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Twenty-four (24) adult albino Wistar rats (twelve males and twelve females) were used for the study. The animals were divided into six groups of four rats in each. Proximate analysis was carried out on the plant sample with the following results: crude protein 22.45 ± 0.01%; crude fat (3.45 ± 0.0%); crude fiber (16.0 ± 0.0%) and Ash (9.95 ± 0.2%). Quantitative phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of flavonoids (0.85 ± 0.11 mg), tannins (0.37 ± 0.2 mg), saponins (2.2 ± 0.0 mg), polyphenol (0.35 ± 0.11 mg), alkaloids (2.13 ± 0.10 mg) and HCN (12.25 ± 0.10 mg). Some of the vitamins analyzed included: Vitamin A 345.50 ± 0.0 IU), Vitamin C (228.40 ± 0.0 mg), Vitamin E (37.30 ± 0.01 mg), Vit.B 1 (1.0 ± 0.00 mg), Vit.B 2 (3.10 ± 0.00 mg), Fe (11.0 ± 0.0 mg) and Niacin (0.41 ± 0.0 mg) respectively. Hyperglycemia was induced in the rats using alloxan. The plant extract of Vernonia amygdalina (bitter leaf) was administered to the rats orally at concentrations of 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10% before meals for 5, 10 and 15 days respectively after which, blood samples were collected from the animals and analyzed for glucose levels using enzymatic methods. There was a remarkable decrease in blood glucose level from the mean value of 4.44 ± 0.2 to 1.66 ± 0.2 mmol/L. The decrease in the blood glucose level of the rats following the administration of the plant extract suggests that the plant extract possesses anti-diabetic, anti-hyperglycemic and hypoglycemic effects on alloxan induced diabetic rats. The presence of phytochemicals, vitamins and other nutrients such as proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, ash and other components in the extract must have acted synergistically to potentiate the anti-diabetic role of the plant extract.

The antisickling effects of the extracts of three vegetables highly consumed in Nigeria were investigated which included: Allium cepa (Onion), Allium sativum (Garlic) and Telferia occidentalis (Ugu). The extracts were partitioned into, the fat-soluble (FAS), the water-soluble (WAS), the butanol-soluble (BUS) and the crude aqueous extracts (CAEs) respectively. Free amino acid concentrations of the extracts expressed in mg/100g are: Telferia occidentalis WAS (600±0.1), BUS (242±0.11), FAS (175±0.11) and CAE (2890±0.1); Allium cepa, WAS (1225±0.1), BUS (200±0.0), FAS (210±0.1) and CAE (1890±0.2); Allium sativum, WAS (900±0.1), BUS (225±0.2 mg), FAS (120±0.11 mg) and CAE (2800±0.2 mg) respectively. The total vitamin C concentration of the samples expressed in mg/100g are: Telferia occidentalis, WAS (750±0.2), CAE (2000±0.0); Allium cepa WAS (628±0.2), CAE (900±0.1); Allium sativum, WAS (1100±0.12), CAE (2100±0.11). Hemoglobin polymerization inhibition and the relative percent inhibition were estimated: Telferia occidentalis WAS (69.63%), BUS (29.91%), FAS (24.77%) and CAE (75.27%); Allium sativum, WAS (93.73%), BUS (90.95%), FAS (89.79%) and CAE (95.43%); Allium cepa, WAS(26.61%), BUS (40.19%), FAS (31.31%) and CAE (60.28%) respectively. Amino acid analysis revealed the following: Phe, Arg, Lys, Ser, Met and others. All fractions of the samples exhibited high level of improvement in the Fe 2+ /Fe 3+ ratio:

ABSTRACT:The antisickling effect of dried fish (Tilapia) and dried prawn (Astacus red) were investigated to ascertain the ability of the extracts of these samples to inhibit polymerisation of sickle cell haemoglobin (HbS), improve the Fe 2+ /Fe 3+ ratio and lower the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in blood plasma. The samples were first ground into powder and soaked in chloroform/dichloromethane to defat them and in essence produce the fat soluble fraction (filtrate). The defatted residues were soaked in methanol for 24 hours to obtain a methanol soluble fraction. This was finally fractioned in a mixture of BuOH/H 2 O (1:1) to give the butanol-soluble (BUS) and water-soluble (WAS) fractions respectively. These fractions were subsequently concentrated by rotary evaporation. The fat-soluble (FAS), BUS, and WAS phases were able to inhibit HbS polymerisation to varying degrees from 50% for FAS to 95% for BUS. The water-soluble phases of these samples were also found to increase the Fe 2+ /Fe 3+ ratio from 6% to 95%. The phases equally reduced LDII activity in serum of ten sickle cell disease patients to varying degrees from 12% to 40%. Nutritionally, the different fractions or phases were found to be rich in free amino acids which ranged from 951.05mg/100g of sample for tilapia to 1906.05mg/100g of sample for crayfish (Astacus; red). The soluble protein concentration of the samples was equally estimated. Dried tilapia has an aggregate protein content of 28.7.30mg/100g of sample while dried prawn has 1626mg/100g of sample. Dried fish (Tilapia) and dried prawn (Astacus red) could both be nutritionally and therapeutically beneficial in the management of sickle cell disease. @JASEM

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