This study estimated the fatty acid, proximate and quantitative phytochemical compositions of Costus afer matured stem collected from Choba campus of University of Port Harcourt, in Choba community, Rivers State. This was carried out using standard procedures of analysis (fatty acid and proximate) as well as gas chromatographic method (quantitative phytochemical analysis). The fatty acid analysis of the plant stem revealed high contents of linolenic acid (32.26%), linoleic acid (25.89%) and palmitic acid (25.48%) and moderate levels of oleic acid (7.11%) and stearic acid (6.36%) while myristic acid, palmitoleic acid, arachidonic acid, behenic acid and lignoceric acid was low and caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, margaric acid, arachidonic acid, erucic acid were absent. The results of the proximate composition of the stem of Costus afer indicated that total carbohydrate composition of Costus afer stem was the highest (54.98%) while crude fat had the lowest value of 1.15%. The moisture content had a moderate value of 22.15% while total ash (4.60%), crude protein (7.72%) and crude fibre (9.40%) values were low. The gas chromatographic analysis of the stem indicated that the total alkaloid composition was 70.59mg/100g with high compositions of papaverine (44.72%), methyl morphine (23.24%), morphine (17.92%) and narcotine (14.11%). The total flavonoids concentration was 28.29mg/100g. Myricetin (69.79%) had the highest value with moderate levels of quercetin (14.88%) and kaempferol (9.78%). The total composition of saponin was 2.87mg/100g. The sapogenin content of the stem (39.20%) was the highest with moderate levels of diosgenin (26.13%), saponine (22.12%) and tigonine (9.76%) while gitogenin value (2.28%) was observed to be low. The analysis of the plant stem showed the presence of glycosides (22.35mg/100mg) made up mainly of costugenin (65.60%), digitoxin (18.73%), digoxin (6.28%), salicin (4.76%) and low levels of ouabain (1.95%) and kaemferol-3-rhamnoside (1.08%). The study has shown that matured stems of Costus afer can contribute greatly towards meeting human nutritional requirements and suggest the possibility of its use in folklore medicine. Keywords: Costus afer, phytochemicals, proximate composition, fatty acids.

Aim: The aim of this research is to study the combined effects of the ethanolic leaf extracts of Annona muricata and Artocarpus heterophyllus on the reproductive parameters of type II diabetic wistar albino rats. Materials and Methods: Fifty-six (56) male wistar albino rats were induced with Type II diabetes mellitus using high fat diet and 35 mg/kg body weight streptozotocin (HFD-STZ). Results: The result obtained showed a decreased testosterone level 0.78±.06 ng/ml on the diabetic group while the non-diabetic group had testosterone level of 1.90±.09 ng/ml. Treatment with combined ethanol leaf extract of A. muricata and A. heterophyllus led to a significant (p≤0.05) increase in the testosterone level of the treated groups. The motility, viability and the sperm density were also normalised in the treated groups.The result obtained from the present research showed that combined ethanolic leaf extracts of A. muricata and A. heterophyllus has ameliorative effect of the reproductive parameters of type II diabetic male wistar albino rats.

The study investigated the effect of triton x-100 and white rot fungus (Pleurotus ostratus) on physico-chemical composition of crude oil impacted soil. Crude oil highly impacted soil excavated from an oil spill site at Obeche community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria was used in this study. Remediation was induced by biostimulation using white rot fungus (Pleurotus ostreatus) and treatment with a chemical surfactant (Triton x-100). The pH value of polluted soil sample (Cell A) was high (6.81± 0.52) when compared with other cells that were amended. The result of the soil electrical conductivity shows a significant difference (p≤ 0.05) when cell A is compared with other cells. Only cell C amended with Triton x-100 had a lower value of 31.67 ± 1.52 when compared with cell A (polluted soil sample) (76.67 ± 1.52). Cells B and D had higher values of 161.00 ± 2.00, and 233.67 ± 4.04 respectively when compared with cell A (76.67 ± 1.52). Significant (p≤0.05) increase in the total organic carbon (TOC) and total nitrogen (TN) contents was observed amended cells after the 60 days period of incubation when compared with cell A. For PO 4 3-(mg/kg) and NO-3 (mg/kg) all the cells were significantly different (p≤ 0.05) Original Research Article

The effect of aluminum sulphate (alum) on Testosterone propionate (TP)-induced Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) in male Wistar rats was studied. Eighty mature male Wistar rats, with an average weight of 210g, were randomly distributed into eight groups comprising ten rats. Group 1 received only food and water, while Groups 2, and 4 to 8 were given 3 mg/kg b.w of TP subcutaneously and Group 3 received only 25 % alum solution for 28 days. Thereafter, Groups 4 to 8 were treated with 10%, 20%, 25%, 30%, and 40% alum solution respectively while group 2 remained untreated for another 28 days. The animals were fed with standard rat chow and clean water ad libitum. Sperm morphology and characteristics were observed and measured. A variety of haematological and biochemical markers were assessed. Histopathology of the testes was examined. The volume (0.10 ± 0.00 ml) viability (68.33 ± 4.41 %), activity (41.25 ± 1.25 %), and sperm count (36.67 ± 3.33 ×106) were significantly decreased (p<0.05) in group 2 when compared with the respective values obtained in group 1. Treatment with different concentrations of Alum solution significantly (p<0.05) reversed abnormal sperm features observed in group 2. Superoxide dismutase (0.90 ± 0.01 U/L) was significantly increased (p<0.05) in group 2, but the values were restored to normal after treatment with varying concentrations of Alum solutions. Photomicrographs of the testis of group 2 rats revealed a distorted testis, however, there was a significant recovery after treatment which suggested that treatment with Alum reduces TP-induced BPH.

This study investigated and compared the electrolyte levels of HIV/AIDS patients on high active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Thirty patients (13 males and 17 females) were recruited for this study. Patients included in this study were HIV positive and on high active anti-retroviral treatment for at least three months. They were not on any mind altering medications and were mentally sound and are within the age range of 10 years to 59 years. Remarkable differences were observed in the concentrations of the electrolytes (Cl-, Na+, K+, HCO3-) when compared with their normal ranges. Decreased levels (mmol/L) of serum Cl- (3.90±0.54 ) and Na (31.70±0.10) were observed. Between the male and female patients, K+ level (mmo/L) (3.70±0.54 and 4.0±0.54 respectively) was observed to be within the normal value of 3.5 – 5.0 mmo/L. Na+ concentration (mmol/L) was observed to be decreased in both male and females with the values of 130.80 ±6.40 and 131.4±6.50 respectively. The Cl- concentration (mmol/L) was observed to be increased in females (98.40±7.60) and decreased in males (97.20±8.90) when compared with the normal range (98.00-105.00 mmol/L). The male patients showed an observed significant increase in the concentration (mmol/L) of their HCO3- (38.20±15.70) than the females (25.10±2.60) when compared with the normal value of 24.00-30.00 mmol/L. The concentration (mmol/L) of Na+ of all the ages (10-59years) was observed to be decreased when compared with the normal range (135.00- 150.00 mmol/L) while K+ for all the ages was observed to fall within the normal range. Only the age range of 30 -39years had an increased level of Cl- (145.90±48.10) while the other age ranges were decreased. The concentration (mmol/L) of HCO3- of all the age ranges were observed to be within the normal range except for the age range of 20-29years which was observed to show a decreased concentration (mmol/L) of 22.30±4.00 when compared with the normal range of 24.00-30.00 mmol/L. Findings from this study has led to the recommendation that strict monitoring of the serum electrolytes in HIV/AIDS patients on HAART is important as early detection and treatment of these abnormalities will enhance the quality of life of patients.