Evaluation of the protective effects of bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) on haematological indices of rats fed with crude oil treated diet

A lot of researches are ongoing on the use of plant to ameliorate the toxicity of various toxicants. This study evaluated the protective effects of bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) on haematological indices of rats fed with crude oil treated diet. Twenty four male albino Wister rats with weight range of 200.75g – 217.54g were used for the experiment and were randomly assigned to six groups: group A: Control; group B: Fed with 100g of feed + 5.0g of bitter leaf; group C: Fed with 100g of feed +10.0g of bitter leaf; group D: Fed with 100g of feed + 10g of bitter leaf + 4.0ml of crude oil; group E Fed with 100g of feed + 5.0g of bitter leaf + 4.0ml of crude oil; group F: Fed with100g of feed + 4ml of crude oil. The results showed that treatment of diets with bitter leaf minimized crude oil toxicity, as red blood cell count, haemoglobin concentration; hematocrit values and white blood cell indices were maintained close of the control values. This study indicates that intake of bitter leaf reduced the toxic effect of crude oil treated diet on animals. Therefore, consumption of bitter leaf should be encouraged among the inhabitants of crude oil bearing communities of the world who are exposed to crude oil contaminated food and water.Keywords: Bitter leaf, Crude oil, Diet, Rat

Modulation of crude oil induced alteration of oxidative stress indices in rat by red palm oil

The toxic properties of crude oil were hitherto described. Therefore, several materials are being tested for protective potential counter to petroleum toxicity. This study evaluated the oxidative stress status of rats fed diet incorporating petroleum tainted diet with red palm oil. Four groups with six rats in each group were employed in this study. Rats in group 1 were fed with fish feed only while rats in group 2 were fed with crude oil tainted diet and rats in groups 3 and 4 were fed with contaminated feed that was pre-treated with 4 ml and 8 ml of red palm oil respectively. The rats were exposed to the respective diet for 30 days and had water freely. Thereafter standard analytical methods were used to measure oxidative stress markers in organs/tissues of rats. The results showed that crude oil tainted diet stimulated lipid peroxidation and cause decline in reduced glutathione level, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in the organ/tissues of rats which were significant (P < 0.05) relative to control. Pre-treatment of the rat diets with red palm oil significantly (P < 0.05) drop lipid peroxidation and increase level of antioxidant markers in the organ/tissues of rats in relation to the values in rats fed with diet tainted with crude oil only. This study has confirmed that red palm oil can evade the oxidative insult elicited by crude oil intoxication in various organs/tissues. Therefore, red palm oil should be made a major dietary component for inhabitants of petroleum producing areas of the world.Keywords: Antioxidants. Diet, Palm oil, Petroleu

Proximate and mineral analysis of some wild edible mushrooms

Proximate and mineral analysis of five species of mushroom, Lentinus squarrosulus, Volvariella volvacea, Coprinus micaceus, Lepiota procera, and Auricularia auricula were examined in this study to determine their nutritional value. These mushrooms were found to contain on the average, 3.24 to 8.70% of crude fibre; 4.12 to 11.12% of ash; 0.90 to 2.58% of fats and oil; 12.02 to 27.00% of protein; 13.01 to 92.02% of moisture and 21.11 to 68% of carbohydrate. The average mineral element content of the mushrooms was found to be 144 to 1321 mg/100 g of potassium; 122 to 364 mg/100 g of sodium; 164 to 549 mg/100 g of calcium; 26 to 53 mg/100 g of magnesium; 738 to 1537 mg/100 g of phosphorus and 120 to 432 mg/100 g of iron. The overall nutritional potential of the five mushroom species was quite good. These results show that these species of mushroom are highly nutritive. These findings were discussed in line with the importance and implications of the uses of edible mushrooms to man.Keywords: Edible mushroom, mineral composition, proximate analysi

Assessment of antioxidant indices after incorporating crude oil contaminated Catfish and African nutmeg (Monodora myrstica) extracts into rat diet

This study was carried out to assess the antioxidant status of rats fed with diets of catfish contaminated by crude oil and aqueous, ethanol and  diethyl ether extracts of Africa nutmeg. Thirty albino rats of weight 180 to 200 g were used for the experiment. They were divided into six groups of five rats each as follows: group 1: control, group 2: rats fed crude petroleum oil contaminated catfish diet (CPO-CCD) only, group 3: CPOCCD plus tween 80, group 4, 5, and 6 were given CPO-CCD and then treated with M. myristica water extract (MWE), M. myristica ethanol extract (MEE) and M. myristica diethyl ether extract (MDEE). The experiment lasted four weeks. The results showed significant (p < 0.05) decrease in blood reduced glutathione (GSH), blood oxidised glutathione (GSSG), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and increase malondialdehyde (MDA) level in the liver, kidney and brain of rats fed CPO-CCD only and CPO-CCD + tween 80 compared to the control. Administration of MWE, MEE and MDEE to the rats fed CPO-CCD significantly (p<0.05) increased the level of blood GSH, blood GSSG, SOD, CAT and decrease MDA level in the liver, kidney and brain when compared with the CPO-CCD only and CPO-CCD + Tween 80. No significant difference was observed in the blood GSH: GSSG ratio in all the experimental groups. In conclusion, M. myristica extracts exhibited beneficial effect on the antioxidant status by evading the oxidative insults elicited by the CPO-CCD intoxication in the various tissues.Keywords: Petroleum, Diet, Antioxidants Indices, Monodora Myrstica, Africa nutme

Abattoir waste water attenuates kerosene toxicity on cowpea (Vigna unguiculuta) seedlings

Nigeria is a major producer of crude oil resulting in spillages that contaminate both cultivated and uncultivated farmlands. This exposes the immediate biota to the deleterious effect of petroleum hydrocarbons. The aim of the present investigation is to determine the ability of cowpea seedlings to handle exposure to kerosene in the presence of abattoir waste water. Poly bags were filled sieved soil and divided into six groups of five replicates. Groups 1 to 5 contained 0.1%, 0.25%, 0.5%, 1.0% and 2.0% (v/w) kerosene while group six served as control (0.0%) Corresponding concentrations were prepared and then treated with known amount of abattoir waste water. Cowpea seedlings were planted in each bag and the activity of suphite oxidase determined in the leaves twelve days after planting. The result indicates that kerosene treatment of soil caused a progressive decrease in sulphite oxidase activity as the concentration of kerosene in soil increases. The decrease in sulphite oxidase activity was significant (p<0.05) at 0.5% - 2% kerosene treatment of soil. Moreover, treatment of soil with abattoir waste water caused a significant (P<0.05) increase in the enzyme activity relative to the corresponding kerosene in soil treatment. However, at higher concentration of kerosene in soil, the activity of the enzyme was still significantly (P<0.05) lower relative to the control. This is against the near restoration of the enzyme activity at low concentration of kerosene in soil. These observations indicate abattoir waste can remediate the toxic effect of kerosene at low levels of soil contamination.Keywords: abattoir, cowpea seedling, soil, sulphite oxidaseBiokemistri 27(3): 159–16

Possible protective role of palm oil and beef liver on the kidney and liver of wistar albino rats fed diesel-contaminated diet

We investigated the effects of eight weeks of a diesel-contaminated diet on liver and kidney of Wistar Albino rats, as well as the possible protective role of palm oil and beef liver. There was a significant increase in serum activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate  aminotransferase (AST) of rats fed with dieselcontaminated diet compared with the controls, indicating damage to the liver. Rats fed with diesel-  contaminated diets also exhibited a significant increase in serum urea and creatinine, indicating kidney damage. While there was a significant  reduction in the activities of serum ALT and AST, as well as serum urea and creatinine in rats fed palm oil-pretreated diesel-contaminated diet, rats fed with beef liver-pretreated diesel-contaminated diet showed no significant  decrease in serum ALT, AST, urea and creatinine as compared to those fed with diesel-contaminated diets. Histological examination of the kidney and liver revealed severe degenerative changes in the structural integrity of  both hepatic and renal cells of rats fed with diesel-contaminated diets as compared to those of the controls and palm oil-pretreated diets. However, pretreatment of the diesel-contaminated diet with palm oil conferred some protection on both renal and hepatic cells. These observations may  therefore suggest that palm oil may play a protective role against diesel-induced nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity.Keywords: Contaminated-diet, nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicit

Effects of honey supplementation on hydrocarbon-induced kidney and liver damage in wistar albino rats

This study investigated the chemoprotective and ameliorative effects of natural honey on nephro-and hepatoxocity induced by gasoline and kerosene in wistar albino rats. Ingestion of gasoline and kerosene contaminated diets significantly (P<0.05) increased serum levels of urea, creatinine, potassium ion (K+), total bihrubin, and the activities of serum hepatic marker enzymes, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine amino-transferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Conversely, serum levels of sodium ion (Na+), chloride ion (Cl-) and bicarbonate ion (HCO3) were significantly decreased. However, the concentration of these serum metabolites and the activities of the hepatic marker enzymes, AST, ALT and ALP, in rats exposed to gasoline and kerosene and fed simultaneously with natural honey supplemented diet were close to those obtained in control rats. Rats that were exposed to gasoline and kerosene and later given natural honey supplemented diets after four (4) weeks of gasoline and kerosene exposure did not also differ significantly (P<0.05) in serum metabolite concentration and hepatic enzymes activities as compared to the control rats. These observations suggest that the consumption of natural honey supplemented diet has chemoprotective and ameliorative effects against gasoline and kerosene induced kidney and liver tissue damage.Keywords: Honey, contaminated diets, hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicit

Wine Making: Influence of pH on Physicochemical Parameters of Wine Must Produce from Hot Water Extract of Broom-cluster Fig (Ficus capensis) Leaf using Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The chemical and biological stability of wine are very dependent on pH value, hence winemakers believe that pH plays a critical role in fermentation and final wine quality. This paper optimized and assessed the influence of pH on different physicochemical parameters of wine must prepared from hot water extract of the leaf of Broom-cluster Fig (Ficus capensis) leaf with Saccharomyces cerevisiae, ameliorating to 22 oBrix using table sugar and adding potassium metabisulfite. Then the pH of the must was adjusted as required and subjected to pasteurization. The must was inoculated with yeast inoculum at 0.8g/ml. Soluble solid, alcohol, titratable acidity and pH profile of the wine was monitored daily. After optimization and fermentation physicochemical parameters of the wine were analyzed. It was shown that pH of the must increase and decreased as the fermentation days progressed from day 1-12 for pH 3 -3.5 and 4-4.5 respectively. Total soluble solid decreased in all the must samples. The alcohol content increased gradually during fermentation. pH 3 and 4 had the highest titratable acidity when compared to pH 3.5 and 4.5. The pH of 4.5 wine had the lowest TSS and highest alcohol content. This study shows that wine can be produced from hot water extract of Ficus capensis leaf and the must fermented at lower pH gave highest percentage of alcohol. There is need to optimize and assess the pH of vegetable must before fermentation

Proximate Composition, Mineral Content and Phytochemical Evaluation of Different Solvent Extracts of Pineapple (Ananas comosus) Stalk

The objective of this study was to evaluate the proximate composition, mineral content and phytochemical constituents of Ananas comosus stalks using distilled water, methanol, ethanol, chloroform and petroleum ether as extraction solvents. Analysis of minerals present in the different extracts of the stalk of A. comosus revealed that the aqueous extract had the highest concentration of sodium, magnesium, zinc, tin, molybdenum and manganese while the lowest was found in petroleum ether extract. Methanol extract had the highest concentration of potassium, iron and copper. The result of the physicochemical analysis of the stalk of A. comosus revealed that the stalk was high in nitrogen free extract (58.74±1.13 %). However, ether extract had the least value (1.12±0.20 %). Qualitative phytochemical screening of A. comosus stalk extract revealed the presence of saponins, alkaloid and terpenes. Quantitative evaluation of the phytoconstituents revealed that flavonoids and phenol were highest in petroleum ether extracts (2.74±0.02 mg/kg and 2.73±0.02 mg/kg) while alkaloids concentration was highest in the ethanol extract (1.78±0.01 mg/ml). The study found that Ananas comosus stalk extracts had a good amount of micronutrients according to the various criteria examined; the high ash content also supports this finding. The study showed that the stalk of A. comosus is a good source of important phytochemicals.

Effect of Ethanolic Extract of Avocado (Persea americana) Fruits Peels on Serum Hepatic and Renal Indices in Male Wistar Albino Rats Fed with Crude Oil Contaminated Diet

This study was aimed at investigating the effect of ethanolic extract of Persea americana fruit peels on serum hepatic and renal indices in crude oil contaminated diet stimulated toxicity in male Wistar rats using appropriate standard methods.  The findings of this study revealed that the treatment of rats exposed to contaminated diets with the varying doses of P. americana fruit peels extract had no statistically (p>0.05) significant effect on the AST, ALT and ALP compared to those exposed to only crude oil contaminated diet. However, there were observed significant decrease in ACP activities in crude oil extract treated group when compared to the crude oil control group. Conversely, glucose, total protein, albumin and globulin levels showed no significant difference across the crude oil extract treated group when compared to the crude oil control group. Also it was observed that there was a significant decrease (p<0.05) in levels of serum urea, potassium, calcium and chloride in the crude oil extract treated group when compared to the crude oil control group in a dose dependent manner. These activities potentiated by the ethanolic extract of P. americana fruit peels could be attributed to its medicinal properties