Fe (III) complex of mefloquine hydrochloride: Synthesis, antimicrobial and toxicological activities

As part of the ongoing research for more effective antimalarial drug, Fe (III) complex of mefloquine hydrochloride (antimalarial drug) was synthesized using template method. Mefloquine was tentativelyfound to have coordinated through the hydroxyl and the two nitrogen atoms in the quinoline and piperidine in the structure, respectively. Characterization has been done on the basis of analytical, conductance, atomic absorption, magnetic measurement, electronic and Infra-red spectrometry. From analytical data, the stoichiometry of the complex has been found to be 1:1. Infra-red spectral data also suggest that the ligand (mefloquine) behaves as a tridentate ligand with N:N:O donor sequencetowards the metal ion. On the basis of the above physico-chemical data it is proposed that the complex is assigned octahedral geometry. The antimicrobial activities of mefloquine metal complex exhibited greater inhibition than the parent ligand. The ligand and metal complex were screened for their toxicological activities at the dose of 6.66 mg/kg body weight twice daily for seven days on the alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotranferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities of rat serum, liver and kidney. Overall, it was revealed that both mefloquine and its metal complex might show mild toxicity particularly on the liver and kidney

Evaluation of fallow and cover crops for nematode suppression in three agroecologies of south western Nigeria

A study was conducted in three agroecological zones of south-western Nigeria to evaluate the effect of siam weed (Chromolaena odorata) and mucuna (Mucuna utilis) cover/fallow crops on plant-parasitic nematode population. The natural bush regrowth was used as control. Plant-parasitic nematodes were identified and counted during the fallow periods. Eleven genera of nematodes were identified and three (Meloidogyne, Pratylenchus, and Helicotylenchus) species were predominant across the trial locations.Other important genera present were Scutellonema, Tylenchorhynchus and Rotylenchus species. Nematode population densities of pre-crop were lowest in Alagba soil (Rhodic lixisols) at Ikenne in the wet forest zone of Nigeria. The populations in Iwo soil (Rhodic haplustalf) at Ibadan, a dry forest zonewas lower than in the Temidire soil (Plinthic luvisol) at Ilora in the derived savannah of south-western Nigeria. There was significant suppression of nematode population densities under the different crops as the fallow period increased. The population reduction in the different locations depended on the nematode species and the cover crops. The natural bush re-growth had the least effect on the nematode suppression at the end of the fallow period. On the average, siam weed fallow reduced nematode population densities by 67-79%, mucuna by 64-72% and the natural bush by 30-49% across the trial locations. For effective nematode suppression with fallow cropping, proper determination of the principal nematode species predominant in an environment is essential

The performance of weaned albino rats (Wister strain) fed Baobab (Adansonia digitata) leave-based diets

Adansonia digitata seeds were cultivated and their seedling leaves were harvested in large quantities. The seedling leaves were dried and analysed for proteins, lipids and carbohydrates using microjedahl, soxhlet and UV analytical tools respectively. This was done on weekly basis starting from 4th week of germination. The seedling leaf was found to have the highest crude protein value of 13.57% obtained at 6th week after germination. Two diets prepared from A. digitata leaf were fed parallel into albino rats with diets containing roasted full fat soyabean as control. The result reveals that A. digitata leaves can be included in the diet of albino rats at up to 20% level without depression in performance of feed intake, body weight gain and feed to gain ration (feed conversion ratio). Keywords: Rats, protein, performance, Adansonia digitata, Soya bea

Biodegradation of hydrocarbon compounds in Agbabu natural bitumen

The recovery of an environment polluted by petroleum and allied hydrocarbons through bioremediation is being embraced globally as the best technology of removing hydrocarbon pollutants from environment. Infrared spectral changes and gravimetric analysis from the preliminary biodegradability study carried out on Agbabu Natural Bitumen showed the vulnerability of the bitumen to some bacteria: Pseudomonas putrefaciens, Pseudomonas nigrificans, Bacillus licheniformis, Pseudomonas fragi and Achromobacter aerogenes. This study investigates the ability of P. putrefaciens, P. nigrificans, B. licheniformis, P. fragi and A. aerogenes to degrade the aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon fractions of Agbabu natural bitumen. Samples of the bitumen were separately inoculated with each of the bacteria for 14 days and the hydrocarbon profiles before and after inoculation were quantified using gas chromatography technique. The total aliphatic hydrocarbon compounds (C11 - C29) in the bitumen degraded by P. putrefaciens and P. nigrificans was slightly higher than that in the undegraded bitumen, while the concentration of compounds (C11 - C29) found in samples of the bitumen degraded by B. licheniformis, P. fragi and A. aerogenes was less than what was contained in the undegraded bitumen. Also the even-odd carbon-ratios of the degraded bitumen were higher than unity while these were less than unity in the undegraded bitumen. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) profile in the bitumen degraded samples also differed from that of undegraded bitumen. A substantial reduction in the concentration of some PAHs was found in the bitumen samples following their degradation by the bacteria strains, typically from 55.98 to 30.79%, thus suggesting the possibility of using the bacteria strains for bioremediation process.Keywords: Agbabu, bitumen, bacteria, biodegradability, hydrocarbonsAfrican Journal of Biotechnology, Vol 13(11), 1257-126

Evaluation of eco-friendly concrete having waste PET as fine aggregates

This study assesses the impacts of recycling waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles as a partial substitute for fine natural aggregates on the workability, mechanical, microstructural, economic, and thermal properties of concrete. The mix design adopts a concrete mix ratio of 1:2:4 for grade M25, 0.55 water/cement ratio, ordinary Portland cement (OPC) as the binder, varying proportions of heat-processed waste PET and river sand as fine aggregates, and granite as coarse aggregate. Results indicate that workability increased with increasing percentages of waste PET plastics until the 40%PET level, beyond which workability reduces. Compressive and split tensile strength decreased with increasing percentages of waste PET plastics. However, 10% to 40%-PET-modified mixes achieved the recommended strength for M20 concrete. Microstructural analysis on the 30%PET indicates higher quantities of O and Ca, and trivial percentages of Mg, Si, C, Al, and Au. Whereas 100%PET indicates the presence of only C, O, and Au. 100%PET endures three transition stages during heat flow. A glass transition, an exothermic peak below decomposition temperature during cooling at a temperature of 199.88 °C from PET crystallization, and a baseline shift after the endothermic peak at 243.22°C. Thermogravimetry revealed that 100%PET suffers a dual-stage decomposition, an initial stage accounting for an 87.41% reduction in sample mass and a second stage accounting for a further mass loss of 12.79%. Highly significant statistical correlations and regressions developed variations between PET% and the workability and mechanical parameters. The study shows that heat-processed PET-modified concrete is appropriate for structural applications due to its suitable fresh, mechanical, microstructural, and thermal properties. Besides, this practice is eco-friendly and sustainable as it conserves natural resources