Toxicity potentials and novelty-induced behavior effects of JEDDY decoction

JEDDY decoction, a plant medicine, is prepared by the “Village Chemist” of Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria for the treatment of hemorrhoids, pile, flatulence, abdominal distention, indigestion and colic. It is a popular OTC herbal medicine, available in Nigeria especially in the South-west. Hence, the main objective of the research was to carry out scientific studies on its toxicity potentials as well as possible central effects. Twenty four albino rats of both sexes were obtained and divided into four groups (n=6 per group) for the administration of three dose levels of JEDDY decoction and the vehicle. In sub-chronic toxicity test, JEDDY decoction was  administered orally to rats at daily doses of 334, 667 and 1334  ìl/kg/day/30 days. Generally, their behavioral, mortality, biochemical and histopathological outcomes were evaluated. Noveltyinduced behavior (NIB) was observed on both day 1 and day 30 of administration of JEDDY  decoction and the vehicle. The animals were sacrificed on day 30 after the NIB scoring and blood sample was obtained for biochemical assays for triglycerides, cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate  aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) using the serum. These biochemical assays were also carried out on the liver obtained from rats treated with both JEDDY decoction and the vehicle, respectively. ANOVA, followed by Post hoc analysis using student Newman Keuls test was used in establishing significant levels for all the data obtained statistically. The sub-chronic administration of JEDDY decoction revealed a  dose-dependent decrease in the body weight of the treated groups but the percentage change was statistically not significant when compared with the control. The sub-chronic administration at all the three dose levels revealed no significant effect on locomotion and rearing activities when compared with the control. Acute administration of JEDDY decoction at the three dose levels (344, 667 and 1334 ìl/kg/30 days, p.o.) also revealed no significant effects on locomotion activities when compared with the control but the ANOVA revealed that there was a significant decrease in grooming activities at the dose of 667 ìl/kg only when compared with the control. Biochemical analysis showed that there was a significant decrease on triglyceride and cholesterol level due to JEDDY decoction administration when compared with the control. Furthermore, biochemical analysis showed that sub-chronic administration of JEDDY decoction caused no significant effect on ALT, AST and ALP in rats when compared with the control. Thus, oral acute and sub-chronic administration of JEDDY decoction had no significant potential toxicity effect in rats.Keywords: JEDDY decoction, herbal, toxicity, grooming, behavior

Antimicrobial and toxicological evaluation of the leaves of Baissea axillaries Hua used in the management of HIV/AIDS patients

BACKGROUND: Persistent diarrhea is a common endemic disease with high incidence among the Africans including Nigerians. It also represents a frequent opportunistic disease in people living with HIV. Diarrhea represents one of the most distressful and persistent symptoms of HIV/AIDS, which may or may not be accompanied by an infection. The leaves decoction of Baissea axillaries Hua (Apocynaceae) is used by traditional herbalists in Edo state, Nigeria for the management of people living with HIV/AIDS. Determination of its antimicrobial activity and toxicological profile will provide supportive scientific evidence in favour of its continuous usage. METHOD: Chemical and chromatographic tests were employed in phytochemical investigations. Inhibitory activities of aqueous and ethanolic extracts against clinical strains of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus faecalis were compared with Togamycin (Spectinomycin). Our report includes minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against the test organisms. Toxicological evaluation was determined by administering 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg of extracts on male Wister rats for 14 days with normal saline as control. The kidneys, liver, heart and testis tissues were examined. RESULTS: Phytochemical studies revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, and cyanogenetic glycosides. The extracts inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus to varying extents, but only the ethanolic extract inhibited growth in Streptococcus faecalis. The LD(50 )of the extract in mice was above 5000 mg/kg body weight when administered intraperitoneally. Toxicological evaluation showed mere ballooning degeneration of the liver at 250 mg/kg while at 500 mg/kg there was tissue necrosis. The low and high doses showed ill-defined leydig cells in the testis and no remarkable changes in the heart and kidneys. CONCLUSION: Extracts of Baissea axillaries have demonstrated antimicrobial activity against clinical strains of selected microorganisms. While there is toxicity at the dose of 500 mg/kg, the therapy shows potential for application in the treatment of diarrhoea associated with AIDS/HIV. Further studies of Baissea axillaries on diarrhoea and toxicity are necessary to evaluate its mechanism of action and to fully establish its safety profile

THE ROLE OF PHARMACOGNOSY IN PHYTOTHERAPHY — THE CHALLENGES OF OUR TIME

Every period of time in the entire life span of a particular generation of Homo sapiens is faced with various challenges. Such challenges do vary greatly, and they range from professional, survival, domestic, political, economic and scientific challenges. In the last 200 years or so for instance, there have been tremendous challenges facing the world of Science including the subject of Pharmacognosy and attempts to rise up into those challenges have resulted in various discoveries and advancements. New challenges in Pharmacognosy and the ways to face them in the next century are suggested. Key Words: Phytotheraphy, medicinal plants, traditional medicine, discoveries and challenges Nig. J. Nat. Prod. And Med. Vol.2 1998: 5-

Book Review: Review of the Book “African Herbal Pharmacopoeia” By Brendler,

Book Review - No Abstrac

GRANDIFOLIN FROM KHAYA GRADIFOLIOLA STEM BARK

The antimalarial n-hexane fraction of K. grandifoliola stem bark on fractionation gave methyl-6-acetoxy angolensate and novel grandifolin characterized by spectroscopic methods. Key Words: Khaya grandifoliola, Meliaceae, antimalarial activity, grandifolin Nig. J. Nat. Prod. And Med. Vol.2 1998: 34-3

PHARMCOPIEAL STANDARDS FOR THE FRUITS OF CASSIA FISTULA AND CASSIA PODOCARPA

The pods of Cassia fistula L. and C. podocarpa Guill. et Perr. known for their laxative properties were examined macro- and microscopially. The pods can be distinguished in powder form by the presence of uniseriate trichomes in the C. podocarpa, which are absent in C. fistula. Chemical evaluation showed that both pods contain freee and combined (O- and C- glycosides) anthraquinones, while biological evaluation of the infusions of the pods of the two Cassia species showed that there is a significant differences in the amounts of wet faeces produced, with C. fistula showing a higher activity than C. podocarpa at the same dose levels when compared with Senna (Cassia acutifolia Delile) under the same experimental conditions. The Biological senna Equivalent and Percentage Senna Activity for C. fistula and C. podocarpa are 1.13, 113% and 0.70, 70% respectively at 500mg/kg. Both Cassia species pods can as substitutes for the official senna. Key Words: Cassia fistula, C. podocarpa, Leguminosae-Caesalpinoidiae, anthraquinones laxative Nig. J. Nat Prod. And Med. Vol.4 2000: 23-2

A Framework for Knowledge Capture in African Traditional Treatment of Malaria

This study developed, implemented and evaluated a framework for the means of knowledge capture in African traditional medicine (ATM) practice. This was with a view to enhancing the preservation of knowledge and hence the continual exploitation of African traditional healing techniques in malaria therapy. The methodology adopted involved knowledge elicitation by means of an interview scheme administered on a number of African traditional medicine practitioners (ATMPs) in Ile-Ife and its environs. The data taken from the practitioners were analyzed using the general architecture for text engineering (GATE) software. The resulting information was structured and the knowledge based system (KBS) was implemented using Javascript and PHP programming language. Sample cases of malaria were posted to the KBS for diagnosis and treatment of malaria disease. Also, fifteen ATMPs were required to provide diagnosis and therapies for the same cases of malaria in groups of five. The output from the KBS and ATMPs were then tested for agreement using Fleiss’ Kappa qualitative analysis. The diagnosis and therapy agreement between the groups of ATMPs and the KBS gave an average kappa-measure of 0.854 which indicates an almost perfect agreement between the KBS and the ATMPs. Therefore, the framework can be said to be complete for knowledge capture of malaria. In conclusion, knowledge in ATM practice could be structured, formalized and implemented as found in this work. This could be useful for capturing, storing and preserving knowledge in the domain of African traditional medicine practice.Keywords: African Traditional Medicine, General Architecture For Text Engineering, Knowledge Based Syste

LAXATIVE ACTIVITIES OF CASSIA PODS SOURCED FROM NIGERIA

Detailed biological evaluation for laxative properties using established literature methods with white albino rats, was carried out on the infusions of the pods of the following Cassia species, growing in Nigeria: Cassia alata L., C. hirsuta L., C. occidentalis L., C. podocarpa Guill. Et Perr., C. siamea Lam. and C. sieberiana L. (Family Caesalpinoidae) with Cassia acutifolia Del. (Senna) pod tablet and leaf as reference standards. Of all the Cassia species investigated, a dose-dependent relationship was observed when the infusions of the pods of C. fistula, C. podocarpa, C. acutifolia and also leaf of C. acutifolia were tested at a dose-range of 100mg/kg to 700mg/kg of rat with the presence of wet faeces as an indication of laxation. Indeed, statistically analysis of variance as well as using percentage senna-pod action showed that the laxative potencies of the three Cassia species were not significantly different. Hence, C. fistula and C. podocarpa pods obtained from plants cultivated in Nigeria, can in fact substitute for the official senna pod/tablets. Key Words: Cassia species; laxative activities; relative senna equivalent. Nig. J. Nat Prod. And Med. Vol.3 1999: 51-5

Antiplasmodial Properties of Alstonia boonei Stem-Bark and Picralima nitida Seed in Different Combinations

The use of mixtures of plants in form of decoctions is common practice in African ethnomedicine.The study evaluated the antiplasmodial activities of the freeze-dried decoctions of different combination ratios of the stem-bark of Alstonia boonei De Wild (Apocynaceae) and dry seed of Picralima nitida (Stapf) T.&H.Dur. (Apocynaceae) against chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium bergheiberghei NK65 strain.Thus, the decoctions of the mixtures of A. boonei stem-bark (A) and P. nitida seed (P) were prepared in three different ratios 1:1 (AP1), 1:2 (AP2) and 2:1 (AP3), were separately filtered, concentrated in vacuo and freeze-dried to obtain the corresponding extractive for each ratio. The acute toxicity test was carried out on each of the ratios using Lorke’s method. The antiplasmodial activity of each ratio was assessed using 4-day test at 1.5-100 mg/kg. The ratio with the best chemosuppressive activity was subjected to prophylactic and established malaria infection tests at 6.25–50 mg/kg, with pyrimethamine (1.25 mg/kg) and chloroquine (5 mg/kg) as positive controls, respectively. The LD50 of each extractive was greater than 5000 mg/kg. The chemosuppressions of AP1, AP2 and AP3 at 12.5 mg/kg were 55.7%, 64.4% and 57.2%, respectively, with AP2 being comparable to chloroquine. The ED50 for AP1, AP2 and AP3 were 27.8, 26.0 and 29.7 mg/ kg, respectively.Furthermore, AP2 exhibited curative activity with parasite clearance between 82.6% and 84% at 12.5 - 50 mg/kg while it showed prophylactic activities between 46.5% and 55.3% at the same doses. The observed antiplasmodial activities of the freeze-dried extractive (AP2) from the decoction of A. boonei stem-bark and P. nitida seed in ratio 1:2 can therefore be exploited for herbal antimalarial drug development.Keywords: Antimalarial, Parasitaemia, Pyrimethamine, Chemosuppressio