Nutritional Qualities of Three Medicinal Plant Parts (Xylopia aethiopica, Blighia sapida and Parinari polyandra) commonly used by Pregnant Women in the Western Part of Nigeria

The nutritional potentials of three medicinal plant parts used by pregnant women in the western part of Nigeria Parinari polyandra, Blighia sapida and Xylopia aethiopica were evaluated through their proximate compositions as well as percentage mineral elements composition. Blighia sapida was high in crude fibre (44.09±2.20%) compared with Parinari polyandra and Xylopia aethiopica that were 4.21±1.10% and 12.14±0.70% respectively. Moisture contents of Xylopia aethiopica and Blighia sapida were 16.04±1.25% and 10.17±2.60% respectively while that of Parinari polyandra was 30.65±5.02%. The total ash contents of Parinari polyandra, Blighia sapida and Xylopia aethiopica were 2.53±1.20%, 3.66±1.20% and 4.37±0.85% respectively. The total fat of Xylopia aethiopica, Blighia sapida and Parinari polyandra were 9.55±2.10%, 1.25±0.20% and 0.53±0.15% respectively while the total protein of Blighia sapida, Xylopia aethiopica and Parinari polyandra were 2.1±0.25%, 2.1±0.20% and 7.09±0.20% respectively. The total carbohydrate of Xylopia aethiopica was 55.80±4.26%, that of Parinari polyandra was 54.27±3.20% and that of Blighia sapida was 39.45±2.20%. Xylopia aethiopica can be a good source of magnesium (2.236±0.095), phosphorus (0.620±0.04) and potassium (0.510±0.04) as the amount of these mineral elements were higher than that of the other plant parts with the exception of Parinari polyandra having 0.690±0.11% phosphorus. Blighia sapida is also a good source of phosphorus (0.400±0.20), magnesium (0.430±0.20) and calcium (0.348±0.15). Other mineral elements detected in reasonable amounts were calcium, zinc and sodium. Further tests revealed that heavy metals such as lead, chromium and cadmium were not detected. The results of this research indicated that the three plants parts have nutritional qualities that could provide the users with additional nutrients

Effects of combinations of ethanolic extracts of Blighia sapida and Xylopia aethiopica on progesterone, estradiol and lipid profile levels in pregnant rabbits

The effects of ethanolic extracts of Xylopia aethiopica fruits and Blighia sapida roots, used by some rural dwellers in western part of Nigeria for arbortifacient purposes, were investigated using pregnant rabbits. A combination of X. aethiopica and B. sapida in a ratio 1:1 at concentrations of 10.0 mg/ kg body weight (group B) and 50.0 mg/ kg body weight (group C), and X. aethiopica alone at 50.0 mg/kg of body weight (group D) were administered by gastric intubations for a period of 14 days from the 12th to 25th day of gestation after which they were fasted for 18 h. Serum levels of reproductive hormones (progesterone and estradiol) and lipids (triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and HDLcholesterol) were determined at the end of the treatment. Results showed significant reductions (p < 0.05) in progesterone and estradiol levels, significant elevations of triglycerides (p < 0.05) and no statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in the levels of total cholesterol in all the treated groups compared with the control (group A). There was a statistically significant reduction (p < 0.05) in the levels of HDL-cholesterol in Group B, a significant increase in group C and no significant reduction in group D compared with the control (group A). The levels of LDL-cholesterol in all the treated groups did not differ significantly (p < 0.05) from the control (group A). The results suggest that ethanolic extracts of X. aethiopica alone or in combination with B. sapida may actually lead to termination of pregnancy due to reduction of progesterone and estradiol. The results also suggest that there is increased risk of hypertriglyceridemia in the users of these plants but this may not predispose them to arteriosclerosis because of the insignificant differences in the levels of LDL-cholesterol in all the treated groups compared with the control

Effects of combinations of ethanolic extracts of Blighia sapida and Xylopia aethiopica on progesterone, estradiol and lipid profile levels in pregnant rabbits

The effects of ethanolic extracts of Xylopia aethiopica fruits and Blighia sapida roots, used by some rural dwellers in western part of Nigeria for arbortifacient purposes, were investigated using pregnant rabbits. A combination of X. aethiopica and B. sapida in a ratio 1:1 at concentrations of 10.0 mg/ kg body weight (group B) and 50.0 mg/ kg body weight (group C), and X. aethiopica alone at 50.0 mg/kg of body weight (group D) were administered by gastric intubations for a period of 14 days from the 12th to 25th day of gestation after which they were fasted for 18 h. Serum levels of reproductive hormones (progesterone and estradiol) and lipids (triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and HDL- cholesterol) were determined at the end of the treatment. Results showed significant reductions (p < 0.05) in progesterone and estradiol levels, significant elevations of triglycerides (p < 0.05) and no statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in the levels of total cholesterol in all the treated groups compared with the control (group A). There was a statistically significant reduction (p < 0.05) in the levels of HDL-cholesterol in Group B, a significant increase in group C and no significant reduction in group D compared with the control (group A). The levels of LDL-cholesterol in all the treated groups did not differ significantly (p < 0.05) from the control (group A). The results suggest that ethanolic extracts of X. aethiopica alone or in combination with B. sapida may actually lead to termination of pregnancy due to reduction of progesterone and estradiol. The results also suggest that there is increased risk of hypertriglyceridemia in the users of these plants but this may not predispose them to arteriosclerosis because of the insignificant differences in the levels of LDL-cholesterol in all the treated groups compared with the control

The effects of oral administration of Croton penduliflorus seed oil and Depo provera on liver and kidney functions of pregnant Dutch-white rabbits

This study investigated the effects of oral administration of Croton penduliflorus seed oil (CSPO) and Depo provera on liver and kidney function of pregnant rabbits. Graded doses of CSPO were suspended in5% Tween 20 solution. Twenty-five pregnant Dutch-white rabbits at mid–gestation were allocated into 5 groups. Group 1 animals served as control and received 1ml daily of 5% Tween 20 while groups 2-4 received 50, 100 or 150 mg/kg body weight oral dose of CPSO for 10 consecutive days. Animals in group 5 received one intramuscular injection of 2.73 mg/kg of Depo provera. Withdrawal of treatment was followed by 18 hrs fast, and then sacrificed. Blood samples from fasted animals were collected from all groups and analyzed for liver and kidney function parameters. CSPO caused significant (P < 0.05) dose-dependent elevation of serum ALT, AST and ALP; dose independent but significant (P < 0.05) increases in urea, direct bilirubin and creatinine accompanied by a significant (P < 0.01) depression of total bilirubin levels of treated animals. Depo provera resulted in significant (P < 0.01) elevation of serum globulin and creatinine levels with significant (

Immunohistochemical characterization of small round blue cell tumors of childhood at Ile-Ife, Nigeria: A 10-Year retrospective study

Background: Immunostains when used in correlation with clinical site of tumours and morphology permits accurate and specific diagnosis of these undifferentiated tumours. Materials and Methods: A ten-year retrospective research of the histopathological and immunohistochemical features of small round blue cell tumours (SRBCT) in OAUTHC was analyzed. Pathology reports of all SRBCT and their blocks were retrieved and recut slides reviewed to determine each tumour types. Acute myelocytic lymphoma/leukeamias and Glioblastoma multiformis were excluded from SRBCT of childhood. Eighty four (84) cases that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were analyzed using immunohistochemistry. Results: The age range of presentation was 0-15 years (Mean 5.98±3.964 year S.D.). Retinoblastoma and Wilms' tumours were the commonest histological sub-types with a percentage of 20.0% each followed by Burkitt lymphoma (17.6%), rhabdomyosarcoma (9.8%) which was the only soft tissue sarcoma found. The least represented was supra-tentorial CNS-PNET (1.2%). Eighty four blocks of SRBCT were subjected to different panels of immunohistochemistry. Of all these tumours 36 cases had a change in diagnosis: 23 cases had an initial, pre-immunohistochemical umbrella diagnosis ranging from NHL, SRBCT to no pathological diagnosis at all. Seven (7) cases with initial diagnosis ranging from Ewing's sarcoma (1 case), retinoblastoma (1 case) to rhabdomyosarcoma (5 cases) were finally confirmed with immunostains as Burkitt lymphoma (BL) while one case of BL was finally confirmed as rhabdomyosarcoma. The last five of the 36 cases were totally non-neoplastic lesions but had histology diagnosis ranging from NHL, spinal cell sarcoma to periosteal osteosarcoma. The immunostains done on these 5 cases revealed erythroid hyperplasia with dyserythropoiesis, cellular neurofibroma, fibrous dysplasia, reactive follicular hyperplasia and normal retinal tissue. Conclusion: Application of immunohistochemistry does indeed enhance the diagnostic accuracy of these undifferentiated tumors

Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Cytotoxicity of Securidaca longepedunculata (polygalaceae) Root Bark Extract

Securidaca longepedunculata is a savannah shrub found growing in tropical Africa. It is reputed to have more than a hundred medicinal uses and is a major component of anticancer decoctions in Nigeria. Despite its reported use as an anti-cancer plant, there is a dearth of information on the anti-cancer potential and mechanism of its anticancer activity. The present study is to identify the chemical constituents present in Securidaca longepedunculata by quantitative Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis and determine the cytotoxic effect of the plant on Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells. Secondary metabolites in the extract were predicted using GC-MS. In vitro cytotoxic activity was determined using the trypan blue dye exclusion assay by incubating Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells with various concentrations of S. longepedunculata aqueous extract. Analysis by GC-MS revealed the presence of the following compounds: bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (90.99%), 1-decanol (4.17%) and cyclododecane (1.86%), phenol, 2, 21-methylene bis (1.32%), cyclopenten-4-one, 3-hydroxy-1, 2, 3, 5, 51-pentakis (trimethylsilyloxy)- (0.89%) and phenol, 2, 4-bis (1, 1-dimethylethyl)(0.78%). Securidaca longepedunculata aqueous extract (SL) was cytotoxic to Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells in vitro. The IC50 of SL on EAC cells was 67 μg/ml. The aqueous root-bark extract of S. longepedunculata contains bioactive agents and was cytotoxic to Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells in vitro. Keywords: phthalate, Ehrlich, carcinoma, medicinal, plant