The Medicinally Important Leafy Vegetables of Southwestern Nigeria

This paper focuses on twenty eight medicinally important leafy vegetables documented from the South western part of Nigeria. It also highlights their medicinal importance in the treatment of minor ailments as well as their sources. The family Compositae (Asteraceae) contained the highest number of plants followed by the Cucurbitaceae, Malvaceae and Solanaceae. Sixty-eight percent of the documented vegetables are cultivated, eleven percent is usually obtained in the wild while twenty-one percent is either cultivated or obtained from the wild. The need for concern on the conservation of genetic resources of these plants (especially those in the wild) is stressed in order to safeguard them for future generations and avoid their genetic erosion. The establishment of a gene/seed bank for vegetables is advocated

Leaf anatomy and pollen morphology: sources of additional taxonomic characters in delimiting species of Duboscia Bocq. (Malvaceae S.L.) occurring in parts of southern Nigeria

Duboscia is a genus of two species native to tropical Africa. It belongs to the Malvaceae family. The composition of the genus has been a subject of controversy since its establishment. Leaf anatomy and pollen characters of the Duboscia species were investigated using light microscopy with a view to provide additional taxonomic characters in delimiting species boundary in the genus. Dried leaves rehydrated in boiled water were used for the anatomical studies while flow-er buds were used for pollen morphological studies. Epidermal cells were isodiametric, polygonal to irregular with straight to wavy anticlinal cell walls. Leaves were bifacial and hypostomatic with anisocytic and staurocytic stomata types. Pollen grains were small (21.3 – 23.5 μm) and tricolporate. A combination of characters such as type of trichomes, number of glandular trichome head cells in leaves and petioles, shape of the midrib and petiole vascular bun-dle, petiole vascular bundle isolates, petiole outline, number of chlorenchyma cell layers and secretory ducts in midrib and petiole, exine surface, Amb and colpi length can be used as additional taxonomic characters to distinguish the two species and to determine their phylogenetic relationship between related genera in the tribe Grewieae. A key is provided for the identification and delimitation of the species

Predictors of Consumer Patronage of Street Food Vendors in a Typical Developing Economy Context

This study centers on the predictors of street food patronage in Anambra Nigeria. Since food preparation at home is being replaced by eating out due to increase urbanization hence, an increase in the number of street food vendor; it is pertinent to investigate the predictors that influence street food patronage. Ironically, few studies have been conducted to document factors that predict street food patronage in a typical developing economy like Anambra Nigeria. Using this as a point of departure, this study mainly examines the factors that predict street food patronage. It was based on the study of selected street food consumers in Anambra Nigeria. Data were collected using questionnaire based on a quota sampling of 245 respondents. Factor analysis and multiple regressions were used to reduce data and test hypotheses respectively. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to test the reliability of the instrument. Analysis of the data showed that attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, food quality and cultural influence are significant in predicting street food patronage with perceived behavioral control as the best predictor, followed by subjective norm, cultural influence , attitude and food quality in that order. Based on the findings, it was recommended that street food vendors should develop efficient and effective personal selling skills in order to develop and promote positive word-of-mouth, food spots should be well structured to reflect the local culture and prepare meals that are close to the cultural diets of the consumers and; tastiness, freshness and warmness of the food should never be compromised. Keywords: *Street Food, *Street Food Vendor *Consumer Patronage, *Attitude, *Perceived Behavioural Control, *Subjective Norm, *Cultural Influence, *Food Quality*Developing Economy, *Anambra, *Nigeria .

An Appraisal of the Contributions of Herbalism to Primary Health Care Delivery in South West Nigeria

Herbalism contributes significantly to the primary health care delivery system in the southwest Nigeria through sale and administration of different herbal medicinal preparations which are available in a number of ways like tinctures, herbal wine and elixirs, tisanes, decoctions, macerates, topical, poultices, whole herb consumption, syrup, extracts, inhalation, local rings, incision and rubbing, charm belt, and other charm apparels. Medicines may be hawked by the ambulatory vendors (apothecary) or patients consulting practitioners. Charges are relatively cheap, consultation is prompt and the medicines are reportedly efficacious. Non-exclusion of anybody from patronizing and being organized around people’s needs and expectations, which are two of the key elements of WHO to achieve the ultimate goal of primary health care of better health for all are affectively entrenched in the practice. We adopted and employed basic scientific method, anthropological training skills and study approaches in Humanities to elicit our findings. Government support is highly solicite

Foliar Epidermal Morphology and Anti-diabetic Property of Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Wall ex. Nees

The leaf epidermal features and anti diabetic property of Androgragphis paniculata were investigated. The epidermal cells are polygonal to irregular with curved to undulate anticlinal walls on both surfaces of the leaf. The leaf is hypostomatic with stomata restricted to the abaxial surface. Stomata type is axillocytic. The epidermal cells contain deposits of crystal oxalates while cystoliths are found in a few cells. The leaf extract was evaluated for hypoglycemic effects. There was significant hypoglycemic effect in alloxan induced diabetic rats following administration of the leaf aqueous extract. The result shows that the level of fasting blood sugar was dependent on the previous level of basal blood sugar in the four groups of rats used for this study. Treatment of the rats with A. paniculata showed a dose dependent relationship with the time it took for the blood of the rats to return to the basal blood sugar levels. The study supports the use of the plant in the management and treatment of diabetes

EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF LEACHATE CONTAMINATION ON GROUNDWATER EXPLORATION IN BASEMENT COMPLEX AREA

A total of ten groundwater samples were collected from wells around the site of Orita Aperin refuse        dump, Ibadan, Southwest, Nigeria, to determine the extent of groundwater contamination. The results        of   the  hydro-chemical   analysis   show  that   groundwater   samples   collected  from wells   away from the        leachate revealed comparable W.H.O. standard values for groundwater consumption. Most obvious        parameters   are:  increase   in   total  hardness   (between   184.8   and   239.6mg/l   for   samples   near   the        leachate;   74   and   102mg/l   for   samples   far   from   the   leachate),   low   calcium   (ranged   from   46.2   to        78.7mg/l for samples near the leachate; 3.7 to 32.8mg/l for samples far from the leachate), magne-        sium (ranged from 5.1 to 30.3mg/l for samples near the leachate; 3.4 to 21.5mg/l for samples far from        the leachate), chloride (between 20 and 224mg/l for samples near the leachate, 32 and 174mg/l), and        sulphate content (ranged from 9 to 76mg/l for samples near the leachate; 25 to 38mg/l for samples far        from the leachate); while high values of TDS (in samples A and C and I), nitrate (in samples A and C)        and chloride (in samples A and I) which were due to the effect of leachate on the water quality result-        ing to contamination of these wells. Thus, adequate treatment should be carried out on wells located        close to the leachate before consumption.&nbsp

Pollen morphological studies in the family Sapindaceae from parts of Ibadan in Oyo State and Moro in Osun Sate in Southwestern Nigeria

Pollen grains of nine (9) species of Sapindaceae randomly collected from parts of Oyo and Osun States of Nigeria were prepared using the acetolysis method and studied with the aim of identifying characters of taxonomic relevance in the family. Results showed that the pollen grains were either triporate or tricolporate. Pore or aperture was found to be a homologous character and the presence or absence of Os and/or their ornamentations can be reliably used to delimit the species. The largest pollen (46.94 x 51.7 μm) was observed in Cardiospermum halicacabum L. while the smallest pollen was observed in Blighia sapida K.D Koenig (16.80 x 15.84 μm). The exine pattern may be reticulate (Paullinia pinnata L), striate (Allophylus africanus P. Beauv, Blighia sapida, B. unijugata Baker, Deinbolia pinnata Schumach & Thonn. and Lecaniodiscus cupanioides Planch ex Benth) or reticulofoveolate in Cardiospermum grandiflorum Swartz and C. Halicacabum

Data on CaO and eggshell catalysts used for biodiesel production

This researchinvestigatedtheproductionofbiodieselfromsoy- bean oil(transesterification process)usingpurecalciumoxideand calcium oxideobtainedfromeggshellasheterogeneouscatalysts. Uncalcinedeggshellandcalcinedeggshellcatalystsproducedwere analysedusingXRFandXRDspectrometers.Theprocessingpara- meters consideredduringthetransesterification ofthesoybean weremethanol/oilmoleratio,catalystconcentrationandreaction time andtheireffectsonbiodieselyieldwereevaluated.Reaction temperatureof60 °C andstirringrateof450rpm(revolutionper minute) werekeptconstant.Asaresultofcalcination,XRFanalysis revealedanincreaseinCaOpercentagecompositionofeggshell catalystfrom96%to97%.Also,thebiodieselyieldsobtained revealedsimilarperformancepatternsforboththecalcinedegg- shell catalystandthepureCaOcatalys

SHORT COMMUNICATION: HYDROCARBON ACCUMULATION AND DISCHARGE BY THE CRAYFISH IN SOME RIVERS OF LAGOS, NIGERIA

Crayfishes exposed to 14C-naphthalene-5% of an aqueous fraction of crude oil in open non-aerated glass jars for 4 h at 25 0C showed no significant differences (P > 0.25) in the amount of naphthalene uptake. Different parts of the crayfishes were quantified for naphthalene uptake and cephalothorax containing hepatopancreas (a food absorption organ) was found to have greater uptake than the tail flesh or tail skeleton. Release of the oil from the crayfishes that were exposed for 1, 2, 3 or 4 h and later placed in open non-aerated jars containing oil-free water showed greater loss of most of the 14C activity during the first 24 h, there was little losses at 48, 72 and 96 h. There was significant volatilization (P < 0.04) of 14C-naphthalene in a 5% of crude oil placed in open, non-aerated, oil-free glass jars for 24 h at 25 0C. (Received May 2, 2001; revised October 19, 2001) Bull.Chem.Soc.Ethiop. 2001, 15(2), 167-17

Development and Performance Evaluation of a Rubber and Canvas Strip Fingers Defeathering Machine

Human labour requirement in poultry products processing has continued to increase and more demanding, especially defeathering which is faced with faced challenges such as lacerations and hygiene in handling. To solve these challenges, mechanical defeathering proffered a solution, which further posed a problem of equipment cost and efficiency of operation. This paper investigated a developed a low-cost axial-loading (horizontal) defeathering with dual fingers for small and medium-scale poultry processors. This study reported the development of a defeathering machine which comprises of an axial defeathering drum with strip fingers, which flaps on the carcass to pluck off feathers in motion. The machine is electrically powered with a defeathering power requirement of 0.304 kW and at a power rating of 0.269 kW. The performance evaluation carried out with a broiler, cockerel and layer birds at a soaking temperature of 80 degree Celsius for an average time of 1 minutes showed that the efficiency and the effectiveness of the machine varies with respect to the quality of cleaned carcass produced. It was also observed that it takes the machine about 60 seconds to completely defeather a broiler of 2.4 kg weight, 70 seconds to defeather an old layer breed of bird of about 1.2 kg weight and 105 seconds to defeather a 1.3 kg weight of local chicken. However, test carried out on local birds showed that the machine was less effective defeathering local chicken at low temperature, because of the toughness of the skin. Comparatively, canvass (leather) fingers have the highest defeathering efficiency while rubber strip fingers produced the least defeathering efficiency. Therefore, canvas (leather) strip finger performed better than rubber strip fingers