Little or nothing is known about the nutritional and medicinal values of some of the vegetables eaten inEnugu state of Nigeria. This study aimed to quantify the total antioxidants as phenols, total flavonoids, vitamin C content and reducing properties of six vegetables [Teltaria occidentals (ugu), Gnetum africanum (ukase), Piper quineense (uziza), Gongronema latifolium (utazi), Achyranthes spendens (awa), Occimum grattissimum (nchegnwu)]. Colorimetric method was performed using Gallic acid and rutin standard reagents for total antioxidants (phenols) and total flavonoids, respectively. The vitamin C and reducing properties contents were also determined using 2, 6-dichilorophenol indophenols (titrimetric) and trichloroacetic acid colorimetric methods, respectively. The result reveals that G. africanum (ukazi) ranked the best of all the vegetables assayed for total flavonoids (0.58 mg/g), total antioxidants (49 mg/g) as phenols, vitamin C (0.91 mg/100 mL) and reducing property (64 mg/g) followed by A. spendens (awa) (total flavonoids, 1.57 mg/g; total antioxidants; 50 mg/g; vitamin C; 0.43 mg/100 mL and reducing property. 81 mg/g), T. occidentalis (ugu), (total flavonoids, 0.58 mg/g; total antioxidant; 49 mg/g; vitamin, C 0.69 and total reducing property 64 mg/g), O. grattissimum (nchanwu) (total flavonoids, 0.36 mg/g; total antioxidant, 45 mg/g; vitamin C, 0.60 mg/100 mL; and total reducing property 80 mg/g) while P. guineense (uziza) (total flavonoids, 0.71 mg/g; total antioxidants, 36 mg/g; vitamin C, 0.40 mg/100 Ml and total reducing property, 42 mg/g) and G. latifolium (utazi) (total flavonoids, 0.36 mg/g; total antioxidant, 8 mg/g; vitamin C, 0.33 mg/100 Ml and total reducing property, 81 mg/g) are the least. However, the result of the study have highlighted the nutritional and medicinal richness of these vegetables and encourages the increased consumption of them to compensate nutrient deficiency and therefore could be a useful source to prevent or attenuate damages such as lipid peroxidation, glycation of proteins and inactivation of enzymes caused by free radicals.
Speculations have it that phthalonitrile imparts flame retardancy on substrates. This study aimed to investigate the activities of phthalonitrile as flame retardant on 100% cotton fabric. The fabric samples tested were cut into 25:4 x 7 cm pieces, scoured, dried, and weighed. They were then impregnated with different concentrations of phthalonitrile in different solvents (benzene and acetone) and emulsion alongside alum dissolved in water. At the same time, the untreated fabric was used as a control. All the impregnated pieces of fabric were dried at room temperature and reweighed. The fabrics were subjected to add-on%, after flame time, after-glow time, and % char formation tests. The results showed that cotton-tested flame retardant properties increase with the increase in the concentration of phthalonitrile. Phthalonitrile has flame retardant properties on 100% cotton fabric.
Information-poor countries experience inadequate food supplements, such as zinc due to lack of information and poverty. Zinc content of fruit and seed of Cucurbitaceae family was studied using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). The result showed higher concentrations (mg/kg) of zinc in seeds (pumpkin 82.06 ± 0.033, cucumber 65.04 ± 0.025, water melon 39.97 ± 0.016 and cucumis melon 30.62 ± 0.020) than in fresh fruits (pumpkin 1.82 ± 0.027, cucumber 0.83 ± 0.017, water melon 0.47 ± 0.005 and cucumis melon 0.40 ± 0.010). Since the seeds of pumpkin, cucumber, water melon and cucumis melon were very good sources of zinc, the study recommended their increased consumption to help protect against prostate enlargement, maintain a regular sperm count, mobility and regular level of testosterone and activate many enzymes in every organ in the body.
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