Hepatoprotective Potentials Of Hibiscus rosasinensis Petal anthocyanin Extracts Against Carbon tetrachloride-Induced Acute Liver Damage in Wistar Rats.

Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is haloalkane that possesses a hepatotoxic effect. Material and Methods: The impact of anthocyanin fractions obtained from Hibiscus rosasinensis petal on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced acute liver damage in wistar rats was studied using a combination of alanine transferase (ALT) activity value and liver: body weight gain ratio as indices. Results: CCl4 treatment significantly increased both ALT value and the liver: body weight gain ratio at the 1% probability level when compared with the control values. Conclusion: Pre-treatment with the anthocyanin fractions reduced the levels of these markers and hence, the degree of liver damage, though with varying potentials. The lead precipitated, non slimy red fraction possessed the greatest protective property on the rat liver when compared with the other anthocyanin fractions so tested. Keywords: Anthocyanin, carbon tetrachloride, alanine transferase, Hibiscus rosasinensis, liver damage.Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences Vol. 3 (1) 2008: pp. 33-3

Identification by GC-MS of the Components of Oils of Banana Peels Extract, Phytochemical and Antimicrobial Analyses

Banana is eaten all over the world by all sections of the population. A lectin, called BanLec, was isolated from banana fruit and found to possess anti-HIV-1 activity. However, the peels of banana are thrown away as rubbish although farmers are known to use them as feed for their animals. We thought that there might be some valuable chemicals in banana peels and therefore decided to extract the oils from their peels. Two varieties of Nigeria bananas were chosen for an initial study. The crude methanolic extract was subjected to phytochemical analysis, which revealed the presence of steroids, saponin, terpenoids, anthraquinones and tannins. Antimicrobial study of the methanolic extract showed that the oils were effective against some bacteria. The chemical constituents of the oils were identified and characterized by GC-MS. The fatty acids stearic, palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids and their methyl esters as well as 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one, 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furancarboxyaldehyde, cyclododecane, dibutyl phthalate, b-sitosterol, sesamin and epi-sesamin were among the identified components. These constituents were found to be compounds with known biological and medicinal activit

Evidence of a Causal Relationship between Serum Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone and Osteoporotic Bone Fractures

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to validate the association of genome-wide association study (GWAS)-identified loci and polygenic risk score with serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations and the diagnosis of hypothyroidism. Then, the causal relationship between serum TSH and osteoporotic bone fracture risk was tested. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was done among patients of European Caucasian ethnicity recruited in Tayside (Scotland, UK). Electronic medical records (EMRs) were used to identify patients and average serum TSH concentration and linked to genetic biobank data. Genetic associations were performed by linear and logistic regression models. One-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) was used to test causality of serum TSH on bone fracture risk. RESULTS: Replication in 9,452 euthyroid individuals confirmed known loci previously reported. The 58 polymorphisms accounted for 11.08% of the TSH variation (p < 1e−04). TSH-GRS was directly associated with the risk of hypothyroidism with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.98 for the highest quartile compared to the first quartile (p = 2.2e−12). MR analysis of 5,599 individuals showed that compared with those in the lowest tertile of the TSH-GRS, men in the highest tertile had a decreased risk of osteoporotic bone fracture (OR = 0.59, p = 2.4e−03), while no difference in a similar comparison was observed in women (OR = 0.93, p = 0.61). Sensitivity analysis yielded similar results. CONCLUSIONS: EMRs linked to genomic data in large populations allow replication of GWAS discoveries without additional genotyping costs. This study suggests that genetically raised serum TSH concentrations are causally associated with decreased bone fracture risk in men

Antiplasmodial Activity shown by Secondary Metabolites Extracted from the Seeds ofPentaclethramacrophyllaBenth

Oil extracts from the African oil bean seed (PentaclethramacrophyllaBenth.) was analyzed for its phytochemical and mineral content and proximate, physicochemical and antimicrobial analyses were also performed. Phytochemical analysis showed the presence of tannins, saponins, quinones, terpenoids, phenols and coumarins in the oil sample. Mineral determination of the cotyledon showed the presence of iron (Fe) (with the highest concentration), Cu, Zn, Mn, Cr, Pb and Cd; while proximate analysis gave the following result: moisture (14.2%), ash content (1.5%), crude fibre (4.9%), crude proteins (12.8%), oil contents (4.9%), and carbohydrate (61.8%). GC-MS analysis of the partitioned petroleum ether and chloroform fractions of the oil revealed the presence of 9-Octadecenoic acid, 9,12- Octadecadienoic acid and their methyl esters,cis-9-Hexadecenal among the many components of the oil extract. Physicochemical analysis of the oil indicateda saponification value (148.67 mg KOH/g), peroxide value(8.0 meq/g), iodine value (10.41 mg iodine/g) and free fatty acid (8.98 mg KOH/g). The need for the development of new drugs for malaria led to our study of the antiplasmodial activity of the oil from the seeds of Pentaclethramacrophylla. Toxicological studies were carried out to determine the LD50with chloroquinediphosphate as positive control and normal saline as negative control. Using the Peter’s 4 day suppressive test a parasite inhibition rate of 47.72% (25 mg/kg), 63.63% (50 mg/kg) and 61.36% (100 mg/kg) on day 4 after treatment was recorded. A 95.45% chemo-suppression was observed for animals treated with 10 mg/kg chloroquine. This resultis an indication that the extract had appreciable signs of chemosuppression

Pinus glabra: As a Potential Source of Anti- Mycobacterium tuberculosis Agent: Phytochemical and antimicrobial Studies of its Stem Extracts

With the increasing incidence of tuberculosis and rated second to HIV-AIDS by the World Health Organisation as a leading cause of death from infectious disease and increased resistance to drugs currently in use, there is therefore the need for alternative sources of drugs for the treatment of this disease. Pinus glabra presents as a potential candidate for such drugs discovery. Concoctions derived from the plant have been used to treat cases of rheumatism, cough, piles and catarrh. Sample extraction was performed by soaking the stem samples in ethanol for 172 h, which gave reddish-yellow oil after removal of the ethanol solvent. The oil was partitioned between 1:1 water/chloroform mixture. The aqueous layer was further partitioned separately with ethyl acetate and hexane. The phytochemical screening of the crude ethanol extract revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, tannins and flavonoids. Antimicrobial tests were performed on the crude ethanol extract, ethyl acetate and hexane fractions against clinical isolates Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella sp. by measurement of zones of inhibition. All test samples exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against the organisms albeit to different extent

Antimicrobial and Antioxidant properties of Petiveria alliacea

The leaf, stem and root decoctions of Petiveria alliacea (referred to as Anamu or Apacin (Guatemala), Guinea–Hen weed (English), Awogba or Ojusaju (Yoruba), kanunfari (Hausa) and Akwa-ose (Igbo) have been used as a diuretic, antispasmodic, sedative, analgesic and anti-inflammatory agents in traditional medicine. Cold maceration and Soxhlet extraction techniques were used to obtain oils from the leaf, stem and root of P. alliacea. The oils were analysed for their antimicrobial properties using brothmicrodilution technique while their antioxidant properties were determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) tests.The antimicrobial tests on the following micro-organisms Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli,as well as the anti-fungi test on Rhizopus sp., and Aspergillus niger, showed that the hexane and ethanol cold leaf extracts were most effective in limiting the growth of Salmonella typhi with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)value of 3.125 μg/mL and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC)value of 6.25 μg/mL. The ethanol leaf extracts using Soxhlet extraction technique were most effective at MIC value of 3.125 μg/mL on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli. Likewise, the hexane and ethanolcold leaf extracts were most effective in limiting the growth of Rhizopus sp. and Aspergillus niger with MIC value of 3.125 μg/mL and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) value of 6.25 μg/mL

Antimicrobial and Antioxidant properties of Petiveria alliacea

The leaf, stem and root decoctions of Petiveria alliacea (referred to as Anamu or Apacin (Guatemala), Guinea–Hen weed (English), Awogba or Ojusaju (Yoruba), kanunfari (Hausa) and Akwa-ose (Igbo) have been used as a diuretic, antispasmodic, sedative, analgesic and anti-inflammatory agents in traditional medicine. Cold maceration and Soxhlet extraction techniques were used to obtain oils from the leaf, stem and root of P. alliacea. The oils were analysed for their antimicrobial properties using brothmicrodilution technique while their antioxidant properties were determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) tests.The antimicrobial tests on the following micro-organisms Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli,as well as the anti-fungi test on Rhizopus sp., and Aspergillus niger, showed that the hexane and ethanol cold leaf extracts were most effective in limiting the growth of Salmonella typhi with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)value of 3.125 μg/mL and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC)value of 6.25 μg/mL. The ethanol leaf extracts using Soxhlet extraction technique were most effective at MIC value of 3.125 μg/mL on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli. Likewise, the hexane and ethanolcold leaf extracts were most effective in limiting the growth of Rhizopus sp. and Aspergillus niger with MIC value of 3.125 μg/mL and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) value of 6.25 μg/mL

In-vitro Anti-Microbial Studies and GC/MS Analysis of the Leaf Extract and Fractions of Polyalthia longifolia (Engl. & Diels) Verde

Extensive studies show that secondary metabolites in plants, used for centuries in traditional medicine, offer new sources of drugs. In the traditional setting, extracts from various parts of the plant Polyalthia longifolia (mast tree) are used in treating several ailments but the components of these extracts, which would allow for meaningful dosage, are not known. We therefore decided to examine the antimicrobial activity by testing on selected microorganisms and identify the volatile components by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of the leaf extracts of Polyalthia longifolia (mast tree). The crude leaf extract and fractions derived from the crude exhibited anti-microbial activity against two (2) bacteria and two (2) fungi. The chloroform fraction was very active against Salmonella typhi (13.00±0.82) when compared to fractions in other solvents. The GC-MS analysis showed that the extracts were composed fatty acids and their ester along with some long chain aldehydes, like hexadecenal and tetradecenal, and Caryophyllene and Aromandendrene. These chemical constituents may be responsible for the pharmacological and therapeutic activities of this plan

ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF MODERATELY VOLATILE COMPONENTS OF THE OIL EXTRACTED FROM THE SEEDS OF DACRYODES EDULIS G. LAM

Objectives: Dacryodes edulis is a versatile plant in many African countries, as its various parts are employed to treat several diseases. Like most plants used in traditional medicine, the possible mechanism by which D. edulis functions is still unknown. This study was designed to investigate the components of the plant seed with a view of justifying its use as traditional medicine. Methods: The seed oil of D. edulis was exhaustively extracted with a Soxhlet extractor from 500 g seeds and 200 g seeds of D. edulis using ethanol and petroleum ether as solvent, respectively. The extraction solvent was removed to obtain the oil which was then subjected to antimicrobial activity test to determine its activity against the following clinical isolates namely Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Escherichia coli using gentamycin as positive control. Phytochemical screening and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses were carried out following standard methods Results: Ethanolic extract resulted in a higher percentage of oil yield (11.6%) than petroleum ether (5.3%). D. edulis seed oil showed remarkable activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive isolates: E. coli, Bacillus spp, and S. aureus but not against P. aeruginosa. The presence of saponins, quinones, cardiac glycosides, terpenoids, and phenol was confirmed during qualitative phytochemical screening, and the preliminary results from GC-MS analysis show the presence of terpinen-4-ol, 4,6,6-trimethyl bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-en-2-one, ethyl 14-methyl-hexadecanoate, methyl 19-methyleicosanoate, squalene, C-14 to C-18 fatty acids, and their esters. Conclusion: The study, therefore, confirms that the use of D. edulis as component of traditional medicine may be justified