SEffect of methods of extraction on phytochemical constituents and antibacterial properties of the extracts of the seeds of tetracarpidium conophorum was studied. Different solvents extraction methods yielded varying amounts of the phytochemical constituents and the antibacterial screening showed that all the extracts except the water extracts have antibacterial activity. The inhibition of bacterial growth showed that the extracts were dose dependent since no inhibition occurred at lower concentration. The study therefore showed that the extracts of the seeds of tetracarpidium conopharum are dependent upon the solvent and methods of extraction, and that the extract possesses antibacterial properties, which could be useful in treatment of bacterial infections and or other related diseases.
Mitogenic properties of lectin from mucuna sloanei seed extracts were studied. The seeds of mucuna sloanie were shelled and ground using an electric grinder. The powder meal was then defatted with petroleum ether, and adjusted to 10 %(w/v) in potassium inorganic phosphates k-pi (A) buffer (pH 7.5). The suspension was then filtered and clarified by centrifugation. The supernatant (crude extract) was then acidified and centrifuged at 4000 Х g for 30 minutes. The supernatant generated was recovered. The materials were then extensively dialyzed, first against water and then against k-pi (A) buffer. Aliquots of the final dialysate were serially diluted (2-fold steps) in k-pi (A) buffer and used for haemagglutination assay and immunological parameters (i.e. percentages lymphocytes eosinophils, monocytes, basophiles, and neutrophils). The results showed that the isolated lectin from mucona sloanei seeds extracts agglutinated human ABO, goat and chicken red blood cells, but did not agglutinate those of cow. It was also observed that the physicochemical properties of the lectin did not affect agglutination by variation of the pH of the medium or affected by temperature. The results of the immunological parameters showed that there were significant (p<0.05) increases in the values of the immunological parameters relative to those seen in the controls. This study, suggest that the isolated lectin from mucona sloanei seeds possesses mitogenic properties, and may be useful in the diagnosis and treatment of certain diseases such as blood typing disorders and obesity.
The combined effect of storage temperature, relative humidity and available packaging materials on the lipid oxidative stability of peanut and cowpea based weaning food was investigated. Samples were prepared and stored in glass jars and polyethylene bags at 20, 30 and 40 ºC, respectively for 3 months. The zip-loc bag samples were stored at 75 % relative humidity to simulate the relative humidity in tropical regions of West Africa. The extent of lipid oxidation was measured via the level of hexanal liberation using automated head space solid-phase micro-extraction gas chromatography (auto HS-SPME-GC). It was observed that water vapor permeability of the polyethylene bag samples resulted in increased moisture content (from 4.42 to 7.80 %) and water activity (from 0.22 to 0.48) with storage-time and temperature. These increases were observed to adversely influence oxidative stability of the novel food as hexanal production increased from 5.45 to 13.794 ppm at 30 ºC in week 8 for sample stored in polyethylene bag. It was also observed that lipid oxidation was negligible within the first 8 weeks of storage for samples protected from moisture exchange (glass jar) at all storage temperatures as seen in the negligible levels of moisture content and water activity. Hexanal content of the glass jar samples was within the range of 5.45 and 33 ppm in the first 8 weeks. Results further showed that sample stored in glass jar at 40 ºC liberated the lowest level of hexanal (19.33 ppm) compared to values of 30.33 and 33 ppm liberated at 30 and 20 ºC, respectively at the end of 8 weeks. The weaning food stored in moisture barrier system can therefore be expected to achieve reasonable shelf stability within the desired short storage period without the extra cost of antioxidants.
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