Amino acid, Antioxidant and Ion Profiles of Carpolobia lutea Leaf (Polygalaceae)

Purpose: To evaluate the amino acid, antioxidant and ionic profiles of Carpolobia lutea leaf (Polygalaceae) extract (CLL).Methods: The powdered leaf was macerated and subjected to gradient solvent extraction with nhexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and ethanol for 72 h to obtain their respective fractions. Amino acid analysis was by cation-exchange chromatography using automated amino acid analyser. Antioxidant potential was obtained by spectrophotometric assay using 2, 2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl DPPH while elemental and ionic analyses were carried out by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and potentiometric titration, respectively.Results: Proline, alanine, serine, valine, glycine, glutamate and lysine were found in the ethanol fraction while lysine, phenyl alanine, glycine and serine were present in the ethyl acetate fraction but not in the non-polar fractions, n-hexane and chloroform. The ethyl acetate fraction contained more lysine, phenyl alanine, glycine and serine the other leaf fractions. Minimal radical scavenging activity of all the fractions was recorded. The most abundant cations in the extract were potassium and phosphorus (2.16 ± 0.05 and 1.90 ± 0.06 mg/g, respectively) while the most abundant anion was phosphate with a concentration of 23.23 ± 4.61 mg/g for the aqueous leaf fractionConclusion: The study shows that CLL fractions contain variety of amino acids which could promote wound healing, as well as major and minor elemental ions which, as essential body electrolytes, are required for various metabolic processes in the body.Keywords: Carpolobia leaf, Polygalaceae, Amino acid, Antioxidant, Ionic profile

Antidiarrheal Mechanism And Ionic Profile Of Carpolobia Lutea Ethanolic Stem-Bark Extract In Rats.

Background: The stem-bark extract of Carpolobia lutea (Polygalaceae), used in ethno-medicine as anti-diarrhea was pharmacologically evaluated. This was the first report of assessment of the ethanolic stem extract (ESE), of C. lutea as anti-diarrhoeal agent in rats. The anti-diarrhoeal effects, acute toxicity and ionic profile are investigated and reported.Materials and Methods: The acute toxicity was established using Lock’s method. The anti-diarrhoeal effects were demonstrated using castor oilinduced diarrheal and fluid accumulation and its effect on normal intestinal transit. The mechanism elucidated using yohimbine, isosorbide dinitrate, and diphenoxylate. The elemental and ionic profile of ESE was established using inductively coupled argon-plasma emission spectrometer and potentiometric titration respectively. The finger print of ESE was revealed by Jasco (Tokyo, Japan), HPLC and active compounds by phytochemical screening using standard procedure.Results: The LD50 obtained is 866.025 mg/kg (i.p). The doses of 43.3, 86.6, and 173.2 mg/kg of ESE showed inhibition of castor oil–induced diarrheal (p<0.05 - 0.001). The most abundant cations in the extract are potassium and phosphorus (1.00 ±0.01 and 0.80 ± 0.030 mg/g respectively); while the most abundant anions are phosphate and sulphate (33.50±7.09 and 7.19±3.29 mg/g respectively). The HPLC fingerprint of ESE revealed UV spectra of biomolecules. Phytochemical screening revealed presence of saponins, polyphenols and glycosides.Conclusion: These investigations indicate presence of bioactive and elemental substances which could play major role in diarrheal management. This investigation justifies the use of stem-bark of C. lutea in illicit gin (akpatashi), among the Effiks in Nigeria as antidiarrheal.Key words: Carpolobia lutea, stem-bark extract, antidiarrheal, elemental and ionic profile

Adverse effects of anti-tuberculosis drugs on HepG2 cell bioenergetics

Tuberculosis (TB) is an intractable chronic infection. Disease treatment with anti-TB drugs remains challenging due to drug-induced hepatotoxicity. The toxicity of the anti-TB drugs rifampicin (RIF), isoniazid (INH) and pyrazinamide (PZA) either alone or in combination was investigated in HepG2 cells. Assays of intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels at 4-, 24- and 48-h post-exposure to gradient concentrations of RIF, INH and PZA were conducted. Drug-induced effects on mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), mitochondrial complex I and complex III activity, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels and cellular lactate production were assessed. Decreased ATP levels were dose-dependent and correlated with drug exposure duration. Approximate 24-h IC50s were 0.5 mM, 70 mM and 84 mM for RIF, INH and PZA, respectively. Twenty-four hours post-drug treatment, reductions of MMP (p = 0.0005), mitochondrial complex I and III activities (p = 0.0001 and p = 0.0003, respectively), NAD+ levels (p = 0.0057) and increased lactate production (p < 0.0001) were observed. Drug combinations used to mimic cumulative drug treatments induced a synergistic inhibition of mitochondrial complex I activity. An assessment of cellular ultrastructure using transmission electron microscopy indicated drug-induced mitophagy. Collectively, our study suggests that hepatotoxicity of commonly employed anti-TB drugs is mediated by their curtailment of mitochondrial function

Gastroprotective effects of leaf extracts of Carpolobia lutea (polygalaceae) G. Don. in rats

The preliminary screening of the gasroprotective effects of Carpolobia lutea leaf extracts was investigated through bioactivity guided gradient extraction. Experimentally induced gastric ulceration was affected using ulcerogens such as indomethacin, ethanol, reserpine in 0.5% acetic acid, stress, serotonin and diethylthiocarbamate in rats. The median lethal dose (LD 50) of the ethanol extract was also investigated intraperitoneally in mice. Preliminary phytochemical screening of the ethanol extract was conducted. The acute toxicity shows the median lethal dose to be 3850.0 mg/kg. The phytochemical screening of C. lutea revealed that alkaloids, saponins, tannins, anthraquinone, cardiacglycosides, flavoniods were presents. The ethanol extract gave a preventive ratios (PRs) of 3.08, 90.09, 22.17, 70.00, 43.44 and 51.58; the ethyl acetate extract gave 57.50, 100.00, 83.33, 63.61, 84.80, and 68.79; the chloroform extract gave 4.85, 45.05, -13.80, 46.37, 35.88 and 70.29; n-hexane extract gave 38.02,34.83, 55.50, 100.00, 68.49 and 31.30 PRs respectively for the indomethacin, ethanol, reserpine in 0.5% acetic acid, stress, serotonin and diethylthiocarbamate induced ulceration in rats. The PRs ofcimetidine are 90.26, 66.67, 91.82, and 49.97 respectively for indomethacin, reserpine in 0.5% acetic acid, stress and serotonin induced ulceration in rats. The ethyl acetate extract (770 mg/kg) consistently and effectively reduced the ulcer index significantly (

Patient-reported outcomes of therapy with two brands of ibuprofen

Objective: To investigate patients’ reported outcome following medication with two brands of 400 mg ibuprofen used to alleviate musculoskeletal pains.Methods: Adult peasant manual laborers (85) who met criteria were randomly assigned to receive either of the brands (A or B). Data on pain alleviation were gathered using the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Present Pain Intensity (PPI), and Clinical Global Impression of Improvement (CGII) scales. Interval data obtained from the two brands were compared using the Students’ t-test at 95% confidence interval.Results: There were 42 participants, mean age=29.2 (SD=1.37) assigned to brand A and 43 (mean age=28.8 SD=1.14) in brand B of ibuprofen 400 mg. Brand B was consistently rated higher than brand A. Scores for medication efficacy were 10.4 (SD=1.65) (brand A) and 11.4 (SD=1.68) (brand B); t=2.768, P=0.007. Alleviation of pain symptoms: 10.8 (SD=1.64) and 11.6 (SD=1.72); t = 2.194, P=0.031. Similarly, rated scores on the impact of pain on quality of life were 10.5 (SD=2.00) and 12.1 (SD=1.85); t=3.830, P<0.001. There was a reduction in Present Pain Intensity scores by 32.7% and 34.3% for Brand A and brand B participants respectively. The decrease in Visual Analog pain scale score was 35.9% and 37.3% for brand A and brand B participants respectively. The decrease in SF-MPQ was by 85.1% and 69.9% for the brand A and brand B groups respectively. The clinical global impression of improvement for both groups of patients indicated an improvement rate of 71.4% and 61.9% for brand A and 81.4% and 74.4% for brand B participants. Conclusion: This clinical study infers that though the two brands of ibuprofen 400 mg are legally pharmaceutical equivalent, they are not clinically equivalent. In most of the parameters evaluated, brand B was rated more efficacious than brand A. This explains the patients’ preferences and demand for this brand of ibuprofen in the Nigerian community

Assesment of the water quality and prevalence of water borne diseases in Amassoma, Niger Delta, Nigeria

The chemical and microbiological properties were investigated at the bank and midstream of the Ammassoma River used for domestic water consumption. Also, retrospective study was conducted at Amassoma General Hospital to ascertain the extent of water borne diseases by studying the case notes of 100 subjects from 2005 - 2007. The carbon-oxygen demand (COD) and biological-oxygen demand(BOD)5 at the bank and midstream of the river are 3.664 ± 0.289 (mean ± SEM) and 2.112 ± 0.864 mg/L (p< 0.0634), 2.236 ± 0.161 and 1.83 ± 0.792 mg/L (p < 0.328), respectively. The number of faecal coliform detected in the river, at the bank and midstream are 581.5 ± 225.57; 1100 ± 306.19 and 63.0 ± 28.362 (