Biodegradation of Wastes using Partially Purified Cellulose-Enzyme from Gut of Oryctes rhinoceros larvae from Rafia Palms in Itokin, Lagos State, Nigeria

Conversion of urban wastes to utilizable sugars is very important as a vital step towards reduction of environmental pollution. Consequently, this work was aimed at obtaining cellulase from the gut of Oryctes rhinoceros larvae from raffia palms in Itokin, Lagos State, Nigeria to evaluate its degradability potential on different plant leaves and selected plastic bottles. Cellulase from Oryctes rhinoceros larvae was partially purified by a combination of precipitation with ammonium sulphate and fractionation with gel filtration on Biogel P- 100. The cellulase degradability potential was examined on tree leaves from cashew, banana, maize, lemon, cassava, pawpaw, mango, almond and palm respectively, while the plastics were from bottles of teem,pepsi, eva, mirinda, cascade, still, coke, devana and nestle respectively. Data obtained show that the enzyme- cellulase has a specific activity of 2.38 Unit/mg with 32% yield with higher degradability potential on samples from plant origin than the materials from industrial wastes

Activities of a Cellulase of the Termite, Ametermes Eveuncifer (Silverstri) Soldier: Clue to Termites Salt Intolerance

Table salt which contains predominantly NaCl is both toxic and lethal to termites and is therefore used to control the insect traditionally. In an attempt to find out a scientific explanation for this treatment and possibly design a pesticide for the destructive insect, we carried out some tests on the effects of NaCl (table salt), some other chloride and sodium salts on some important enzymes produced by termites. At 0.1mM concentration, all the chloride salts inhibited all the enzymes. Acid phosphatase and arginase were however mildly inhibited. Interestingly, some chloride salts were more potent than NaCl the conventional pesticide.  The greatest inhibition was by the chlorides of mercury (81%), manganese (78%), and sodium (76%). The inhibitory effect was more on cellulolytic enzymes; β-glucosidase and cellulase than on detoxifying enzymes; 3-MST and rhodanese. Again, all the sodium salts tested inhibited cellulase drastically with most of them more potent than NaCl. Thus both the sodium and chloride ions contributed immensely to the inhibition. Form these discoveries, one of the chloride salts of mercury, manganese and sodium or a combination of at least two can be used as a pesticide for termites. Almost all the sodium salts tested or a combination of at least two can also be used. Keywords: cellulase, cellulose, termites, salts, insects, enzyme

Effect of Oryctes rhinoceros larva oil supplementation on serum lipid profile and inflammatory markers in mice fed a cholesterol-based diet

A cholesterol-enriched diet has been shown to adversely affect lipoprotein profiles and increase cardiovascular disease risk. Dietary cholesterol plays an important role in modulating inflammatory responses involved in atherosclerosis. In the present study, the effect of Oryctes rhinoceros larva oil (ORO), an unsaturated fatty acid-rich animal fat, on serum lipid profile and some proinflammatory markers in mice fed a cholesterol-based diet (CBD) was investigated. Forty male Swiss albino mice were randomly assigned to four groups consisting of control (normal diet) and three experimental groups fed normal diet supplemented with ORO, CBD only and CBD supplemented with ORO, respectively. Serum lipid profile, malondialdehyde, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha levels were evaluated before and after diet treatment. Serum triacyglycerol, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were significantly reduced (P<0.05) in mice fed a CBD diet supplemented with ORO compared with those fed CBD without ORO. In addition, serum malondialdehyde, C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 levels were significantly lower in mice fed CBD suplemented with ORO compared with those fed CBD only (P<0.05). These results suggest that consumption of ORO improved the serum lipid profile and, in addition, may mitigate the attendant adverse inflammatory processes in atherosclerosis. Keywords C-reactive protein; Cholesterol-based diet; Interleukin-6; Oil; Oryctes rhinoceros larva; Tumour necrosis facto

Activities of Archachatina (Calachatina) marginata heamolymph enzymes: clues to terrestrial snails\' salt intolerance

The effect of sodium and chloride salts on the activity of some enzymes, namely, rhodanese and 3–mercaptopyruvate sulphur transferase, arginase, acid phosphatase, &#946;-glucosidase and cellulase in the haemolymph of the giant African snail (Archachatina marginata) were investigated. This is an attempt to providing scientific reasoning(s) for the traditional belief that terrestrial snails cannot tolerate a saline environment. Only acid phosphatase, &#946;-glucosidase and cellulase activities were affected by this treatment while rhodanese, 3-mercaptopyruvate sulphur transferase and arginase activities were slightly affected. The former enzymes are known to be involved in energy metabolism while the latter play secondary roles such as detoxification and urea metabolism. Keywords: Archachatina, heamolymph, rhodanese, 3-mercaptopyruvate sulphur transferase, arginase, &#946;-glucosidase, cellulose, salt toxicityInternational Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences Vol. 2 (1) 2008 pp. 66-7

Phytochemical constituents and antidiarrhoeal effects of the aqueous extract of Terminalia superba leaves on Wistar rats

The aqueous extract of Terminalia superba leaves was subjected to phytochemical screening. Antidiarrhoeal property of the extract was determined at 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg body weight in castor oil-induced diarrhoeal Wistar rats. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of saponins, cardenolides, triterpenes, flavonoids, steroids, phenolics and tannins, whereas alkaloids, anthraquinones and phlobatanins were not detected. The time of induction of diarrhoea was significantly (P < 0.05) prolonged at all the doses of the extract. The frequency of stooling and feacal parameters (total number of feaces and number of wet feaces), intestinal fluid accumulation (enteropooling) and the weight of intestinal content were significantly reduced. The data in the present study indicate that the aqueous extract of T. superba leaves possessed antidiarrhoeal properties. Key words: Phytochemicals, Terminalia superba, aqueous extract, diarrhoea, rats