The utilization of plant materials as alternative therapies to control pathogenic bacteria has recently attracted. The effect of the fresh seed, freeze-dried seed, fresh leaf and freeze-dried leaf of using ethanol and aqueous extracts was tested on some organisms using standard laboratory procedures. The bacteria used were Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, Klebsella pneumonia and oryzae, while the fungi used were Trichoderma harzionium, Fusconium oxysporium, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium notatum. The results showed that the ethanol extracts of B. coriacea fresh seed showed inhibitory zones ranging from 2–12 mm, while the aqueous extract showed inhibitory zones ranging from 2-10 mm. The ethanol extracts of B. coriacea freeze dried seed showed inhibitory zones ranging from 5–38 mm, while the aqueous extract showed inhibitory zones ranging from 4-36 mm. The ethanol extracts of B. coriacea fresh leaf showed inhibitory zones ranging from 2–26 mm, while the aqueous extract showed inhibitory zones ranging from 2-24 mm. The aqueous and ethanol extracts of B. coriacea freeze dried leaf showed inhibitory zones ranging from 3-40mm respectively. The study conclude that the aqueous and ethanol extract of freeze dried seed of B. coriacea showed better antifungal and antibacterial activity against the test organisms compared with the aqueous and ethanol extract of fresh seed of B. coriacea. Similarly, the aqueous and ethanol extract of freeze dried leaf of B. coriacea showed better antifungal and antibacterial activity against the test organisms compared with the aqueous and ethanol extract of fresh leaf of B. coriacea. The ethanol extract showed better antifungal and antibacterial activity than aqueous extract.

Matured fresh root of Ginger (Zingiber officinale R.) and bulb of Garlic (Allium sativum L.) and their binary mixture were evaluated for phytochemicals and antioxidant potential using standard methods. The results of preliminary phytochemical screening of aqueous and ethanol extract of Ginger and Garlic showed the presence of some phytochemicals such as tannin, saponin, flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, steroids and glycosides at various levels. The antioxidant activities of aqueous and ethanol extracts of ginger and garlic showed a total phenolic content mg/g of Ginger (6.432 and 14.176) Garlic (7.172 and 2.146), DPPH content Ginger (58.817 and 86.915) % Garlic (37.582 and 26.451), OH radicals ginger (85.358 and 87.694) garlic (83.956 and 79.751), Fe2+ chelation of ginger (4.584 and 43.444) garlic (7.961 and 53.984), NO radicals of ginger (74.894 and 12.658) garlic (58.966 and 86.392). However the antioxidant contents of the binary mixture of both aqueous and ethanol extracts of ginger and garlic (70:30) showed increased in all antioxidant properties. These implies that both aqueous and ethanol extracts of ginger and garlic possessed good phytochemicals and antioxidant potential which indicates that consumption of these two spices either separately or as a mixture could be encouraged especially for those suffering from any form of cardiovascular diseases.

Plants contain nutrient and phytochemicals, which serve as food and medicine to promote good nutritional and health wellbeing in human. Buchholzia coriacea is a perennial plant, and its seeds contain nutrient and medicinal properties. The present study, therefore, aimed at determining the proximate, mineral and antioxidant activity of fresh and freeze dried seed of Buchholzia coriacea. The Buchholzia coriacea seeds were processed as fresh and freeze dried using aqueous, ethanol and acetone extracts. The flour samples were analyzed for proximate, mineral and antioxidant activity using standard methods. From the results obtained in Mean ± SE, the moisture content (%) of fresh and freeze-dried seeds of Wonderful kola was 66.14±1.84 and 7.68±0.74, the Fat content (%) was 3.20±0.39 and 4.72±0.29, the Crude fiber content (%) was 7.09±0.08 and 5.63±0.28, the Crude Protein content (%) was 3.27±0.17 and 5.42±0.30, the Ash content (%) was 5.22±0.07 and 7.29±0.11, and the Carbohydrate content (%) was 15.08±0.90 and 69.26±1.15 respectively. The Sodium (Na) content of fresh seed and freeze dried seed was 10.46±6.01 and 14.80±0.50, Potassium (K) was 24.43±7.63 and 40.59±9.29, Calcium (Ca) was 7.56±0.98 and 12.33±0.60, Magnesium (Mg) was 2.68±1.41 and 8.24±0.58, Manganese (Mn) was 0.05±0.01 and 0.08±0.02, Iron (Fe) was 0.64±0.11 and 0.49±0.04, Copper (Cu) was 0.44±0.05 and 0.27±0.04, Zinc (Zn) was 0.44±0.04 and 0.50±0.13, Nickel (Ni) was 0.01±0.0 and 0.02±0.0, Cadmium (Cd) was 0.01±0.00 and 0.15±0.11, and Na/K was 0.43 and 0.36 respectively. Lead (Pb) was below detection limit in fresh seed, but was 0.02±0.01 in freeze dried seeds. All the extracts displayed high antioxidant activity and high value of free scavenging ability in all the solvents used. However, ethanolic extracts showed higher antioxidant activity compared to other solvents. The study concluded that the moisture content, fat, crude protein, ash and carbohydrate in freeze dried seed of Bulchholzia coriacea was higher compared to fresh seed. Comparatively, freeze dried seed had the highest values in Na, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, Ni and Cd than fresh seed samples. The proximate, mineral and antioxidant activity of wonderful kola seed was higher in freeze dried seed in comparison with the fresh seed.

Haemolymphs were aseptically collected from matured African Land Snails (Achatina achatina) obtained from four villages in Akure metropolis and examined for biochemical and microbiological properties using standard methods. Four villages (Ibulesoro, Aule, Igoba and Oda) within Akure metropolis were purposefully selected for this study, Twenty (20) snails were obtained in each village and a total of eighty (80) snail samples were collected from the four villages. The results of biochemical constituents of the haemolymph revealed that the mean values of pH ranged from 6.68 - 6.97; total protein (mg/dl) 24.27 - 30.33; glucose (mg/dl) 13.94 - 19.33; lipid (mg/L) 1.38 – 1.71; urea (g/dl) 3.63 – 3.92; albumin (g/dl) 1.74 – 1.96 and globulin (g/dl) 3.13 – 3.52. Mineral components of the haemolymph from the snails in all locations revealed the concentration (mg/L) of sodium in the ranged of 138.02 – 209.54; calcium 30.63 – 38.01; phosphate 54.36 – 65.74; potassium 32.15 – 40.22; bicarbonate 21.08 – 27.31; magnesium 16.41 – 21.52 and chloride 83.07 – 118.92. The results of microbiological components of the haemolymph from the snail samples revealed the mean plate count of various bacterial and fungi isolate. The amount (cfu/ml) of bacterial isolates in the haemolymph are Staphylococcus aureus which ranged from 1.92 x 103 – 2.86 x 103; Faecal strephtoccoci 2.48 x 103– 4.26 x 103 and Shigella dysentriae 0.83 x 103– 2.23 x 103; others include Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Bacillus spp, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia. The predominant fungi isolate in the haemolymph was mucor spp with the mean total count ranged from 4.31 x 103– 9.33 x 103; followed by Aspergilus fumigatus 3.21 x 103– 5.43 x 103 , others are Rhizopus spp, Aspergillus flavus, and Aspergillus niger. The study revealed that the snail fluid (haemolymph) contained adequate amount of biochemical components and nutritionally valuable minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium and other ions that could enhance the body normal physiological function when consumed. However, the prevalent of some pathogenic bacterial and fungi in the haemolymph proof it to be unsafe for human consumption in its raw form. The study therefore suggest that the haemolymph should be adequately pasteurized and disinfect before consumption as herbal remedies for medicinal purpose.

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