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This study was designed to investigate the hepatoprotective activity of aqueous extract of Ocimum americanum leaves against paracetamol -induced liver damage in rats. Hepatic damage was induced by paracetamol. Thereafter, the levels of some serum biochemical parameters such as alanine trasaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), albumin, total bilirubin (TBIL) and total protein (TP) were investigated. The activities of ALP, AST, ALT and histological changes in the liver of rats were also determined. Silymarin was used as the standard hepatoprotective drug. The pre -treatment of rats with aqueous extract of O. americanum leaves caused a significant increase in the serum levels of TP and albumin. There was a significant decrease in the serum levels of ALP, AST, ALT and TBIL with a corresponding increase in the activities of ALP, AST and ALT in the liver of extract treated rats. The hepatoprotection was confirmed by histological examinations of liver sections of normal and treated rats. Furthermore, rats intoxicated with paracetamol alone had their serum ALP, AST, ALT and TBIL levels significantly increased, while TP and albumin concentrations decreased when compared with the normal rats. The aqueous extract of Ocimum americanum leaves at doses of 200 and 400 mg /kg p.o. have significant hepatoprotective ability against paracetamol -induced hepatic damage in rats.

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The use of plant and plant products in the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) is made possible because of the natural inherent phytochemicals responsible for the reduction of respective metallic salts to nanoparticle forms, and ensuring therapeutic applicability. In this study, synthesis of AgNPs and AuNPs was performed using two different aqueous extraction methods for Crassocephalum rubens: maceration using laboratory method of extraction (cold aqueous extract of Crassocephalum rubens (AECR)), and decoction using traditional healer's method of extraction (hot aqueous crude extract of Crassocephalum rubens (CECR)). The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using various methods, and in vitro antioxidant potential were thereafter investigated. The characterization results indicated the formation of mostly sphericalshaped AgNPs and AuNPs with surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band of 470 nm and 540 nm, respectively. The nanoparticles possess high antioxidant potentials but AECR synthesized AuNPs exhibited the least phytochemical contents and antioxidant potential when compared to other nanoparticles. It can therefore be concluded that extraction method and nanoparticle type are important factors that could influence the antioxidant properties of the nanoparticles. Further studies using these nanoparticles as anticancer or anti-inflammatory agent in both in vitro and in vivo are underway.