Epicuticular Wax and Volatiles of Kigelia pinnata Leaf Extract

The fractions of volatile compounds in plants are essential in defining the sensory impact of an aromatic smell, as well as being of some medicinal importance. Epicuticular wax in plants also determine its susceptibility to disease, and herbivore, desiccation and ultraviolet radiation damage. The epicuticular wax consisting of hydrocarbons and some volatile compounds of the leaves of Kigelia pinnata (Kigelia africana; family Bignoniaceae), a multimedicinal plant, was extracted, isolated and analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively for the various chemical compositions using GC (equipped with a flame thermionic detector -GC/FTD) and GCMS (“GCMS-QP2010 Plus, which employs a dual inlet Turbo Molecular Pump (TMP) that provides increased sensitivity and column flow capacity for improved performance and confident results. The evaluation is useful for the future comprehensive analysis of the constituents responsible for the various documented medicinal uses of the leaf. The extracted constituent revealed twelve compounds with the major ones identified as n-hentriacontane (55.40%): a probable anti-tumour compound; 1-tricosene, (18.45%); 11- (2,2- dimethylpropyl) heneicosane, (9.66%); 2,6,10-trimethyldodecane, (4.43%); pentafluoroheptadecyl ester, (4.40%); 2-ethylhexyloctadecyl sulfurous acid ester, (3.05%); heneicosane, (1.61%); and hexyloctyl sulphurous acid ester, (1.42%). Other compounds are recorded in minute quantities. The major component, identified as hentriacontane, a C-31 saturated hydrocarbon apparently is responsible for the plant susceptibility to diseases, protection against UV radiation and for the antitumour and antioxidative potential of the plant. This will give credence to the traditional use of the plant as an anti-inflammatory and anticancer. The ability of the plant to act as anti-sun burn may be due to the presence of the wax

Essential oil from the stem bark of Cordia sebestena scavenges free radicals

AbstractBackgroundEssential oils have been reported to possess various medicinal properties in folkloric medical practices. Their application in modern medicine has also increased recently.Materials and methodsThe chemical composition of the essential oil from the stem bark of Cordia sebestena obtained by hydrodistillation was determined using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and analyzed for its free radical scavenging potential using the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay.ResultsA total of nineteen compounds were identified with the major compounds being 9-octadecene (E) (20.26%), 5-octadecene (E) (18.68%), 9-eicosene (13.99%), cyclopropane, nonyl (12.42%), 3-eicosene (E) (7.29%), phenol, 2,4-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl) (4.71%), 1-nonadecene (3.17%), 7,9-di-tert-butyl-1-oxaspiro(4,5)deca-6,9-diene-2,8-dione (2.70%), and 2,6-diisopropylnaphthalene (2.17%). The DPPH radical scavenging potential of the oil was higher than the standard, butylated hydroxyanisole, with IC50 of 2.00 ± 0.31 μg/mL and 47.00 ± 1.27 μg/mL, respectively. At 50 μg/mL, the antioxidant potential of the butylated hydroxyanisole was 75% whereas the oil had 82% free radical scavenging activity. Several hydrocarbons contained in the essential oil may have contributed to the aromatic and antioxidant properties of the plant. The hydrocarbons could be useful for chemotaxonomic characterization of Cordia sebestena.ConclusionThe essential oil may be further explored for its potential as an antioxidant contributor in food and phytotherapeutic medicine

Studies on In-vitro Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant Potentials of Annona muricata Leaf Extracts

Inflammation has stimulated significant worldwide scientific interest because of its implication in many human diseases. Most inflammations are caused by reactive oxygen species or free radicals. Annona muricata leaf extracts were investigated for their in-vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potentials. Annona muricata leaves were dried at room temperature, blended using a mill. and extracted with solvents of varying degree of polarities. The solvents used were hexane, ethyl acetate, and ethanol. After sequential extraction, the crude extracts were examined for their in-vitro anti-inflammatory activities on lipoxygenase inhibition, proteinase inhibition, albumin denaturation inhibition, and red blood cell membrane stabilization assays, while the antioxidant activities were examined using DPPH, ABTS and hydrogen peroxide assays. The results showed that the ethanol extract had significantly higher albumin denaturation inhibition activity at 500 µg/mL (p < 0.01). The activity of all the extracts on proteinase inhibition decreased with the increase in concentration of the extracts. Indomethacin (standard), ethanol extract, and ethyl acetate extract exhibited a dose dependent increase in lipoxygenase activity. The ethanol extract showed high red blood cell membrane stabilization activity at 500 µg/mL and the activity was comparable with that of the standard (diclofenac). Hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity of the extracts and standard (Vitamin C) were comparable at 20 – 100 µg/mL. The ethanol extract showed significantly higher (p < 0.01) DPPH radical scavenging activity compared with other extracts. A similar trend was also observed for ABTS radical scavenging activity. Generally, the ethanol extract exhibited higher anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities in most of the assays, this could be attributed to the polar compounds present in the extract

Antioxidant and cytotoxicity effects of seed oils from edible fruits

AbstractObjectiveTo propose a natural remedy for the some acute diseases the fatty acids profile, antioxidant and cytotoxicity potentials of seed oils from natural sources have been examined.MethodsThe fatty acids profile of seed oils from sweet orange, grape, lime and watermelon obtained by soxhlet extraction were trans-esterified and examined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The antioxidant activity using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay were examined and compared with gallic acid and α-tocopherol while the cytotoxicity were examined via the brine shrimp cytotoxicity assay using cyclophosphamide as a reference standard.ResultsSweet orange seed contained 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (62.18%), grape seed, erucic acid (43.17), lime seed, oleic acid (52.42%) and watermelon seed linoleic acid (61.11%) as the major fatty acid present. Among the four oils tested, grape seed oil had the highest acute toxicity with LC50 value of (156.2 ± 0.37) μg/mL while orange seed oil had the highest lethal toxicity with LC50 (7.59 ± 0.35) μg/mL value. Lime seed oil IC50 (14.49 ± 3.54) μg/mL showed the highest antioxidant potential of about 70% at 1 mg/mL concentration which was more significant than the reference compounds gallic acid and α-tocopherol with IC50 value of (201.10 ± 1.65) and (54.86 ± 2.38) μg/mL respectively. The yield of oil from these seeds varied from 9.583% to 24.790% with the oils being rich in essential fatty acids.ConclusionUtilization of the seeds will reduce wastes, improve commercialization and procures hitherto neglected substances for technological and nutritional applications

Chemical composition and antioxidant potentials of Kigelia pinnata root oil and extracts

The chemical composition of Kigelia pinnata root oil extracted with n-hexane was analyzed by GC/GCMS. The antioxidant potential of the oil was compared to that of ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of the root. UV and IR spectroscopic techniques were used to carry out partial characterization of the oil and extracts. The free radical scavenging activity by spectrophotometric assay on the reduction of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) was examined while the total antioxidant activity (TAA) and relative antioxidant activity (RAA) were compared with standard antioxidant, α-tocopherol. The antioxidant activity (which correlated with the total phenolic content of the extracts) was assumed to be from the total phenolic content of the extracts. TAA was found to be higher in methanol extract (at 0.25 mg/mL). We hereby report for the first time the major component of the oil from the root of Kigelia pinnata to be elaidic acid (56.12 %). It is a reported toxicant which thereby underscores the risk in the use of the plant in traditional therapies

Immunoregulatory properties of n-hexane extract of Osmundastrum cinnamomeum in treatment of Plasmodium berghei infection in mice

Malaria control is threatened by the emergence of drug-resistant parasites and there is an urgent need for the development of antimalarial agents with novel mechanisms of actions. This study evaluated the anti-plasmodial and immune-modulatory activities of N-hexane leaf extract of Osmundastrum cinnamomeum in a mice model. Chloroquineresistant Plasmodium berghei infected mice were separated into six treatment groups and treated orally with 0, 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of extract, water and combination of dihydroartemisinin/ piperaquine (DHAP), respectively. Parasitological activities and survival rates were monitored for 30 days’ post infection. Phytochemical composition of O. cinnamomeum was analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) methods. Levels of TNF-α and IL-10 were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Leaf extract of O. cinnamomeum is rich in terpenoids, saponins and cardiac glycosides. The extract showed significant (p&lt;0.05) antiplasmodial effect in the treated groups relative to parasitemia (23.68 %) in the untreated control on day 13. Parasitaemia was significantly higher in the DHAP group (9.83 %) on day 30 compared to extract treatment of 50 mg/kg (2.09 %) and 100 mg/kg (1.83 %). Significantly low level of TNF-α (28.82 pg/ml) and conversely, high expression of IL-10 (79.04 pg/ml) were recorded in the 50 mg/kg test group. There was a significantly higher survival rate of animals in the same group (50 mg/kg). In conclusion O. cinnamomeum demonstrated potential activity to suppress parasite and also prime the immune system against malaria infection in mice. Therefore, O. cinnamomeum may be used as a potential adjunctive therapy in the treatment of malaria infection.Keywords: Osmundastrum cinnamomeum, Plasmodium berghei, Immunomodulation, Inflammatory cytokine

In vitro antiproliferative and antimicrobial evaluation of Kigelia pinnata

Abstract Kigelia pinnata (Lam.) Benth is a multi-medicinal plant with highly valued root extracts that are often applied in folk medicine for the management of various types of cancers and microbial infections. This study evaluates the anti-proliferative and antimicrobial potential of K. pinnata extracts. Oil and extracts from the root were obtained by cold extraction using hexane, ethylacetate and methanol and were concentrated in vacuo and examined for their antimicrobial activities and anti-proliferative activities on human breast cancer cell lines using agar diffusion method and tetrazolium dye assay, respectively. The oil and ethylacetate extract showed little or no antimicrobial activities for all organisms tested except for moderate activity on Aspergillus sp., but the methanol extract showed significant activity against Salmonella typhi, Proteus sp., Rhizopus sp. and Aspergillus sp. Most importantly, the three extracts significantly inhibited the growth of tumour cells in vitro with high cytotoxicity indices, while the ethylacetate extract had the highest potency, with IC 50 values of 10.53 ± 1.6 on human breast cancer cell lines. The root extracts showed significant anti-proliferative activity, which supports the folk claims of use of the plant as an anticancer repertoire

Synthesis and Chemical Characterization of Alkyd Resins Using Maleic and Phthalic Anhydrides and Seed oil of Luffa aegyptiaca

The study aimed to provide sustainable alternatives to reduce industries’ over-reliance on edible vegetable oil for alkyd resin preparation as applicable in paint production. Alkyd resins were synthesized and characterized from sponge (Luffa aegyptiaca) seed oil. Condensation polymerization of monoglyceride with phthalic and maleic anhydride was carried out, and physico-chemical parameters such as drying time, total solids, viscosity, and chemical resistance were investigated following standard procedures. UV–visible, FT-IR, 1H, and 13C NMR spectroscopies were used to characterize the prepared alkyd resins. Sponge seed oil alkyd resins prepared with maleic anhydride (SPOMA) had a higher percentage yield (77.56%) than sponge seed oil prepared using phthalic anhydride (SPOPA) with 64.44%. The two alkyd resins showed a better drying time of 40 – 50 min than their commercial counterparts (70 min). This was attributed to the high degree of unsaturation of the seed oil due to the considerable proportion of linoleic acid in the seed oil. The alkyd resins were largely stable in 0.1 M HCl, 5% NaCl, and 0.1 M KOH, which caused the alkyd resins to whiten and shrink. The resins were generally soluble in xylene, kerosene, and petroleum ether. The nature of the alkyd resin can be described as nonpolar. This observation was consistent with the literature report. This study concluded that quality or industrial-grade alkyd resins could be prepared from sponge seed oil and thereby serve as a cheap and viable replacement for edible oils used in industries

COVID-19

The anxiety and trauma associated with the tragic coronavirus disease pandemic coded, COVID-19 led many to indulge in various unorthodox preventive measures such as the extensive indiscriminate use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers (ABHS), abuse, misuse, overdose of prescription drugs like chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine phosphate globally. While some preventive measures are recommended and adopted, such as national lockdown, self-isolation, quarantine, stay-at-home model, avoidance of large gathering, social distancing, wearing of face-masks and hand gloves, periodic hand washing particularly with liquid soaps/detergents under running tap water, avoidance of touching the face among others, the use of ABHS has been more prominent. ABHS contains on average 60-70 % by weight of one or more alcohols. During the 2019/2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the use of ABHS was more renowned to the extent that some individuals recommended the application on the hands every 30 minutes for a period of at least 20 seconds while outside the home. Though, the periodic application of the hand sanitizers seems like an effective on-the-go solution to preventing the spread of the virus, many other associated hazards call for caution. Besides transdermal absorption leading to mortality and morbidity of varying degree; alcohol-alcohol adulteration, deliberate and unintentional ingestion of ABHS may result in respiratory depression, irreversible blindness, intoxication, cirrhosis, acidosis, headache, central nervous system depression, seizure, hypoglycemia, coma, or even death in some cases. The non-ABHS are equally not absolutely safe as many of them contain active agents that are allegedly carcinogenic, toxic, inducing microbial resistance and endocrine disruption. Considered together, this implies that while some may not die from contracting the disease, the preventive measures taken could lead to death or other forms of morbidity thereby revealing that there is indeed, death in preventive measures when done without cautionary measures. This study seeks to highlight some associated risks in the use of ABHS and non-ABHS, whilst advocating the use of safer or ‘greener’ alternative procedure for use as preventive measures particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic

Chemoinformatic-aided Antidiabetic Analysis of the Therapeutic Potential of Phytoconstituents in Eremomastax speciosa Extracts

This research attempts to establish the antihyperglycemic potential of Eremomastax speciosa, a medicinal plant utilized in traditional West African diabetes therapy, through virtual simulation. While numerous reports have validated its biological potency, studies on the drug-likeness and antidiabetic properties of its compounds are limited.  The in silico pharmacological, and toxicological profile of aqueous, methanolic/methylene phytochemicals from previously reported work was analyzed using Swiss ADME and Protox II online server. The docking process was performed using PyRx-0.8, coupled with AutoDock Vina. Phytochemicals that aligned with Lipinski’s rules for drugs were then subjected to a virtual docking simulation. This simulation replicated the inhibitory effects of E. speciosa phytochemicals on sodium-glucose co-transporters (SGLT2) and α-amylase, similar to metformin, an FDA-approved antidiabetic medicine utilized as a control. Phytochemicals such as 8, 9,10-dimethyltricyclo[4.2.1.1(2,5)]decane-9,10-diol (-6.6 kcal/mol), 11-isopropylidenetricyclo[4.3.1.1(2,5)]undec-3-en-10-one (-7.9 kcal/mol), 4-(1,5-dihydroxy-2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-2-enyl)but-3-en-2-one (-7.3 kcal/mol), and N-methyl-N-4-[2-acetoxymethyl-1-pyrrolidyl]-2-butynyl]-acetamide (-7.5 kcal/mol) exhibits superior binding affinities to the specific proteins targeted, compared to metformin, implying that E. speciosa is a source of druggable antidiabetic molecules that can be enhanced to achieve better efficacy