Collagen based magnetic nanocomposites for oil removal applications

A stable magnetic nanocomposite of collagen and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) is prepared by a simple process utilizing protein wastes from leather industry. Molecular interaction between helical collagen fibers and spherical SPIONs is proven through calorimetric, microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. This nanocomposite exhibited selective oil absorption and magnetic tracking ability, allowing it to be used in oil removal applications. The environmental sustainability of the oil adsorbed nanobiocomposite is also demonstrated here through its conversion into a bi-functional graphitic nanocarbon material via heat treatment. The approach highlights new avenues for converting bio-wastes into useful nanomaterials in scalable and inexpensive ways

EFFECT OF COLD STORAGE ON THE COMPOSITION OF THE ESSENTIAL OILS OF EUGENIA UNIFLORA LEAVES

The hydrodistilled volatile oil of fresh leaves and leaves of Eugenia uniflora L. stored for 24hr at 4oC were compared. The GC, LSC and GC-MS analyses of the oils revealed major quantitative differences in their chemical composition. The predominantly sesquitepene rich oils differed mainly in the percentage of their germacrene-A, germacrene-D, selina-1, 3,7(11)-trien-8-one, selin-11-en-4a-ol, viridiflorol, oxidoselina-1,3,7(11)-trien-8-one and 4-acetoxygermacra-1,8(11)-dien-9-one. The varied percentages of selina-1,3,7(11)-trien-8-one in the fresh (25.5%) and refridgerated (10.9%) leaves may be primarily responsible for the slight difference in odour, chemical and biological properties of the two oil. Key Words: Essential oils, Eugenia uniflora L., fresh and refrigerated leaves, monoterpenes, sesquitepenes. Nig. J. Nat Prod. And Med. Vol.3 1999: 79-8

VARIATION STUDIES ON THE VOLATILE OIL OF EUGENIA UNIFLORA

The volatile oil content of the leaves of Eugenia uniflora L. growing in Nigeria was found to be between 0.63-1.09%v/w. From this study, the species is considered an economic source of the oil. The volatile oil content was highest at flowering of the plant and lowest at fruiting. The morphological part of the plant, stage of growth, time and season of collection of the leaves were found to be important factors that determine the amount of the oil produced. Also conditions for storage of the oil and its commercial exploitation were studied. Keywords: Eugenia uniflora, Myrtaceae, volatile oil, variation Nig. J. Nat. Prod. And Med. Vol.1 1997: 28-3

The Antidiabetic Potential Of Jatropha tanjorensis Leaves

In Southwest Nigeria, infusion of Jatropha tanjorensisi leaves is taken orally for the treatment of diabetic symptoms. The hypoglycemic effect of EtOH/H2O (1:1) leaf extract was evaluated in fasted and glucose-loaded rats at the doses of 1 and 2g/kg in-vivo, while three fractions of the extract were assessed for their anti-diabetic potentials in-vitro to stimulate the release of insulin secretion from INS–1 cells. Only 2 g/kg of the extract possesses significant glucose lowering activity in glucose-loaded rats while the insulin secretion ability in-vitro was limited to the ethylacetate fraction. Key words: Anti-hyperglycaemic, Hypoglycaemic effects; INS-1 cells; Jatropha tanjorensisi. Nig. J. Nat. Prod. and Med. Vol.8 2004: 55-5

Antimicrobial And Antioxidant Activities Of Some Nigerian Medicinal Plants

Ten Nigerian plants suggested from their ethnomedical uses to possess antimicrobial and antioxidant activities were studied for their anti-microbial and anti-oxidant properties. Antimicrobial activity was tested against Escherichia coli NCTC 10418, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Candida albicans, Candida pseudotropicalis and Trichophyton rubrum (clinical isolate). Trichilia heudelotti leaf extract showed both antibacterial and antifungal activities and was the most active against all the strains of bacteria tested. Boerhavia diffusa, Markhamia tomentosa and T. heudelotti leaf extracts inhibited the gram negative bacteria E.coli and P. aeruginosa strains whereas those of M. tomentosa, T. heudelotti and Sphenoceutrum jollyamum root inhibited at least one of the fungi tested. At a concentration of 312 μg/ml, hexane and chloroform fractions of T. heudelotti extract inhibited 6 and 14% of the fifty mult-idrug resistant bacteria isolates from clinical infectins, respectively. At ≤ 5mg/ml, the CHCl3 (64%) and aqueous (22%) fractions of T. heudelotti and those of CHCl3 (34%) and EtOAC (48%) of M. tomentosa gave the highest inhibition that was stronger than their corresponding methanol extracts. The corresponding EC50 of the extracts on M. acuminata, T. heudelotti, E. senegalensis and M. tomentosa were 4.00, 6.50, 13.33, and 16.50 ig/ml using the TLC staining and 1,1-dipheyl-2-picry-hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay. Therefore, leaf extracts of M. tomentosa and T. heudelotti, especially the latter, possess strong antimicrobial and antioxidant activities and should be further investigated. These activities justified the ethnomedical uses of these plants. Keywords: keAntimicrobial, antifungal, antioxidant properties, Nigerian medicinal plants. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines Vol. 4 (2) 2007: pp.173-18