Antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant activity of the roots and leaves of Pelargonium reniforme Curtis (Geraniaceae)

Pathogens such as bacteria and fungi and oxidative stress induce the progression of alcoholic liver disease. The antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of extracts from the roots and leaves of Pelargoniumreniforme Curtis (Geraniaceae) were assessed in an effort to validate the traditional use of the plant in the treatment of liver diseases. Methanol, acetone and water extracts of the plant were investigated forantimicrobial activity against ten bacterial and five fungal species using the dilution method on solid agar medium. With the exception of Streptococcus faecalis, the extracts showed significant activity against all the gram-positive and three of the gram-negative bacteria tested in this study. Although not completely fungicidal, these extracts showed significant growth inhibition against all the fungi tested. The concentrations of the different classes of phenolic compounds were higher in the methanol extracts when compared with the water extracts. Antioxidant activities of the methanol and water extracts as assessed by three established in vitro methods, namely, 2,2´-azinobis-(3-methylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric ion reducing power showed that the extract possessed strong scavenging activity and moderate reducingpower. Results obtained in this study show that P. reniforme has good antimicrobial and antioxidant activity and this validates its traditional use in the treatment of liver diseases. Also, a comparative studyof the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of both the leaves and root showed that both parts had similar activity. The choice of the root by the traditional healers over the leaves may be arbitrary or due to easy collection. The leaves of P. reniforme may, as well, substitute for its roots in medicinal formulations

Colonial Heritage, Identity-Building and Communication: English and Nigerian Languages in Biafra

The Biafran War (1967–1970) has often been called “the forgotten war”, yet it marked a watershed in the development of the Nigerian foreign policy, gave birth to the NGO Médecins sans frontières and its refugee camps taught foreign journalists the intercultural skills they were to use later to report on other African conflicts. While many books and scholarly articles have been written on the war, its use of languages and impact on post-war language policies have never really been considered. Using media bulletins compiled by the author between 1968 and 1970, data collected by French journalists and published in 1968–1969, memoirs published later by various people involved in the humanitarian efforts of the period and songs recorded by the Biafran Red Cross during the conflict, this chapter will reveal how war years confirmed language preferences built during the colonial period. It will show how the necessity to communicate both with the outside and within the Biafran enclave contributed to gradually shape language practices, and will consider the reasons behind that choice. It will finally confirm the huge emotional and psychological power mobilised by languages during the conflict

Radical scavenging and anti-acetylcholinesterase activities of aqueous extract of wild pistachio (Pistacia atlantica Desf.) leaves

The purpose of this work is to assess the radical scavenging activity, acetylcholinesterase inhibition, and proline content of an aqueous extract from wild pistachio (Pistacia atlantica Desf.) leaves. The effect of aqueous extract on superoxide radical scavenging, hydroxyl radical scavenging, N,N-dimethyl-1,4-phenylendiammoniumdichloride (DMPD center dot+) radical scavenging, ABTS(center dot+) radical scavenging, nitric oxide scavenging, and beta-carotene bleaching activities was examined. This study found that the aqueous extract possesses considerable amounts of flavonoids (33.52 +/- 2.04 mu g catechin equivalents/mg of extract). The effect of this extract in scavenging activity of hydroxyl radical and DMPD center dot+ was significantly better than that of ascorbic acid and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA). The effect of the extract in superoxide and ABTS(center dot+) was significantly similar than that of tested standard antioxidants. The proline content of the extract was found to be 0.54 +/- 0.01 mu g proline/mg of extract. Aqueous extract of P. atlantica inhibited acetylcholinesterase activity effectively with IC50 value of 58.05 +/- 0.12 mu g/mL