Nutrient content and anti-nutritional factors in shea butter (Butryospermum parkii) leaves

Sample of shea-butter leaves were analyzed for, anti-nutrients and proximate composition. The proximate result showed that the leaf has high content of carbohydrate (13.82%) compared to other types of leaves. The content of anti-nutrients observed is low; phytate (0.19%), tannic acid (1.50%) andoxalate (0.80%) and these can be tolerated by the body system. The low level of these constituent will not pose a serious nutritional problem in consumption of shea-butter leaves. The leaf extract was also observed to be a good source of iron (3.80 mg/kg), magnesium (19.16 mg/kg) and potassium (0.61 mg/kg). Three amino acids; valine, phenylalanine and leucine were as well found in the leaf extract

Redefining the MED13L syndrome

Congenital cardiac and neurodevelopmental deficits have been recently linked to the mediator complex subunit 13-like protein MED13L, a subunit of the CDK8-associated mediator complex that functions in transcriptional regulation through DNA-binding transcription factors and RNA polymerase II. Heterozygous MED13L variants cause transposition of the great arteries and intellectual disability (ID). Here, we report eight patients with predominantly novel MED13L variants who lack such complex congenital heart malformations. Rather, they depict a syndromic form of ID characterized by facial dysmorphism, ID, speech impairment, motor developmental delay with muscular hypotonia and behavioral difficulties. We thereby define a novel syndrome and significantly broaden the clinical spectrum associated with MED13L variants. A prominent feature of the MED13L neurocognitive presentation is profound language impairment, often in combination with articulatory deficits

Effect of <it>Flabellaria paniculata</it> Cav. extracts on gastric ulcer in rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The leaves and root of <it>Flabellaria paniculata</it> (Malpighiaceae) are frequently used in the treatment of wounds and ulcers in Nigerian folk medicine. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of ethanolic extracts from the leaves (FPL) and root (FPR) of <it>F. paniculata</it> on gastric ulcers in rats.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The effect of FPL and FPR (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) was evaluated in ethanol and indomethacin gastric ulcer models. Control groups for FPL and FPR were orally treated with 3% Tween 20 and distilled water respectively. FPL was further investigated in pylorus ligation model. Misoprostol and cimetidine were used as reference.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>FPL significantly (P < 0.05) reduced gastric lesions by 82.22% and 67.32% in ethanol and indomethacin induced ulcer models at 100 mg/kg respectively while FPR (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) did not exert significant effect in the two models. In pylorus ligation model, FPL exerted a significant preventive antiulcer effect as indicated by reduction in gastric volume at 200 and 400 mg/kg doses. Only 400 mg/kg of the extract exerted a significant reduction in ulcer index when compared with the control group. The oral route LD₅₀ of FPL was estimated to be 4570 mg/kg while that of FPR was 2754 mg/kg. The LD₅₀ in intraperitoneal injection was estimated to be 1202.26 and 1380.38 mg/kg for FPL and FPR respectively. The phytochemical investigation showed that both extracts possess triterpenoids and saponin, while the presence of flavonoid was detected only in FPL.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results of this study indicated that FPL and not FPR is effective against experimentally induced gastric ulcers. The presence of varied phytochemical constituents probably influenced the pharmacological differences between the two extracts.</p