A study was carried out on the insecticidal effects of the powdered stem bark extract of Uvaria chamae and its ethanolic extract on three most devastating stored products pests (Coleopterous) in Nigeria, namely: Callosobruchus maculatus F. (Bruchidae), Rhizopertha dominica F. (Bostrichidae) and Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Curculionidae). Graded concentrations of each formulation of the powdered bark and ethanolic extracts were in exposure chambers of each insect in laboratory bioassays under ambient conditions (25±2°C). S. zeamais, R. dominica and C. maculatus were exposed to the following concentrations 0.00, 0.10, 0.20, 0.40, 0.80, and 1.60 mg/L grains in three replicates per treatment and control. The mortality of the insects was used to compute mean lethal concentration (LC 50) values by probit analysis. All the concentrations tested showed appreciable toxicity against each test insect species. The computed LC 50 values for powder formulation gave significantly (P≤0.05) higher toxicity against C. maculatus (1.281 g/kg) than either S. zeamais (2.145 g/kg) or R. dominica (5.189 g/kg). However, the ethanolic extract was more toxic on C. maculatus (0.134 mL/L), S. zeamais (0.173 mL/L) or R. dominica (0.359 mL/L). It was found that the higher the concentration of the ethanolic extract, the higher the mortality. The result implies that, U. chamae powdered and ethanolic stem bark extracts have potentials for use during storage of grains, ensuring food security, profit maximization and availability of seeds for the next planting season without being damaged by these test insect species. The presence of high concentration of steroids and terpenes may be responsible for the observed high insecticidal activity of the test extracts.
A research was conducted to study the ethnomedicinal importance of some plants used as spices by the indigenous people of selected markets in the area. A self collection. The result obtained revealed the presence of fourteen different plant species representing nine families used as spices. These spices were found to be very effective against several clinical symptoms such as rheumatism, pneumonia, stomachache, fever, pile and ulcerative colitis among others. They also served as hypolipidemic, antithrombotic, anti hypertensive, anti-hyperglycemic, antihypercholesterolemic and immuno as anticancer agents. Garlic, clove, ginger, nutmeg and chilli pepper are the most predominant spices used in the area with relative frequent use of 25%, 24%, 21%, 15% and 9% respectively. The research also discovered their methods of preparation to vary from one location to another within the area. However, despite the roles they play in adding taste and flavor and nutritional composition to the diets, their usage is declinin changing pattern of food choice and urbanization coupled with economic melt therefore the need to call the attention of the health care sector to review the medicinal value of the spices and involve their applications into
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