Assessment of Some Therapeutic Plants of the Abbi People in Ndokwa West L.G. A of Delta State, Nigeria

Ethnomedicinal investigations were conducted in Abbi Village in Ndokwa local government area of Delta state to identify some medicinal plants used in the traditional pharmacopoeia for the treatment of diseases affecting the human body. Most of the ailments treated or managed by these medicinal plants include malaria, diabetes, high blood pressure and dysentery to mention a few. Twenty-six (26) plant species belonging to eighteen families (18) were recorded. Ethnomedicinal information was collected through questionnaires and personal interviews. The modes of herbal drugs preparation were mainly decoctions while others were macerations and infusions. The most frequently used plant parts were the leaves. The administration routes are through oral and external routes. These medicinal plants are used based on ethnobotanical evidence as being safer, acceptable, affordable, culturally compatible and suitable for chronic treatment. Some of these medicinal plants have some unpleasant side effects which may be related to over doses or other factors leading to mild or acute toxicity in the body. Aside this, if these problems are carefully addressed, it will help to harness the therapeutic potentials of medicinal plant species for further drug development both now and in the nearest future. Public and private involvement in management and utilization of medicinal plants in a sustainable way is essential to combat human pressures on these valuable natural resources

Numerical taxonomic study of some euphorbiaceae species within Ambrose Alli University Main Campus, Edo State, Nigeria

Numerical taxonomic studies have been described as highly effective in plant classification and delimitation even in difficult cases. This study employed numeric taxonomic methods in studying different Euphorbiaceae species within Ambrose Alli University campus with the goal of identifying similarities and differences between different species within the family. Twenty-five species comprising thirteen genera were studied using thirty-five morphological characters which included plant habit, colour of leaf, fruit shape, presence of sap, pubescence of leaves, presence of three-cell ovary, and inflorescence type. Data generated from the different morphological characters were scored and converted to binary numbers used for generating clusters of the Operation Taxonomic Units (OTUs) according to their overall similar Euclidean distance. Using both single and complete linkage, dendrograms were drawn to illustrate the relationship among the species. The dissimilarity shown in the OTUs were split into two clusters, C1 and C2 each comprising 10 and 15 species respectively. Species within the same cluster had greater similarity than those in the other cluster. Amongst diverse findings from the study is a great affinity between Jatropha curcas and Jatropha tanjorensis, Alcornea laxifolia and Mallotus oppositifolius; Hevea brasilensis and Croton zambesicus; and Acalypha hispida and Alcalypha wikisiena. Great dissimilarity was observed between Riccinodendron heudelotti and Euphorbia milli. The results from this study have shown that there is great similarity, and at the same time variety and heterogeneity among the different species of Euphorbiaceae considered.Keywords: Dendrogram; Euphorbiaceae; Numerical Taxonomy; Specie

Foliar epidermal and phytochemical studies of the grasses Cymbopogon citratus (stapf.), Axonopus compressus (P. Beauv.) and Eragrostis tremula (S. W. Beauv) in Ekpoma, Edo state, Nigeria.

This study presents investigations into the epidermal and phytochemical features of Eragrostis tremula (S.W.Beauv.), Cymbopogon citratus (Stapf.) and Axonopus compressus (P.Beauv.). Epidermal features of the different species in the three genera showed slight differences for both the adaxial and abaxial parts with respect to prickles, papillae, macro hairs and micro hairs. Long cells, short cells, stomata and silica bodies are almost universally present in all the three species. With respect to their phytochemical characteristic, Cymbopogon citratus tested positive for alkaloid, saponin, inulin, cellulose, tannin and lignin; Eragrostis tremula tested negative for lignin and positive for cellulose, saponin and alkaloids while Axonopus compressus tested negative for lignin, but positive for alkaloid, saponin, inulin, cellulose and tannin respectively. Leaf epidermal studies help to determine patterns of variation in plant species thus helping in our knowledge of such species. It is useful in determining their different morphological, epidermal and phytochemical characteristics thus helping in the assessment of its values in species identification, classification and in establishing a taxonomic relationship between different species being studied. Keywords: Foliar, epidermal, phytochemical, genera, biosystematics

Phytochemical Analysis of Medicinal Plants Used for the Management of Hypertension by Esan people of Edo State, Nigeria

Hypertension is one of the principal health problems in the society and a leading cause of cardio-vascular deaths in various communities worldwide. Over 33 plants and their products have been reported in Nigeria and other West African countries to offer remedies for the management of hypertension. In Esanland of Edo State, Nigeria, 14 endemic plant species distributed in 12 taxonomic families have been identified by various traditional health practitioners as being effective and commonly used to manage hypertension (Psidium guajava, Piper guineense, Loranthus spectobulus, Talinum triangulare, Senna occidentalis, Rauwolfia vomitoria, Allium sativum, Allium cepa, Carica papaya, Euphorbia hirta, Ocimum gratissimum, Persea americana, Peperomia pellucida, and Vernonia amygdalina). Qualitative phytochemical analyses of the plant parts have revealed the presence of various components of medical importance including tannins, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, alkaloids, saponin and inulins. Cardiac glycosides were present in all the species studied while alkaloids were present in all except A. sativum, A. cepa, O. gratissimum and P. americana. Saponnins were present in all except the seeds of negro coffee (S. accidentalis), while tannins were present in all except bulbs of garlic (A. sativum). This preliminary study draws attention to the need for further studies of the active principles identified in the reported species for the treatment of hypertension in Esanland in order to understand their mode of action in controlling hypertension

Nutrient, Mineral and Phytochemical Properties of Selected Underutilized Amaranthus Vegetable Species in Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria

Food insecurity (characterised by poor nutrition) and ill health are interlinked problems which constitute major sustainable development challenges globally. Effective tackling of these challenges must, among other efforts, involve exploring and exploiting the nutrients and medicinal potentials of many underutilised indigenous vegetables. This study assessed the nutrient, mineral and phytochemical constituents of four different Amaranthus plants as a basis for establishing their nutritional and medicinal values. In dried and powdered forms, the plants were subjected to nutrient, mineral and phytochemical analyses using standard chemical methods. All the plants were found to contain appreciable amounts of proteins (16.94 – 194.47 mg/g), carbohydrates (5.12 – 16.74 mg/g), vitamin C (8.10 - 44.07 mg/g), beta carotenes (2.67 – 5.89 mg/g), crude fibre (3.81 – 4.47 mg/g), ash (2.11 – 19.08 mg/g), calcium (35.3 – 384 mg/g), iron (6.71 – 74.61 mg/g), magnesium (19.19 – 31.10 mg/g), zinc (2.84 – 31.84 mg/g) and potassium (10.86 – 50.80 mg/g). The vegetables containedalkaloids (except A. spinosus var. red), flavonoids, saponins, phenols, steroids (except A. viridis) and glycosides. Amaranthus spinosus var. green had the highest concentrations of 161.1 mg/g, 214.11 mg/g, 38.11 mg/g, 21.03 mg/g and 89.16 mg/g for alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, steroids and glycosides respectively while A. dubius had the highest concentration (18.03 GAE) of phenols. The considerable good nutritional and phytochemical properties of the vegetables make them highly recommended for inclusion in diets and food products. The results of the study also indicate that the plants could be useful for new drug development and managing various ailments

Comparative germination studies of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata Linn. Walp) and soy bean (Glycine max Linn. Merr) on whole and water saturated fractions of hydrocarbon (hexane).

The effects of whole and water saturated fractions (WWSF) of hydrocarbon hexane on the germination of two leguminous crops: Vigna unguiculata (Linn) Walp and Glycine max (Linn) Merr were investigated at the green house of Botany and ecological department university of Uyo Akwa-Ibom State, using Petri dishes at room temperature (±28°C), between July and September 2009. The results obtained in this study showed that the germinations of both cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) seeds and soybean (Glycine max) seeds were influenced differently by various concentrations of whole and water saturated fraction of hexane. At the highest concentration (75%) of water saturated fracture of hexane, 52.1% of the cowpea seeds germinated compared to the 81.1% obtained when distilled water was used at 168HAP, while at the highest concentration (75%) of water saturated fracture of hexane, 50.5% of the soybean seeds germinated compared to the 62.0% obtained when distilled water was used at 168HAP. The results also shown that at 168HAP, the mean radicle lengths of 8.8±1.6, 6.2±0.3, 6.1±0.9 and 5.4±0.6 were obtained when distilled water, 25%, 50% and 75% water saturated fraction of hexane were introduced respectively into Petri-dishes containing cowpea, while there were slight reductions in the values obtained when whole hexane were used. The results also showed that 25%, 50% and 75% concentrations each of whole and water saturated fraction of hexane significantly affected the mean percentages of soybean (Glycine max) germination while significant reduction at (P=0.001) in the radicle lengths of soybeans at different concentrations (75, 50 and 25%) of whole and water saturated fraction of hexane were obtained. This therefore, suggested that cowpea and soybean will be affected if planted in an area contaminated with both whole and water saturated fraction of hexane

Ethnobotanical Survey of Plants Used in The Management of Peptic Ulcer Diseases in Wukari Metropolis

Peptic ulcer diseases (PUD) are sores formed in soft tissues present in the lining of the digestive tract as a result of excessive stomach acid or inability of the alimentary tract or stomach to protect itself. The increasing surge for plant based drugs in the management of PUD has increased scientific investigation of herbs and recipes from traditional medicinal practitioners (TMP) to ascertain their efficacy through pharmacological studies. Ethnobotanical survey of plants and recipes from TMP used in the management of PUD in Wukari metropolis, Taraba State, Northeastern Nigeria were documented. A total of twenty (20) TMP located in ten (10) different area of the town were interviewed using a semi structured questioner. Twenty-four (24) plant species from twenty (20) different families and sixteen (16) recipes were documented from the survey. It was observed that plant leaves were mostly used while C. longa (Zingberaceae), M. paradisiaca (Musaceae) had the highest frequency of occurrence in recipes formulation. Therefore, due to the proven efficacy of these herbal recipes as reported from correspondents, there is need for proper documentation, conservation, cultivation and use of these medicinal plants in the management of PUD to avoid them being endangered or going into extinction

Bioactive phytochemicals in an aqueous extract of the leaves of Talinum triangulare

An aqueous leaf extract of Talinum triangulare was screened for the presence of bioactive molecules, using gas chromatography coupled with pulse and flame ionization detectors. It had high carotenoids; moderate benzoic acid derivatives, hydroxycinnamates and flavonoids; and low terpenes, alkaloids, phytosterols, allicins, glycosides, saponins, and lignans contents. Ten known carotenoids (mainly 50.42% carotene and 33.30% lycopene), nine benzoic acid derivatives (mainly 84.63% ferulic acid and 11.92% vanillic acid), and six hydroxycinnamates (55.44% p‐coumaric acid and 44.46% caffeic acid) were detected. Also detected were eight lignans (88.02% retusin) and thirty flavonoids (50.35% quercetin and 39.36% kaempferol). The medicinal properties of the major components of these phytochemical families that were detected in the aqueous extract of the leaves were discussed herein and proposed to be explored for their potential health benefits. The great number of potentially active biomolecules and their multifunctional properties make Talinum triangulare a ready source of health‐promoting substances