Repellent effect of the leaf extracts of Euphorbia Balsamifera (AIT) against Anopheles gambiae

The ethanol extract of the leaves of Euphorbia balsamifera (commonly known as Gwadayi in Hausa) was sequentially extracted with petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol. The resulting extracts were designated EB1, EB2, EB3, and EB4 respectively. The ethanol extract designated EB. These extracts were tested for repellence against Anopheles gambiae using the human-bait technique under laboratory conditions, where five volunteers participated in the tests, one each for the extracts. The chloroform extract labelled EB1-02 was found to be the most active with 100% repellence at 25% (w/v) concentration, and 97.2% at 12.5% (w/v) concentration, while the ethyl acetate extract (EB1-03) recorded the least repellence activity of 32.4% at 25% (w/v) concentration, and 21.6% at 12.5% (w/v) concentration. It can thus be concluded that the phytochemicals present in the chloroform extract were responsible for repellent activity of E. balsamifera, and there is a need for further studies in order to ascertain the active compound in the plant.Keywords: Repellence, Anopheles gambiae, human-bait technique, Euphorbia balsamifera extracts

Bioassay Guided Chromatographic Isolation Of Lactation Inducing Agent From Hippocratea Obtusifolia

The powdered leaves of Hippocratea obtusifolia (commonly known as gwadayi in Hausa) was percolated with ethanol and then sequentially extracted with petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol. The extracts were respectively labeled HO1, HO2, HO3, and HO4, with the ethanolic extract labeled HO. The extracts were subjected to bioactivity against lactation inducement, and the chloroform extract labeled HO2 was found to be the most active. The HO2 extract was then subjected to column and thin layer chromatography with similar fractions pooled together. The pooled fractions were then subjected to bioactivity testing against lactation inducement, and the fraction labeled HO2-13 was found to be the most active, this was subsequently subjected to column and thin layer chromatography with similar fractions pooled together. The pooled fractions were again subjected to bioactivity testing against lactation inducement, and the fraction labeled HO2-13-111 was found to be the most active. The fraction HO2-13-111 was subjected spectroscopic analysis, using Infrared, Mass spectroscopy, and both 1H and 13C NMR data obtained. The structure of the compound present in fraction HO2-13-111 was then elucidated based on the obtained data.Keywords: Force-Feeding, Lactation, Progesterone, Thin-Layer Column Chromatography

Mosquito repellent activity of the leaf extracts of Lawsonia inermis (l)

The ethanolic extract of the leaves of Lawsonia inermis (commonly known as lalle in Hausa) was sequentially extracted with petroleum ether,  chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol. The extracts were respectively labeled LI1, LI2, LI3, and LI4, with the ethanolic extract labeled LI, and 12.5% and 25% of the test extracts were tested for repellency against Anopheles gambiae, and the repellent activity was assessed using the human-bait technique. Five volunteers participated in the laboratory tests, one each for the extracts. The chloroform extract labeled LI1-02 was found to be the most active, (100% repellency), while the extract labeled LI1-03 (25%) recorded the least activity (15.4%). It can be concluded that the chloroform extract labeled LI1-02 is responsible for repellent activity of Lawsonia inermis.Keywords: Repellency, Anopheles gambiae, human-bait technique, Lawsonia inermis extracts

Phytochemical Screening and Mosquito Repellent Activity of the Stem Bark Extracts of Euphorbia Balsamifera (Ait)

The phytochemical screening of extracts from Euphorbia balsamifera was carried out, and the results revealed that the stem bark contains alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, glycosides, terpenoids and sterols. The ethanol extract of the stem bark of Euphorbia balsamifera (commonly known as Ayyara in Hausa) was sequentially partitioned with petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol. The extracts were respectively labeled EB1, EB2, EB3, and EB4, with the ethanolic extract labeled EB. The extracts, 12.5% and 25% w/v, were tested for repellency against Anopheles gambiae, and the repellent activity was assessed using the human-bait technique. Five volunteers participated in the laboratory tests to ascertain the repellent activity of the extracts, and each volunteer was test with one extract, with each test repeated in triplicate. The chloroform extract labeled EB1-02 was found to be the most active, (97.2% and 100% repellency), while the extract labeled EB1-03 recorded the least activity of 32.4% and 21.6%. It can be concluded that the chloroform extract labeled EB1-02 is responsible for repellent activity of Euphorbia balsamifera.Keywords: Anopheles gambiae, Euphorbia balsamifera extracts, Human-bait technique, Phytochemicals, Repellenc

Effect of Hippocratea Obtusifolia Extracts on Lactation Inducement

The crude extract of the leaves and stalk of Hippocratea obtusifolia (commonly known as gwadayi in Hausa) was sequentially extracted with petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol. The extracts were subjected to bioactivity testing against lactation inducement in 24 female guinea pigs. The experimental animals with average weight of 200g were randomly grouped into six; the first five groups A, B, C, D and E were force-fed with feeds mixed with a measured portion of the extract, while the last group was force-fed with food mixed with distilled water only serving as control. The chloroform extract was found to be the only active extract, and this confirms the use of Hippocratea obtusifolia in lactation inducement.Keywords: Lactation, Hippocratea obtusifolia, force-fed, galactagogue, endogastric tub

Assessment of Information Technology Adoption in Project Information Exchange in Nigerian Construction Industry

Information Technology (IT) has been applied by various industries with significant improvement in the practice and strategic standing of the industries. Its successful application is evident in manufacturing, petroleum, banking, aerospace and military industries. However, despite this evidential benefit as a result of IT adoption, delayed receipt of project information and/or loss of the project data/information are still prevalent in the Nigerian construction industry. To reduce these inefficiencies in the data management of the industry, this study investigates the medium of project information exchange and examine the order of IT adoption in the Nigerian Construction industry. A quantitative approach using questionnaire survey was employed. Structured questionnaires were distributed among quantity surveyors in contracting, consulting and public sector. The resultant data was analyzed using descriptive statistical tool. The results revealed the dominance of the paper-based medium over the use of IT tools in information acquisition and dissemination in the construction industry. About three-quarter of drawings, specifications and schedules were acquired through printed copy (paper based), and only about one-tenth of these information were acquired through email and disk/flash. While about four-fifth of the bills of quantities, claims and final account documents/information were being disseminated through the traditional paper-based printed copy, and less than one-tenth of these information are being disseminated through email and disk/flash. The order of IT adoption and use in information acquisition in the Nigerian Construction industry was found to be paper based medium, then followed by online medium, email and others (mobile) came third and fourth respectively, while disk/flash and came fifth and sixth in ranking. Furthermore, in contrast to the order of IT adoption and use in information acquisition in the Nigerian Construction industry, paper-based and disk/flash medium came first and second in order of information dissemination. Emails and online medium came 3rd and 4th in place, while fax and others (such as mobile phone), came 5th and 6th in adoption and use. Thus, for construction professionals in developing countries to reap the benefit of IT, it must go beyond the use of paper based medium to the use of IT tools for the acquisition and dissemination of information in the industry

Phytochemical Screening and Antimicrobial Activity of Leaves and Fruits Extract of Ficus sycomorus

The leaves and fruits of Ficus sycomorus were collected, air dried and grounded. Each of the samples (100g) was extracted with 400ml each of n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and methanol sequentially, using Soxhlet extraction technique. They were labeled as FS1-1 to FS1-4 for leaves extract and FS2-1 to FS2-4 for fruit extract. Each of these fractions was phytochemically screened to investigate the presence of certain class of secondary metabolites. The extracts obtained were subjected to brine shrimp larvae test and antimicrobial bioassay. Some of the fractions were found to be active against the brine shrimp larvae and the tested organisms, with FS1-1 being the most active.Keywords: Antimicrobial, Cytotoxicity, Ficus sycomorus, Phytochemicals

Phytochemical screening and antibacterial activity of the root bark extracts of Neocarya macrophylla

Neocarya macrophylla is a medicinal plant commonly used in traditional medicine in Northern Nigeria to treat asthma, skin infections, treatment of wounds, dysentery, pulmonary troubles and a number of inflammations, as ell as treatment of eye and ear infections. In this work, the root back extracts of Neocarya macrophylla were screened for phytochemical constituents as well as the antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, an ear infection-causing pathogen. The results revealed that some of the common phytoconstituents are present in most of the extracts. The susceptibility test results gives inhibition range of 13, 13, 13, 14 and 13 mm for the crude extract (NM), methanol extract (NM4), ethyl acetate extract (NM3), chloroform extract (NM2) and n-hexame extract (NM1) respectively against test organism at 50 mg/ml. The test results also showed inhibition range of 12, 11, 11, 12 and 12 mm for NM, NM4, NM3, NM2 and NM1 respectively at 25 mg/ml. Lastly, the results showed inhibition range of 11, 10, 09, 10 and 11 mm for NM, NM4, NM3, NM2 and NM1 respectively at 12.5 mg/ml. This indicates that NM2 is the most active fraction against the organism at 50 mg/ml, and the least active fraction was NM3 at 12.5 mg/ml. The test results also show that the root back extract NM2 has the potentials of providing the active components that could be developed into new antibacterial agents.Keywords: Antibacterial activity, Escherichia coli, Neocarya macrophylla, Phytochemical

Proximate composition and the mineral contents of soya beans (Glycine max) available in Kano State, Nigeria

Soya bean is an important source of high-quality protein and oil, as well as other nutritious substances. The higher the content of these nutritious substances in a given soya bean, the higher it’s quality. The mineral and proximate contents of the variety of soya beans available in Kano state, Nigeria, were determined using standard procedures. The percentage (%) proximate composition was found to be Moisture 8.13%, Crude Protein 39.24%, Crude Fibre 6.84%, Crude Lipid 30.31%, Ash 4.61%, and Carbohydrate 5.08%. While the average mineral contents (%) were found to be 0.003 (Na), 0.216 (K), 0.281 (Mg), 0.324 (Ca), 0.722 (P), 0.003 (Zn), 0.002 (Cu), 0.291 (Mn) and 0.018 (Fe). The result is an indication of the nutritional importance of soya beans, and thus its production and quality require to be improved.Keywords: Mineral content, Nutritional value, Proximate composition, Soya bean