This paper or review discusses the natural plant exudates and mucilages, their sources, properties and uses and the potential applications. Research in natural polymeric materials has witness growing interest and attention. This is attributable to a number of factors which include their relative abundance, low cost, biodegradable nontoxic, and ecofriendly profile.They are polymers that are mostly plant in origin with a vast applications.Polysaccharides hydrocolloids including gum and mucilage are abundant in nature and commonly found in many higher plants. These polysaccharides constitute a structurally diverse class of biological macromolecules with a broad range of physicochemical properties which are widely used for various applications in pharmacy, medicine, food and other non-food applications. In recent years those polymers derived from plants have evoke tremendous interest because of their industrial applications as diluent binders, thickening agents, smoothening, emulsifiers, gelling agents and stabilizers. This increasing research in this group of these plant materials are clear indications of their increasing importance.The fact for increase in importance of natural plant based materials is that plant resources are renewable and if cultivated or harvested in a sustainable manner, they can provide a constant supply of raw materials. To that effect, more understanding of their nature, physicochemical properties, sources, uses be gained so that can be used for wider applications.

Burkea africana is a plant that belongs to then family Fabaceae; it is widely spread in tropical Africa including Nigeria. It is of valuable in  ethnomedicine especially in the treatment of antidote for venomous stings and bites, cutaneous and sub cutaneous parasitic infection, convulsion and pulmonary troubles. Despite the fact that roots of Burkea africana have several medicinal properties, no standardization parameter has been  assessed. Due to lack of standard parameters, proper identification and ascertaining quality and purity in the events of adulteration has been thwarted. The objective of the study was to establish some important pharmacognostic profile and safety margin of Burkea africana root with the hope of assisting in its standardization for quality, purity and safety. Elemental analysis was carried out using acid digestion method and phytochemical composition of the plants was evaluated using standard method. Acute toxicity was achieved using Lorke method to determine the LD50. Chemomicroscopical evaluation revealed the presence of cellulose, tannins, starch, lignin, calcium oxalate, suberin, aleurone grain and mucilage with the exception of calcium carbonate. The average moisture contents, total ash, acid insoluble, water soluble ash, alcohol extractive value and water extractive values in the powdered plant material were 3.8%, 7.5%, 4.43%, 8.07%, 25.0% and 20.33% respectively. In addition, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Cd and Cu were found to be within the safety limit. Phytochemicals which include alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, carbohydrates and triterpenes were detected in both aqueous and methanolic extracts. The LD50 of Burkea africana was found to be greater than 5000 mg /kg and could be considered safe for consumption. Keywords: Elemental analysis, Burkea africana, Pharmacognostic, Phytochemical

An aphrodisiac is a type of food or drink that has the effect of making those who eat or drink it more aroused in a sexual way. Aphrodisiacs can be categorized according to their mode of action into three groups: substances that increase libido (i.e. sexual arousal), substances that increase sexual potency (i.e. effectiveness of erection) and substances that increase sexual pleasure. Fadogia agrestis (Schweing. Ex. Hiern), Rubiacea (Hausa: Bakin gagai; English name: Black aphrodisiac) is an erect shrub 1-3 feets high. Fadogia agrestis is a medicinal plant widely used for its reported antibacterial and aphrodisiac activities. The aim of this work is to carry out pharmacognostic standardization and safety profile on Fadogia agrestis root. Chemomicroscopic, physicochemical, elemental, phytochemical and acute toxicity studies were carried out using standard methods. The results obtained also provided scientific basis for the use of in folklore medicine. Chemomicroscopic characters present include; cellulosecell wall, lignified cell wall, tannins, starch, calcium oxalate and cutin. The physicochemical parameters evaluated include: moisture content (7.0%), total ash (10.5%), water soluble ash (4.1%), acid insoluble ash (8.33%), ethanol extract (15.0%), and water extractive value (12.0%). The quantitative phytochemical analysis showed that alkaloids (84.0 mg/g) was the highest phytochemical detected in the stem bark while the lowest was saponins (4.0 mg/g).LD50 of both extracts was above 5000 mg/kg and did not cause mortality in all the tested rats. The results of this investigation may be useful for deriving doses that are safe for human consumption of F. agrestis root.

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The present research was carried out to investigate the toxicity profile of Bridelia ferruginea methanol stem bark extract. Acute toxicity study was carried out in mice using the modified Lorke’s method to determine median lethal dose (LD50). For the subacute toxicity study, animals used were albino rats while extract was administered at dose levels of 100, 1000 and 2500 mg/kg daily for a period of 28 days. Blood samples were taken at the end of the study period for estimation of biochemical and haematological parameters. Histopathological examination of sections of the liver and kidney was also carried out. No mortality was recorded in acute toxicity study and also no any change in general behaviour of rats was observed up to dose of 5000 mg/kg. Similarly, daily administration of the stem bark extract for 28 days did not produce significant changes in body weight, haematological and biochemical parameters of treated rats across all doses except at dose of 2500 mg/kg where significant change was observed in the parameters studied when compared with values obtained from the control group. However, slight histopathological changes were observed in the liver and kidneys sections of rats treated with the methanol stem bark at dose of 1000 mg/kg and 2500 mg/kg. In conclusion, based on results of acute and subacute toxicity study studies, the methanol stem bark extract of Bridelia ferruginea may be considered safe for medicinal use especially at lower doses.