Pharmacognostic evaluation of the leaves of Mitracarpus scaber Zucc (Rubiaceae)

Purpose: The methanolic extract and isolated constituents of Mitracarpus scaber Zucc have been reported to exhibit hepatoprotective, antibacterial and antimycotic activities. Establishment of Pharmacognostic profile of the leaves will assist in standardization for quality, purity and sample identification. Method: Evaluation of the fresh, powdered and anatomical sections of the leaves were carried out to determine the macromorphological, micromorphological, chemomicroscopic, numerical and phytochemical profiles. Results: Macro - and microscopical studies indicated presence of simple leaf whorled arrangement, an entire margin with lanceolate shape, acute apex and base, parallel venation, thin and wavy anticlinal walls with numerous calcium oxalate crystals. Stomata arrangement was anomocytic with numerous covering trichomes on both surfaces. Chemomicroscopic characters present include lignin, starch, cellulose, mucilage and calcium oxalate crystals while phytochemical evaluation revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, cardiac glycosides and saponins. The investigations also included numerical and quantitative leaf microscopy. Conclusion: These findings should be suitable for inclusion in the proposed Pharmacopoeia of Nigerian Medicinal plants. Keywords: Mitracarpus scaber, Pharmacognostic evaluation, Pharmacopoeia. Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research Vol. 6 (4) 2007: pp. 849-85

The Effect of Active Fractions of the Roots of Nauclea Latifolia Smith (Rubiaceae) on Blood Pressure of Normotensive Rabbits

Abstract: Nauclea latifolia has been found to lower blood pressure of both normotensive and hypertensive rats. The chloroform fractrion of this plant was subjected to column chromatography and five fractions were obtained, CF1-CF5. All the fractions were active in lowering blood pressure of normotensive rabbits. Fraction CF1, CF3 ,CF4 and CF5 were active at a dose range of 2.5 -10 mg/kg. At 10 mg/kg, CF1 reduced the Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP) from 97.6 ± 5.6 to 61.6 ± 8.6 mmHg , CF3 reduced the MAP from 95.3 ±5.1 to 68.3 ±3. mmHg, CF4 reduced the MAP from 84.8 ± 4.7 to 58.6 ± 5.0 mmHg while CF5 reduced the MAP from 78.6 ± 7.5 to 53.0 ± 4.6 mmHg. CF2 was effective at the dose range of 0.2 -0.6 mg/kg. At 0.6 mg/kg CF2 reduced the MAP from 79.0 ± 3.1 to 48.4 ± 3.7. It was thus concluded that Nauclea latifolia can be partitioned into 5 major fractions all of which are active in lowering blood pressure, but CF2 was most poten

Antimicrobial activity of the methanolic leaf extract of Tabernaemontana pachysiphon stapf. (Apocynaceae)

The ethanolic extracts of the dried root bark and stem bark has antiamebic activity against Entamoeba histolytica; antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Escherichia coli; with no antiviral activity against Herpes simplex, Poliovirus and Semlicki-forest. The extract of the dried root bark has antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans unlike the extract of the dried stem bark. Keywords: Tabernaemontana pachysiphon leaf, Antimicrobial studies.Nigerian Journal of Natural Products and Medicine Vol. 11 2007 pp. 23-2