Isolation, Characterization and Antimicrobial Evaluation of Seed Extract of Jatropha gossypifolia

Powdered seed of J. gossypifolia was macerated using methanol as extracting solvent. The seed extract of Jatropha gossypifolia was subjected to phytochemical and antimicrobial investigation using standard screening procedures. The phytochemical studies revealed the presence of some secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, saponins, tannins. There was no activity against the bacteria (Gram positive and negative organisms at 2.5-100mg/ml). The seed extract showed significant antifungal activity. The spectroscopic analysis (1D and 2DNMR) of the colourless oil gave 9-acetoxynerolidol.Keywords: Extraction, characterization, Jatropha gossipyfolia, antimicrobial  evaluatio

Dermatological emergencies: current trends in management

Emergencies in dermatology are well recognized and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Early recognition of these conditions with institution of prompt medical care can help in reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with these conditions. This article reviews relevant dermatologic emergencies with respect to this environment with emphasis on current trends in management. Prompt and aggressive management of dermatologic emergencies are important to reduce mortality related to these skin disorders so as to prevent skin failure. Dermatologic emergencies are clinical conditions which lead to increased morbidity and mortality. Recognizing them and the urgency required in their management would help in reducing the attendant skin failure thatmay arise from these conditions.Keywords: Dermatologic emergency, skinfailure, management

Smooth muscle relaxant activity of 3- carbomethoxylpyridine from Pyrenacantha staudtii leaf on isolated rat uterus

Pyrenacantha staudtii leaf (Icacinaceae) is a medicinal herb used in ethnomedicine for the treatment of threatened abortion and gastrointestinal disorders. Previous chemical work in our laboratory reported the isolation and characterization of 3- carbomethoxylpyridine from the methanolic extract of this plant. The inhibitory effect of the crude extract on isolated rat uterus was also established. The objective of this study was to investigate the inhibitory activity of the isolated compound, 3- carbomethoxylpyridine,on rat isolated uterine preparation. This was achieved by subjecting the compound to uterine preparation in an organ bath containing a physiological salt solution of De Jalon. The contractions were recorded with an FT03 transducer attached to an Ugo Basil recorder. The study has shown for the first time that 3-carbomethoxylpyridine has a relaxant effect on the smooth muscle of the uterus promotingrelaxation of the spontaneous and oxytocin-induced contractions

GC-MS Analysis of Insecticidal Leaf Essential Oil of Pyrenacantha Staudtii Hutch and Dalz (Icacinaceae)

Purpose: Insecticides have been known to cause serious toxicological and environmental problems. Hence, the insecticidal activity and chemical composition of a local medicinal plant was investigated.Methods: Steam distillation of P.staudtii leaves was carried out using a Clavenger apparatus in order to obtain the volatile oils. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometric (GC/MS) analyses (DB-5 Optima-5 column) of the essential oil were performed and its insecticidalactivity determined.Results: GC-MS spectrometry showed that the major chemical components of the oil were tetradecanoic acid (22 %), hexanoic acid, α-phellandrene (13 %), and citronellol sp. (7 %). The work also revealed significant insecticidal activity of 80 % and 60 % against Rhyzoperthadominica and Tribolium castaneum, respectively.Conclusion: The study established the chemical composition and insecticidal activity of the essential oil of the plant leaf. Future formulation studies, toxicity profile and possible mechanism of action may lead to the development of a potential insecticidal product

Influence of Magnetic Field and Thermal Radiation on Steady Free Convective Flow in a Porous Medium

This paper investigated the influence of magnetic field and thermal radiation on steady free convective flow embedded in a porous medium with Soret effects. The governing equations are systems of nonlinear partial differential equations. Similarity variables were introduced on the set of governing equations and it was transformed into set of coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations. The transformed coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations are solved using the Spectral Homotopy Analysis Method (SHAM). Influence of pertinent flow parameters is displayed in figures and table. Comparisons were done with existing problems/models in literature and our results were in good agreement. The results revealed that as the magnetic parameter increased the velocity profile was found to decrease as a result of the magnetic field applied in the direction of the flow but negligible or has no effect on the velocity distribution. The results shows that increase in the suction/injection velocity and Magnetic field parameter enrich the temperature and concentration.KEYWORDS: Buoyancy; Free Convective Flow; Magnetic Field; Porous Medium; Soret; Suction/Injection

Antibacterial properties and preliminary phytochemical analysis of methanolic extract of Ocimum gratissium (Scent Leaves)

Methanolic extract of the leaves of Ocimum gratissium (scent leaves) was screened for its phytochemical and antibacterial properties on some clinical bacterial isolates, visa vie as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The agar diffusion technique was used to assay the growth inhibition against the four bacterial isolates. The antibacterial effect of the methanolic extract of Ocimum gratissium was compared to that of some selected commercially available antibiotics. The inhibitory effect of the methanolic extract was comparable at all concentrations tested to the commercially available antibiotics indicating the high potency of the methanolic extract O. gratissium. Results obtained showed, the extract inhibits the growth of the test isolates with diameter of zones of inhibition of 5mm to 10mm for P. aeruginosa, P. mirabilis, E. coli and S. aureus respectively. The Broth microdilution assay gave minimal inhibitory concentration values ranging from 13.5μg/ml to 15.0μg/ml. The result of the phytochemical analysis of the dried leaves extracts revealed the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrate and saponins. Keywords: Herbalism, Phytochemicals, Scent, Beni

Phytochemical screening and anti-inflammatory evaluation of methanolic and aqueous extracts of Euphorbia heterophylla Linn (Euphorbiaceae)

Euphobia heterophylla is a local medicinal plant used in ethnomedicine for the treatment of constipation, bronchitis and asthma. The aqueous decoction and the methanolic extracts were subjected to anti-inflammatory activity using experimental animal model, in the presence of the positive control drugs. The inflammation was induced by carraegenean. From the results obtained the aqueous extract showed significant activity (P < 0.001) comparable to the reference drug used. At the different dose range used (50, 100 and 150 mg/kg), there was no significant differences in their anti-inflammatory activity hence they were not dose-dependent. However, the methanolic extract did not show any appreciable activity (20-24% inhibition) and were also not dose-dependent. The results of the study showed the justification of the use of the plant in the treatment of inflammatory disease conditions, and the active chemical constituents when isolated will be added to the present anti-inflammatory agents.Key words: Anti-inflammatory activity, Euphorbia heterophylla, leaf extract

Vascular effects of 3-carbomethoxypyridine on rabbit aortic smooth muscle

Background: 3-Carbomethoxypyridine (3-CMP) is a methyl nicotinate that has been isolated and characterized from one of the alkaloidal fractions of Pyrenacantha staudtii. No literature is available on its vascular action. The goal of this study was to characterize the mechanism of action of 3-CMP on rabbit aortic smooth muscle. Methods: Isometric contractions of ring segments of rabbit aorta (under an initial load of 2g) suspended in 20ml organ baths containing physiological salt solution (PSS) and bubbled with 95% O2, 5% CO2, were examined at 37oC and pH 7.4. The protocols examined are: Dose response of tissues to phenylephrine (PE), effect of 3-CMP on baseline tension, dose response of tissues to 3-CMP following phenylephrine (PE, 10-7M) or high K+ (40mM) pre-contraction as well as relaxation responses to 3-CMP and Ach in endothelium-intact and endothelium-denuded rings.Results: The results show that 3-CMP dose-dependently attenuated the contractile responses to PE and High K+. The respective maximum relaxation responses to 3-CMP following pre-contractions with PE (n=8) or high K+ (n=9) were 50.06±2.94 and 18.59±2.88 (p<0.05). Ach-induced relaxation was observed only in rings with intact endothelium. Also 3-CMP-induced relaxation responses were significantly attenuated in endothelium-denuded rings. Conclusion: The results suggest that 3-CMP elicits relaxation of rabbit aortic smooth muscle activated by depolarizationdependent (high-K+) or –independent (PE) agents. The greater effect on PE contraction suggests interference with mechanisms involving agonist-receptor interaction. 3-CMP relaxation is also endothelium-dependent.Keywords: 3-Carbomethoxypyridine, Rabbit Aorta,Vascular smooth muscle, Endotheliu

Hepatoprotective effects of ethanol extract of Caesalpiniabonduc against carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity in Albino Rats

The present study was carried out to evaluate the Acute toxicity, hepatoprotective and in-vivo antioxidant activities of ethanolic extract of Caesalpinia bonduc leaf on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced liver damage using Swiss albino rats . The ethanolic extract of the plant of C. bonduc were suspended in 5 % tragacanth and then administered orally at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight for fourteen days before intraperitoneally injection of Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) at dose of 2 mL/kg body weight. The plant extracts at 250 and 500mg/kg b.wt showed a remarkable hepatoprotective and invivo antioxidant activities against carbon tetrachloride CCl4 – induced hepatotoxity judged from the serum marker enzymes .The CCl4 induced significant increase in aspartate amino transferase( AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), alkaline phophatase (ALP), total bilirubin, and malondyaldehyde (MDA) with a reduction of total protein, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase . Treatment of rats with different doses of plant extract (250 and 500 mg/kg b.wt.) significantly (P< 0.001) altered serum maker enzymes and antioxidant levels to near normal levels. The study suggests that C. Bonduc specifically chloroform and ethyl acetate fraction may be good sources of natural antioxidant and hepatoprotective substance.Keywords: Ceasalpiniabonduc, hepatoprotective, intraperitoneally , antioxidan

Phytochemical and Antioxidant Properties of Pericap of Garcinia kola Extract

The powdered pericap of the plant was extracted with methanol at room temperature of 25OC, partitioned with n-hexane, ethylacetate and butanol respectively. The extract and fractions were subjected to phytochemical analysis using established standard procedures. Antioxidant screening using DPPH (2, 2−diphenyl−1−picryl hydroxyl radical) procedure was carried out on the fractions and compared with ascorbic acid as standard. The result of the screening revealed that the pericalp contained alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins and saponins as chemical constituents. The (DPPH) radical scavenging assay of the plant revealed high antioxidant activity.There was significant activity among the extract and fractions, with the petroleum ether fraction showing the highest activity. The study demonstrated that the pericap of the plant is a good source of antioxidants. Keywords: Antioxidants, phytochemical, extracts, pulp, Garcinia kol