Determination of Some Essential Metals in Selected Medicinal Plants

Medicinal plants are sources of different essential metals that have different biological activities including those useful in the treatment of human diseases. Among the indigenous medicinal plants used as phytomedicines for the treatment of many diseases in Kano State are Annona squamosa, Psidium guajava, Anacardium occidentale, Ficussycomorus and Pomegranate. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of essential metals present in the herb tissues (leaf and stem) samples obtained from Kwarin Gogau garden, airport road, Kano State. The plant samples were collected, pretreated and digested by wet digestion method and analyzed using Micro Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrophotometer (MPAES). The results obtained in this study showed that extracts of the medicinal herbs investigated contained essential metals. The mean concentrations range for essential metals were: Zn (0.109-0.658mg/kg), Cu (0.026-0.079 mg/kg), K (1.846 -11.669 mg/kg), Mn (0.039-1.269 mg/kg), Fe (0.019-0.107mg/kg), Ni (0.054-0.144 mg/kg). Comparing the results obtained with the permissible limits set by WHO for consumed medicinal herbs, it was concluded that the essential metals present in the herbs were below permissible limits. Also, there was no statistically significant difference between the plant tissues samples analyzed for Zn, Cu, K, Mn, Fe, and Ni (P>0.05). &nbsp

Effectiveness of aqueous leaf extract of Peperomia pellucida and Terminalia catappa in the management of cyst nematode (Heterodera sacchari) on selected rice varieties

Experiments were conducted at the teaching and research farm of Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin, Nigeria to determine the effect of aqueous extract of Peperomia pelliucida and Terminalia catappa on the management of cyst nematode, Heterodera sacchari on some selected rice varieties. A screenhouse preliminary study was first carried out in December, 2014 to assess the pathogenicity of H. sacchari on ten varieties of rice from which five varieties were selected for field trials. The five selected rice varieties were grown on soil inoculated with cysts of H. sacchari. The field experiment was a 5x3 factorial type fitted into a randomized complete block design (RCBD). Soil nematode population, physiochemical soil analysis and phytochemical screening of the tests plants were carried out. Treatment application of aqueous leaf extract were conducted at the 2nd and 7th weeks after transplanting. Data were collected on the plant height, shoot, root weights, yield and soil nematode population. All numerical data were subjected to analysis of variance (Anova) using GENSTAT statistical package 12th edition and where significant differences were observed, means were separated using fisher’s protected LSD. Results from the study revealed that treatment combination of P. pellucida and T. catappa singly with FARO 60, FARO 61, and NERICA 8 performed significantly higher (p>0.05) than the other rice varieties for most of the growth and yield parameter measured. Significant differences occurred between shoot, root, and yield weight of treated plants and their control counterparts. There was no significant difference between the two plant extracts used with respect to parameters measured. Treated plants performed significantly higher than the control. Based on the results of the study, paddy farmers experiencing H. sacchari infestation are encouraged to treat the field with P. pellucida and or T. catappa, especially when planting FARO 60, FARO 61, and NERICA 8 as these combinations promise to give higher yield

Evaluation of the nematicidal and antifungal activity of aqueous extracts of Moringa oleifera leaves and seed in cucumber field

This aim of the two-year study was to evaluate the nematicidal and antifungal activity of Moringa oleifera extracts against Meloidogyne incognita and fungi infestation in cucumber field. The aqueous extracts of leaves and seeds of M. oleifera were used to treat the plants. The findings of the present study revealed that the plant extracts were active against the test pathogens. All treated plants were significantly higher than the control with respect to number of leaves and branches, vine length, fruit weight, and yield. Of the two varieties of cucumber used, combination of cucumber market with moringa aqueous leaf extracts gave higher results. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, saponins, and tannins. These possess nematicidal and antifungal activities. Combination of variety 2, Market More with Moringa leaves aqueous extract is being recommended to farmers for management of nematode and fungal diseases. Organic amendments have the advantage of controlling environmental effluence

A Rare Case of Propofol-Induced Acute Liver Failure and Literature Review

The incidence of drug-induced acute liver failure is increasing. A number of drugs can inhibit mitochondrial functions, alter β-oxidation and cause accumulation of free fatty acids within the hepatocytes. This may result in hepatic steatosis, cell death and liver injury. In our case, propofol, an anesthetic drug commonly used in adults and children, is suspected to have induced disturbance of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, which in consequence led to insufficient energy supply and finally liver failure. We report the case of a 35-year-old Caucasian woman with acute liver failure after anesthesia for stripping of varicose veins. Liver histology, imaging and laboratory data indicate drug-induced acute liver failure, presumably due to propofol. Hepatocyte death and microvesicular fatty degeneration of 90% of the liver parenchyma were observed before treatment with steroids. Six months later, a second biopsy was performed, which revealed only minimal steatosis and minimal periportal hepatitis. We suggest that propofol led to impaired fatty acid oxidation possibly due to a genetic susceptibility. This caused free fatty acid accumulation within hepatocytes, which presented as hepatocellular fatty degeneration and cell death. Large scale hepatocyte death was followed by impaired liver function and, consecutively, progressed to acute liver failure

Study of ground and excited state decays in N approximate to Z Ag nuclei

4 pags., 4 figs. -- CGS15 – Capture Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy and Related TopicsA decay spectroscopy experiment was performed within the EURICA campaign at RIKEN in 2012. It aimed at the isomer and particle spectroscopy of excited states and ground states in the mass region below the doubly magic 100Sn. The N = Z nuclei 98In, 96Cd and 94Ag were of particular interest for the present study. Preliminary results on the neutron deficient nuclei 93Ag and 94Ag are presented. In 94Ag a more precise value for the half-life of the ground state’s superallowed Fermi transition was deduced. In addition the energy spectra of the mentioned decay could be reproduced through precise Geant4 simulations of the used active stopper SIMBA. This will enable us to extract Qβ values from the measured data. The decay of 93Ag is discussed based on the observed implantation-decay correlation events.This work was carried out at the RIBF operated by RIKEN Nishina Center, RIKEN and CNS, University of Tokyo. We acknowledge the EUROBALL Owners Committee for the loan of germanium detectors and the PreSpec Collaboration for the readout electronics of the cluster detectors. This work was supported by the German BMBF under Contract No. 05P12PKFNE and by the U.S. Department of Energy under grant No. DE-FG02-91ER-40609

The role of core excitations in the structure and decay of the 16+ spin-gap isomer in 96Cd

The first evidence for β-delayed proton emission from the 16+ spin gap isomer in 96Cd is presented. The data were obtained from the Rare Isotope Beam Factory, at the RIKEN Nishina Center, using the BigRIPS spectrometer and the EURICA decay station. βp branching ratios for the ground state and 16+ isomer have been extracted along with more precise lifetimes for these states and the lifetime for the ground state decay of 95Cd. Large scale shell model (LSSM) calculations have been performed and WKB estimates made for ℓ=0,2,4 proton emission from three resonance-like states in 96Ag, that are populated by the β decay of the isomer, and the results compared to the new data. The calculations suggest that ℓ=2 proton emission from the resonance states, which reside ∼5 MeV above the proton separation energy, dominates the proton decay. The results highlight the importance of core-excited wavefunction components for the 16+ state

Galaxy Clusters Associated with Short GRBs. II. Predictions for the Rate of Short GRBs in Field and Cluster Early-Type Galaxies

We determine the relative rates of short GRBs in cluster and field early-type galaxies as a function of the age probability distribution of their progenitors, P(\tau) \propto \tau^n. This analysis takes advantage of the difference in the growth of stellar mass in clusters and in the field, which arises from the combined effects of the galaxy stellar mass function, the early-type fraction, and the dependence of star formation history on mass and environment. This approach complements the use of the early- to late-type host galaxy ratio, with the added benefit that the star formation histories of early-type galaxies are simpler than those of late-type galaxies, and any systematic differences between progenitors in early- and late-type galaxies are removed. We find that the ratio varies from R(cluster)/R(field) ~ 0.5 for n = -2 to ~ 3 for n = 2. Current observations indicate a ratio of about 2, corresponding to n ~ 0 - 1. This is similar to the value inferred from the ratio of short GRBs in early- and late-type hosts, but it differs from the value of n ~ -1 for NS binaries in the Milky Way. We stress that this general approach can be easily modified with improved knowledge of the effects of environment and mass on the build-up of stellar mass, as well as the effect of globular clusters on the short GRB rate. It can also be used to assess the age distribution of Type Ia supernova progenitors.Comment: ApJ accepted versio

Risk profiles and one-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in India: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF Registry.

BACKGROUND: The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) is an ongoing prospective noninterventional registry, which is providing important information on the baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and 1-year outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). This report describes data from Indian patients recruited in this registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 52,014 patients with newly diagnosed AF were enrolled globally; of these, 1388 patients were recruited from 26 sites within India (2012-2016). In India, the mean age was 65.8 years at diagnosis of NVAF. Hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor for AF, present in 68.5% of patients from India and in 76.3% of patients globally (P < 0.001). Diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) were prevalent in 36.2% and 28.1% of patients as compared with global prevalence of 22.2% and 21.6%, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). Antiplatelet therapy was the most common antithrombotic treatment in India. With increasing stroke risk, however, patients were more likely to receive oral anticoagulant therapy [mainly vitamin K antagonist (VKA)], but average international normalized ratio (INR) was lower among Indian patients [median INR value 1.6 (interquartile range {IQR}: 1.3-2.3) versus 2.3 (IQR 1.8-2.8) (P < 0.001)]. Compared with other countries, patients from India had markedly higher rates of all-cause mortality [7.68 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 6.32-9.35) vs 4.34 (4.16-4.53), P < 0.0001], while rates of stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding were lower after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Compared to previously published registries from India, the GARFIELD-AF registry describes clinical profiles and outcomes in Indian patients with AF of a different etiology. The registry data show that compared to the rest of the world, Indian AF patients are younger in age and have more diabetes and CAD. Patients with a higher stroke risk are more likely to receive anticoagulation therapy with VKA but are underdosed compared with the global average in the GARFIELD-AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362