Problem statement: Obese human subjects treated with oral Vernonia amygdalina (V. amygdalina) aqueous leaf extract for one month who experienced the anti-obesity effects of V. amygdalina leaf extract reported a lighter; clearer; more glowing and firmer skin as side effects of the treatment (unpublished findings). In this study, oral Vernonia amygdalina aqueous leaf extract was taken daily for six months to observe its effects on the external appearance and the firmness of the skin of the treated subject. Approach: Vernonia amygdalina leaf extract was prepared as a leaf effusion. The extract was taken 4 times daily by the subject who also oserved some dietary restritions. Results: The results of the study showed that V. amygdalina leaf extract has potent skin clearing; skin firming; skin lightening (inhibition of skin colour darkening); skin texture and lusture restoration; anti-obesity; body calming and body vitality (vigor) effects. These skin colour and form restoration effects of V. amygdalina extract coupled to its body metabolism effects to give body calm, vitality and youthful looks to the subject. Conclusion: The study concludes that V. amygdalina leaf extract has skin colour and formlightening and restoration effects as well as body calming and body vitalizing effects.

Problem statement: Two cancer patients were treated with Vernonia amygdalina (V. amygdalina) leaf extract and leaf powder. The leaf extract of V amygdalina was administered orally for 9 months to the first patient in response to his reception of a medical diagnosis of having traces of prostate cancer. Approach: This patient was also over weight by 40 kg. The V. amygdalina treatment eliminated the traces of prostate cancer tissue and caused the patient to lose 25 Kg excess body fat. Results: During the treatment, the excess fat elimination by V. amygdalina leaf extract usually occurred within 2 sec, 2 min of V. amygdalina extract intake. Cancer diagnostic screening tests conducted on the patient at the end of the 9 months V. amygdalina treatment showed no traces of prostate cancer tissues in the patient for 5 years. The prostate cancerous tissues re-emerged and restablished themselves after 4 years of the V. amygdalina treatment. The patient took hospital-based orthodox treatment for one year and found that the cancer was slowly progressing. The V. amygdalina leaf extract treatment was repeated by the patient for 6 months to arrest and eliminate the re-established cancer tissues. This sec V. amygdalina treatment slowed the speed of progression of the cancer but was ineffective in eliminating the re-established cancer tissues. The V. amygdalina treatment was terminated by the patient to continue with hospital-based treatment. The prostate cancer metastasized quickly after the termination of the V. amygdalina treatment despite the orthodox medicine treatment and killed the patient a year and one month after the termination of the V. amygdalina treatment. In the second case, oral Vernonia amygdalina leaf extract and topically applied Vernonia amygdalina leaf powder were administered to a skin cancer patient who was also diabetic. The treatment was given for three months. During the treatment V. amygdalina leaf-powder applied topically to the cancer tumor remained unceasingly firmly bound to the tumor surface but produced only a 10-15% reduction in the size of the cancer tumor in three months. The V. amygdalina treatment brought the patient's blood glucose level down from 395/100 dL to a steady 33/100 dL, in one month. The blood glucose lowering effects of V. amygdalina leaf extract were usually exerted in 2 sec, 2 min of extract intake by the patient. Conclusion/Recommendations: The action of V. amygdalina leaf extract and powder in these cancer treatments show that they inhibit, scavenge and destroy cancer treatments during their early formative stages. The results also show that V. amygdalina leaf extract can slow down but cannot effectively eliminate well-established cancer tissues or completely stop them from metastasizing.

Problem statement: Vernonia amygdalina (V. amygdalina) has been shown to have cancer cell inhibition and cytotoxic effects. Approach: This study discusses the multi-faceted and multilinked mechanisms by which cancer tissue inhibition and destruction is achieved by V. amygdalina leaf extract and powder (subsequently called V. amygdalina Extract). Cancer cell inhibition by V. amygdalina is suggested to occur through inhibition of sterol 14-α-demethylase, a microsomal P450dependent enzyme system) of the membrane of the cancer cell. Inhibition of this enzyme impairs the biosynthesis of ergosterol for the cytoplasmic membrane. Results: This impairment of the synthesis of ergosterol disrupts the close packing of acyl chains of phospholipids and impairs the function of some membrane-bound enzyme systems like ATPase and enzymes of electron-transport system of the cancer cells. V. amygdalina extract inhibits sterol 14-α-demethylase by acting on β 3 adrenergic receptors of the cancer cell membranes as a primary ligand in Gi (inhibitory) receptors on cancer β 3 lipid cell membrane receptors and mitochondrial ATP energy generation system receptors. Conclusion: By effecting β-oxidation of fatty acids and lipids in cell membranes and cell mitochondrial energy (ATP) generation systems, the V. amygdalina extract uncouples the mitochondrial energy (ATP generation) systems of the cancer cells and cell membranes resulting in the cancer cells being burnt out (consumed) by the extract (when V. amygdalina extract is cytotoxic to the cancer cells) or its functioning being inhibited (when V. amygdalina extract is only inhibitory to the cancer cells.

Problem statement: Vernonia amygdalina (V. amygdalina) leaf soup is regarded by the indigenous Igbo people of South Eastern Nigeria as their best leafy vegetable soup. Despite the bitterness of the bitter leaf soup, the native eaters of the soup feel very content when they eat pounded carbohydrate foods with it. Oral V. amygdalina leaf extract was taken methodically in this study to examine the generalized effect of oral V. amygdalina leaf intake on the human body. Approach: Vernonia amygdalina leaf extract and leaf powder produced a generalized calming effect on the whole body of the extract-treated human subject. The relaxation effect of leaf extract of V. amygdalina on the skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscles of the subject made the whole body of the subject to function at close to basal metabolic rate, in an efficient, calm and alert manner. Results: V. amygdalina leaf extract produced its calming effects on the body by its action as an inhibitory first messenger that inhibited x 2 -adrenoceptors of the whole body of the subject by occupation of β 3 -adreceptors on membranes the body's cells. Such inhibitory action on α 2-adrenoceptors of the body (especially of adipose tissues; smooth, cardiac and skeletal muscles and of tissues of the body involved with control of excess blood sugar) caused the inhibition of the accumulation of cyclic AMP and resulted in a generalized calming effect on the body. V. amygdalina extract acted inhibited α 2 -adrenoceptors of the body by acting as an inhibitory G-protein on β 3 adrenoceptores of the cells of the whole body. Conclusion: This study concludes that the mechanism by which V. amygdalina leaf active principles exert a calming effect on the whole human body is by acting as an inhibitory first messenger that sits on the membrane receptors of body tissues to activate an inhibitory G-protein adenylyl cyclase messenger which causes an inhibition of the accumulation of cyclic AMP at the sites where cyclic AMP accumulation would have resulted in excitatory action. By this inhibitory action V. amygdalina antagonized explosive energy utilization in the various tissues of the body thereby causing a generalized calming of the body.

Abstract:Studies on the effect of excess calorie intake on the human body showed that it resulted in accumulation of excess body fat; the darkening of the skin colour and the development of a bumpy skin. Problem statement: The present study investigated the effects of increased protein intake on the human skin and on body fat. The skin firming, skin smoothing and skin colour lightening effects of Vernonia amygdalina leaf extract has already been established. The anti-obesity, body calming and anti-aging effects of VA leaf extract have also been established. Approach: The effects of increased protein intake (in the form of eating of 100 gm Voandzeia hypogeal seed paste meal two times daily), was tested on the skin, anti-obesity and anti-aging effects of VA leaf extract. The study was done for 10 days. Results: The results of the study showed that Voandzeia subterranean (hypogea) cooked potentiated the skin tightening, skin smoothing, skin colour lightening and the anti-obesity/antiaging effects of VA. Leaf extract. These results show that increased Voandezia hypogeal seed paste meal [increased protein intake has skin tightening/clearing/lightening/Smoothing and antiobesity/anti-aging effects]. They also show that cooked Voandzeia hypogeal seed paste meal has a potentiating effect on the skin and body effects of VA leaf extract. Conclusion: From the findings of this study the author to concludes that increased protein intake potentiated the skin firming/skin Smoothing/skin colour lightening; body calming; anti-obesity and anti-aging effects of Vernonia amygdalina leaf extract. The study also concludes that Voandzeia hypogeal seed meal has skin firming/skin Smoothing/skin colour lightening (clearing); body calming; anti-obesity and anti-aging effects.

Problem statement: Dihydroartemisinin was shown to produce two types of inhibitory effects on the cardiac muscles of rats. It was also shown to stimulate haemopoiesis in the lungs, liver, spleen, intestine and kidney of rats. This study attempted to find out the nature of the effect of oral dihydroartemisinin on the lungs of Wistar albino rats. Approach: The effects of dihydroartemisinin on the tissues of the lungs of wistar albino rats were investigated with five doses of Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) administered for 5 days by oral intubation. The five tested doses were 1 mg kg −1 , a repeated dose of 1, 2, 60 and 80 mg kg −1 DHA. Results: Histopathological examination of the tissue micrographs of the lungs of the dihydroartemisinin treated rats showed that in comparism with those of the controls, DHA had no adverse effects on the tissues of the lungs of the rats but rather produced a direct stimulatory effect on the smooth muscles of the lungs. This stimulation caused hyperplasia of these tissues which was observable histologically in tissue micrographs of the lungs. These effects of dihydroartemisinin on the tissues of the lungs of Wistar albino rats were dose, repetition and time dependent. Conclusion: These growth hormone-like stimulatory effects of dihydroartemisinin on the smooth muscles of the lungs suggest that DHA enhanced the functioning capacity of the lungs of the DHA-treated rats. These results suggest that dihydroartemisinin has possible respiration enhancement effects.