h. Le pourcentage de rendement en huile était de 23,8 %. L'huile extraite était liquide à température ambiante, de couleur miel et dégageait une agréable odeur. Les propriétés physicochimiques de l'huile telles que l'indice d'acide, l'indice de peroxyde et l'indice de saponification étaient respectivement de 17,41 ± 0,43 mg/KOH/g, de 57,74 ± 2,77 meq/kg À1 et de 236,341 ± 6,80 mg/KOH/g. Des acides gras libres à hauteur de 8,75 % et un indice d'iode de 29 ± 0,16 mg/ 100g ont également été mesurés. Les acides gras identifiés présents comprenaient l'acide n-hexadécanoïque (7,55 %), le 13-hexyloxacyctri-déc-10-ène-2-one (1,19 %), les acides oléiques (30,21 %), l'acide octadécanoïque (5,28 %), l'acide hexadécanoïque (2,37 %), acide undécylénique (40,33 %), le 9octadécanal (7,09 %) et le 9,17-octadécadiénal (5,98 %). Les propriétés de l'huile extraite ont révélé que la graine est une bonne source d'huile pouvant être utilisée à des fins industrielles.Mots clés : African star apple / analyse des acides gras / GC-MS / huile / semences inexploitées

AbstractScience always strives to find an improved way of doing things and nanoscience is one such approach. Nanomaterials are suitable for pharmaceutical applications mostly because of their size which facilitates absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of the nanoparticles. Whether labile or insoluble nanoparticles, their cytotoxic effect on malignant cells has moved the use of nanomedicine into focus. Since nanomedicine can be described as the science and technology of diagnosing, treating and preventing diseases towards ultimately improving human health, a lot of nanotechnology options have received approval by various regulatory agencies. Nanodrugs also have been discovered to be more precise in targeting the desired site, hence maximizing the therapeutic effects, while minimizing side-effects on the rest of the body. This unique property and more has made nanomedicine popular in therapeutic medicine employing nanotechnology in genetic therapy, drug encapsulation, enzyme manipulation and control, tissue engineering, target drug delivery, pharmacogenomics, stem cell and cloning, and even virus-based hybrids. This review highlights nanoproducts that are in development and have gained approval through one clinical trial stage or the other.

African eggplants, Solanum melongena fruit (SMF) and Solanum aethiopicum fruit (SAF) are widely cultivated in Nigeria and across the Africa. This study is designed to evaluate and compare the proximate and phytochemical components of SMF and SAF. Proximate composition of both fruit samples shows that SMF has higher moisture content than SAF. Protein, fats and ash contents were non-significantly (p < 0.05) higher in SAF compared with SMF. The fibre content was 3.11 ± 0.03 and 2.98 ± 0.08 % for SMF and SAF, respectively. The carbohydrate content of SAF (4.14± 0.11%) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that of SMF (2.42 ± 0.12%). The results obtained for the phytochemical composition show that cardiac glycosides, anthocyanins and anthraquinone are low for both fruit samples. The phenolic content of SMF was 5.80 ± 0.4 g and that of SAF was 4.17 ± 0.03 g. In this study, we reported a flavonoid content of 2.80 ± 0.08 and 1.46 ± 0.01 g, as well as saponin content of 1.34 ± 0.31 and 0.81 ± 0.23 g for SMF and SAF, respectively. SAF has a tannin content of 0.82 ± 0.14 g, and 1.28 ± 0.05 g for SMF. Eighteen amino acids were identified (Essential and non-essential amino acids) with glutamine having the highest percentage (94.69%) and the lowest in percentage was Threonine (0.014%). In conclusion, the results of this study show that SMF and SAF have adequate nutritional value could be valuable raw material for health and pharmaceutical industries.

Although almost all biological processes are mediated by a variety of proteins, it is important to bring to spotlight recent experimental and clinical research advances that had their focus on highlighting and taking advantage of the roles of several strategic proteins in order to gain more understanding of cancer biology. Proteins have a major stake in the initiation, progression, sustenance and completion of cellular processes, and have also demonstrated their vital roles in cancer processes. The characteristic functions of proteins and modified proteins have been utilized in the understanding and treatment of cancer. Recent insights in such roles and applications include linker histone H1.2 in the compaction of chromatin and gene silencing via the recognition of H3K27me3; c-Jun with Fra-2/c-Fos in the promotion of aggressive tumour phenotypes in tongue cancer; the use of sodium channelinhibiting agents targeting the transmembrane protein in breast, colon and prostate cancer; SET-mediated activities; protein interaction networks in glioma; Gpnmb significance as a biomarker; β-carbolines inhibition on Wnt/β-catenin signaling; p53 mutants co-opt chromatin pathways; Bone morphogenetic protein 4 as regulator of the behaviors of cancer cell; Brain-Expressed X-linked (BEX) proteins in human cancers; targeting CDK4/6 including protein kinases to make a reversal of multidrug resistance in sarcoma. In-depth knowledge of Proteomics will go a long way in helping us uncover a lot more strategies that will help us in the long fight against cancer.

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