Malaria is an Anopheles mosquito-borne transmissible illness that afflicts other animals and humans globally, particularly in tropical Africa. The investigation of the phytochemical, acute toxicity and in vivo antiplasmodial activity of the leaves of Ficus elastica Roxb.exHornem was carried out to examine its impacts on mice infected with the malaria parasite. The presence of glycosides, terpenoids, alkaloids, saponins, flavonoid, phenolics, tannins and eugenols with no traces of steroids was revealed by the phytochemical screening of the methanol extract of Fiscus elastica. The acute toxicity investigation revealed that the plant extract is comparatively harmless within the 14 days of administered doses of 100 mg/kg, 500 mg/ kg and 1000 mg/kg. In vivo, cell-growth inhibition assessment of the graded doses (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) of the F. elastica tree bark methanol extract (FBME) against Plasmodium berghei strain revealed a significant rise in the inhibitory activity (68%, 70% and 71%) as the concentration of the methanol extract of F. elastica Roxb.exHornem increased. For the prophylactic study against P. berghei, the level of significance also increases as the administered doses of the FBME (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) increased when compared to the control (0.2 ml distil water and 10 mg/kg chloroquine). The result signifies that methanol leave extract of F. elastica Roxb.exHornem posses' significant antiplasmodial activities and could be used for treating malaria parasites.
Ganoderma lucidum is a popular woody and spongy mushroom (fungi) widely distributed throughout the world. It is commonly used in the production of nutriceuticals, functional foods and also serves as a therapeutic herb used in the treatment of several diseases. This study was aimed at evaluating the phytochemicals, proximate composition, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities as well as acute toxicity of the crude methanol extract of G. lucidum. The phytochemicals, proximate composition and antioxidant potential were determined using already established methods. The formalin-induced inflammation and acetic acid-induced writhing techniques were applied to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities respectively. Phytochemicals detected were saponins, flavonoids and terpenoids. The moisture content, acid insoluble ash, water soluble ash, total ash, alcohol extractive value and water extractive value were 12.53 ± 0.18%, 1.45 ± 0.21%, 2.68 ± 0.51%, 3.31 ± 0.2%, 1.41 ± 0.00% and 1.07 ± 0.01% respectively. The IC50 values for the DPPH radical scavenging capacity of the extract and ascorbic acid standard) were 31.56 ± 1.30 and 18.84 ± 2.06 µg/mL respectively. The crude extract at the dose of 50 mg/kg body weight showed the highest % inhibition of edema after 4 hours and there was a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the number of writhes in a dose dependent manner. In the oral administration of the crude extract to Swiss mice, 100% mortality was recorded at 5000 mg/kg. The study confirms that G. lucidum is a potential source of phytomedicine with substantial pharmacological and antioxidant properties but however, could be toxic at higher doses.
Sensitive vegetables grown in heavy metals polluted soils tend to accumulate heavy metals which are harmful to the human body even at low concentrations. In this study, the bioconcentration factor (Transfer Factor) was used to assess the accumulation of some heavy metals in Talinum triangulare grown in the vicinity of an automobile workshop in Oluku, Benin City. Physical and chemical parameters found to affect the interactions and mobility of heavy metals in the soil mass were also examined. A pH of 6.17±0.2 was obtained for the topsoil while the middle and bottom soil samples were 5.93±0.4 and 6.00±0.1 respectively, The values of CEC obtained for top, middle, and bottom soil samples were 5.58±0.54, 4.56±0.11, and 3.65±0.14 meq/100g respectively. Soil samples were randomly collected from three depths of 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm, and 20-30 cm with the aid of a soil auger; and T. triangulare were collected within the soil sampling locations. The concentrations of heavy metal were evaluated through the use of atomic absorption spectrophotometer after the samples were subjected to tri-acid digestion techniques. Particle size analysis showed that the soil is a sandy loam texture. High Transfer factor values were ascertained for some metals but none was greater than one. Therefore T. triangulare cannot be considered a hyperaccumulator of heavy metals investigated in this study. However, all metals found in T. triangulare were highly significant (p<0.05), and higher than the permissible limits recommended by FAO/WHO/EC/CODEX. Consumption of T. triangulare harvested from the vicinity of automobile workshops should be highly discouraged to avoid public health hazards.
The study was carried out to investigate the effect of storage time at ambient temperature on pH and iodine value of palm oil and groundnut oil using appropriate standard methods. The iodine value of palm oil decreased from 45.69 ± 0.01a to 45.11± 0.00k while that for groundnut oil decreased from 56.72 ± 0.01a to 56.22 ± 0.01k during the period of storage indicating loss of unsaturation due to oxidation. On the other hand, the pH of both palm and groundnut oils showed a more impressive decrease from 6.85 ± 0.05a to 4.19 ± 0.00j and 6.40 ± 0.00a to 4.40 ± 0.00h., respectively, due to autoxidation of the oils. A trend of decreasing order of iodine and pH value as the number of days of storage increases for both oils (palm and groundnut oil) was observed. This study shows that the storage time has a high significant effect on the iodine Value and pH value of both oil (palm and groundnut oil) with p ˂ 0.00 as against p ≤ 0.05. It was also observed that there was loss of unsaturation in both oils but higher in palm oil. However, groundnut oil had a higher iodine value, implying that groundnut oil had more of unsaturated fatty acid than palm oil which tends towards saturation due to high level of decreasing iodine value. However, from literature, it has been stated that groundnut oil is likely to be healthier for consumption due to the presence of unsaturated fat it contains.
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