Ionizing radiation is an important environmental risk factor and, a major therapeutic agent for cancer treatment. This study was designed to evaluate the protective effect of extract of Xylopia aethiopica (XA) on γ-radiation-induced testicular damage in rats. Vitamin C (VC) served as the reference antioxidant during the study. The study consists of 4 groups of 11 rats each. Group I received corn oil (vehicle), groups II and IV were pretreated with XA (250 mg/kg) and VC (250mg/kg) for 6 weeks before and 8 weeks after exposure to yradiation; group III was exposed to a single dose of γ-radiation (5 Gy).Biochemical analysis revealed that γ-irradiation caused a significant increase (p < .05) in serum and testicular lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels by 217% and 221%, respectively. Irradiated rats had markedly decreased testicular catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels. Irradiation resulted in 59% and 40% decreases in spermatozoa motility and live/dead sperm count, respectively, and a 161% increase in total sperm abnormalities. Histologically, testes of the irradiated rats showed extensive degenerative changes in the seminiferous tubules and defoliation of spermatocytes. Supplementation of XA and VC reversed the adverse effects of γ-radiation on biochemical and histological indices of the rats. These findings demonstrated that Xylopia aethiopica has a protective effect by inhibiting oxidative damage in testes of irradiated rats.
Seventy-seven upland rice genotypes including popular cultivars in Nigeria and introduced varieties selected from across rice-growing regions of the world were evaluated under optimal upland ecology. These genotypes were characterised for 10 traits and the quantitative data subjected to Pearson correlation matrix, Principal Component Analysis and cluster analysis to determine the level of diversity and degree of association existing between grain yield and its related component traits. Yield and most related component traits exhibited higher PCV compared to growth parameters. Yield had the highest PCV (41.72%) while all other parameters had low to moderate GCV. Genetic Advance (GA) ranged from 9.88% for plant height at maturity to 41.08% for yield. Anyaoha et al.; IJPSS, 22(5): 1-9, 2018; Article no.IJPSS.40406 2 High heritability estimates were recorded for 1000 grain weight (88.71%), days to 50% flowering (86.67%) and days to 85% maturity (71.98%). Furthermore, grain yield showed significant positive correlation with days to 50% flowering and number of panicles m -2 . Three cluster groups were obtained based on the UPGMA and the first three principal components explained about 64.55% of the total variation among the 10 characters. The PCA results suggests that characters such as grain yield, days to flowering, leaf area and plant height at maturity were the principal discriminatory traits for this rice germplasm indicating that selection in favour of these traits might be effective in this population and environment. Original Research Article
Xylopia aethiopica (XA) (Annonaceae) possesses great nutritional and medicinal values. This study was designed to investigate the effects of XA fruit methanol extract on oxidative stress in brain of rats exposed to whole body gamma-radiation (5 Gy). Vitamin C (VC) served as standard antioxidant. Forty-four rats were divided into 4 groups of 11 rats each. One group served as control, two different groups were treated with XA and VC (250 mg/kg), 6 weeks before and 8 weeks after irradiation, and fourth group was only irradiated. Rats were sacrificed 1 and 8 weeks after irradiation. The antioxidant status, viz. Lipid peroxidation (LPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione-s-transferase (GST) and glutathione (GSH) were estimated. Results indicate a significant increase (p < 0.05) in levels of brain LPO after irradiation. LPO increased by 90% and 151%, after 1 and 8 weeks of irradiation, respectively. Irradiation caused significant (p < 0.05) decreases in levels of GSH and GST by 61% and 43% after 1 week and, 75% and 73%, respectively, after 8 weeks of exposure. CAT and SOD levels were decreased by 62% and 68%, respectively, after 8 weeks of irradiation. Treatment with XA and VC ameliorated the radiation-induced decreases in antioxidant status of the animals. These suggest that XA could have beneficial effect by inhibiting oxidative damage in brain of exposed rats.
Vegetable oil Spills are becoming frequent and are potentially more challenging than petroleum hydrocarbon spills. Microbial lipases occupy a place of prominence among biocatalysts are often used for remediation of vegetable oil-polluted sites. This work was carried out to isolate microorganisms from oil-polluted sites and screen them for their lipolytic activity. Microorganisms were isolated from eight experimental soil samples contaminated with different types of vegetable oil, soil from an oil mill in Ibadan, and normal uncontaminated soil as a control. The isolates were characterized, identified and those common to at least one of the experimental sites and oil mill sites were screened for their lipolytic activity. Data obtained were analysed using Duncan Multiple Range Test. Seventy three microorganisms were isolated from the polluted soil and identified as species of Bacillus (16), Pseudomonas (12), Flavobacterium (6), Alcaligenes (2), Proteus (3), Micrococcus (1), Aspergillus (9), Penicillium (6), Saccharomyces (4), Geotrichum (1), Kluveromyces (1). Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformic, Pseudomonas cepacia, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Flavobacterium sp., Alcaligenes sp. and Candida parapsilosis which were common to at least one of the experimental site and oil mill site were preliminarily screened for lipolytic activity and all nine confirmed by presence of halos around the colonies. These screened organisms have potential for the degradation of fatty waste. They could therefore be employed in environmental clean-up of vegetable oil spill site.
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