The Idoma people are indigenous to the middle belt region in North Central Nigeria and they possess a rich history and tradition of using medicinal plants in the management of various ailments. Oral transmission is the primary method by which history is passed from one generation to another. The present study involved an ethnomedical survey done with the aid of questionnaires and it covered Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State which is the headquarters of the Idoma speaking areas of the State. The information obtained showed that over a hundred species of plants from several families were identified and these were being used to manage a wide range of ailments from dysentery and gonorrhea to asthma and pneumonia. The scientific names and the part of the plant used together with their mode of preparation and dosage regimen were also reported. The importance of this kind of documentation was also discussed as it will help to preserve the rich cultural heritage of the tribe and could also serve as a basis for further research on the documented plants and aid in global bio-conservation efforts.
Citrus is the second most popular and common fruit after mango that is widely consumed by the Agatu tribe of Ayele in Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Nigeria since the ancient time. The objective of the research was to document different varieties of citrus in Ayele and their traditional medical uses. Well-known and respected individuals in the field of traditional medicine practices in Ayele community were interviewed orally on varieties of citrus and their uses and specimens were gathered for confirmations. Results of the findings showed that different varieties of sweet, bitter and sour citrus were used to manage various ailments such as cancer, inflammation, high blood pressure, diabetes, skin diseases, blurred vision, cuts, and loss of appetite, obesity, indigestion and flatulence. The varieties of citrus used and their folklore uses were properly identified and documented by their Scientific, English, Agatu/Idoma and Hausa names.
Diabetes mellitus is a deteriorating chronic endocrine disorder that is characterized by elevated blood glucose levels that impact fats, protein and carbohydrate metabolism. This study was to determine the bioactive compound that is related to the anti-diabetic activity of Lepidium sativum and propose a mechanism of action for the activity. Using bioassay-guided fractionation, column chromatography, NMR, IR and In silico molecular docking, the bioactive principle was isolated, its chemical structure determined and its mechanism of action proposed. Results obtained from NMR and IR supported the proposed structure 2-methoxy-4-(2-propenyl) phenol (eugenol) to be the bioactive compound. Administration of 200 mg/kg eugenol from L. sativum to streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats showed a significant reduction in blood glucose levels. The modeling results showed that eugenol acted by binding to glucokinase and Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B enzymes due to their high binding affinities.
Diabetes mellitus is a health condition whose major feature is hyperglycemia that arises from various etiologies. Diabetes mellitus is connected with constraints in the metabolism of proteins and lipids which leads to complications such as hepatopathy, nephropathy, retinopathy and vasculopathy. Plant resources are utilized for better beneficial curative molecules, minimal side effects and cost. Lepidium sativum (garden cress) is a plant whose parts have been reportedly employed in the treatment of conditions like inflammation, diabetes, pyretism, hemorrhage and hypertension. This histopathological study sought to investigate the effect of the aqueous extract of L. sativum on the tissues of the pancreas, kidney, and liver in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Haematoxylin and Eosin Staining method of histopathology was employed and the cytotoxic, nephrotoxic and hepatoxic effects on the pancreatic Islet cells, kidney and liver were attenuated on treatment with different doses of aqueous extracts of L. sativum plant.
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