Antimicrobial activities and phytochemical properties of Annona muricata leaf

Annona muricata is a well-known economic and traditional plant of Nigeria. The study investigated the properties of constituents and antimicrobial activities of extracts of the leaf of A. muricata. The extracts were tested against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeuroginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans by the agar well diffusion method at concentration of 20 mg/mL. The methanol (AM2) and ethyl acetate (AM4) extracts were characterized using UV and IR spectroscopy. The morphological structure of the A. muricata leaf was observed at a magnification of 20,000X using SEM and then subjected to EDX analysis. The results of the phytochemical screening revealed the presence of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, saponins and cardiac glycosides in the extracts. Anthraquinone was found absent. The ethyl acetate extract was found highly active against gram positive bacteria, S. aureus (ZI of 42 mm; AI = 1.31) and ampicillin resistant gram negative P. aeruginosa (ZI of 34 mm; AI = 1.13). The IR spectra of AM2 and AM4 extracts of A. muricata showed peaks at a frequency of 3377 cm-1 to 3440 cm-1 indicating the presence of a phenolic OH stretch. This supports the phenolics detected chemically. The UV spectrum of methanol extract showed peaks that are typical of flavonoids and phenolics.  The SEM revealed the sizes of the leaf particles as inhomogeneous. EDX results showed high oxygen concentration of 73.5 % and carbon concentration of 26.5 %.The findings proved the anti-infective potential of Annona muricata leaf and established physico-chemical markers for the active extracts

Full length research article - ANTI-INFECTIVE AND WOUND HEALING PROPERTIES OF FLABELLARIA PANICULATA

The methanol leaf extract of Flabellaria paniculala was studied for its potency on normal wounds and infected wounds in rats. Wounds were inflicted on Wistar rats using excision model. Local infection was introduced into rat abdominal wounds using a 108 bacteria/ml inoculum. Two groups of infection were used: Staphylococcus aureus Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Rate of wound healing was assessed by contraction and p of epithelisation. Crude extract of F. paniculala demonstrated sic wound contraction and decrease in epithelisation period (p <0.05). On day 14, extract achieved 100% wound contraction in non-infected and Staphylococcus aureus while 100% wound contraction was recorded in Pseudomonas aeruginosa group on day 18. This drug is anti-infective as well as wound healing agent thus justifying the local uses of the plant for the treatment of skin diseases and sores

Photo Degradation in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

International audienceMesoporous TiO2 of 20nm diameter is prepared in-tandem with organic dyes and based on Fluorine – doped SnO2 (FTO), conducting base is produced by hydrothermal process. The prepared mesoporous Cola Acuminata (C.acuminata), Lupinus Arboreus (L.arboreus) and Bougainvillea Spectabilis (B.spectabilis) films (0.16 cm 2) are applied; individually and in combination as interfacial layer in-between nanocrystalline TiO2 (NC-TiO2) and the FTO anode in the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). Absorbance index (A.I) of all three dyes was studied within wavelength range 200-900 nm for a period of 11 months, equivalent to 352 sun exposure. C.acuminata had A.I value 4.00 that decreased to 2.32 under exposure to AM1.5 global conditions. B.spectabilis A.I was 1.19 but decreased to 0.520 within same period of study. Combination of C.acuminata and B.spectabilis gave A.I value 1.40, dye cocktails of C.acuminata, B.spectabilis and L.arboreus gave 2.00 A.I value for same wavelength range. A UV/Vis photo spectrometer was used to determine the prominent peaks and absorbance at such wavelengths. This exponential relationship is subject of our explorative stud

Antimicrobial activities and phytochemical properties of Annona muricata leaf

Annona muricata is a well-known economic and traditional plant of Nigeria. The study investigated the properties of constituents and antimicrobial activities of extracts of the leaf of A. muricata. The extracts were tested against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeuroginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans by the agar well diffusion method at concentration of 20 mg/mL. The methanol (AM2) and ethyl acetate (AM4) extracts were characterized using UV and IR spectroscopy. The morphological structure of the A. muricata leaf was observed at a magnification of 20,000X using SEM and then subjected to EDX analysis. The results of the phytochemical screening revealed the presence of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, saponins and cardiac glycosides in the extracts. Anthraquinone was found absent. The ethyl acetate extract was found highly active against gram positive bacteria, S. aureus (ZI of 42 mm; AI = 1.31) and ampicillin resistant gram negative P. aeruginosa (ZI of 34 mm; AI = 1.13). The IR spectra of AM2 and AM4 extracts of A. muricata showed peaks at a frequency of 3377 cm-1 to 3440 cm-1 indicating the presence of a phenolic OH stretch. This supports the phenolics detected chemically. The UV spectrum of methanol extract showed peaks that are typical of flavonoids and phenolics.  The SEM revealed the sizes of the leaf particles as inhomogeneous. EDX results showed high oxygen concentration of 73.5 % and carbon concentration of 26.5 %.The findings proved the anti-infective potential of Annona muricata leaf and established physico-chemical markers for the active extracts

Effect of <it>Flabellaria paniculata</it> Cav. extracts on gastric ulcer in rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The leaves and root of <it>Flabellaria paniculata</it> (Malpighiaceae) are frequently used in the treatment of wounds and ulcers in Nigerian folk medicine. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of ethanolic extracts from the leaves (FPL) and root (FPR) of <it>F. paniculata</it> on gastric ulcers in rats.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The effect of FPL and FPR (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) was evaluated in ethanol and indomethacin gastric ulcer models. Control groups for FPL and FPR were orally treated with 3% Tween 20 and distilled water respectively. FPL was further investigated in pylorus ligation model. Misoprostol and cimetidine were used as reference.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>FPL significantly (P < 0.05) reduced gastric lesions by 82.22% and 67.32% in ethanol and indomethacin induced ulcer models at 100 mg/kg respectively while FPR (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) did not exert significant effect in the two models. In pylorus ligation model, FPL exerted a significant preventive antiulcer effect as indicated by reduction in gastric volume at 200 and 400 mg/kg doses. Only 400 mg/kg of the extract exerted a significant reduction in ulcer index when compared with the control group. The oral route LD₅₀ of FPL was estimated to be 4570 mg/kg while that of FPR was 2754 mg/kg. The LD₅₀ in intraperitoneal injection was estimated to be 1202.26 and 1380.38 mg/kg for FPL and FPR respectively. The phytochemical investigation showed that both extracts possess triterpenoids and saponin, while the presence of flavonoid was detected only in FPL.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results of this study indicated that FPL and not FPR is effective against experimentally induced gastric ulcers. The presence of varied phytochemical constituents probably influenced the pharmacological differences between the two extracts.</p