Antiprotease and membrane stabilizing activities of extracts of Fagara zanthoxyloides, Olax subscorpioides and Tetrapleura tetraptera

The saline and alkaline extracts of Fagara zanthoxyloides, Olax subscorpioides and Tetrapleura tetraptera were investigated for antiprotease and membrane stabilizing activities by spectroscopic procedures. Saline extracts of these plants stabilized human red blood cell membrane subjected to hypotonic- and heat-induced lyses. The results revealed that the degree of membrane stabilization was 84% for F. zanthoxyloides while T. tetraptera and O. subscorpioides exhibited 70% and63.2%, respectively. Also, sodium hydroxide extracts of the three plants exhibited antiprotease activity. A 1:5 dilution of F. zanthoxyloides gave 80% inhibition while undiluted extracts of O. subscorpioides and T. tetraptera showed 96% and 73% inhibitions, respectively

TOXICITY OF ERYTHROPHLEUM GUINEENSE

The effect of the in vivo administration of the total alkaloidal fractions of the stem-bark of the Erythropleum guineense on certain biological parameters of Sprague-Dawley rats was investigated. The results revealed that plasma alanine aminotransferase activity, liver aspartate aminotransferase activity, liver glycogen, liver protein, creatinine and haemoglobin concentrations were reduced while plasma aspartate aminotransferase activity, liver alanine aminotransferase activity, plasma urea concentration, bilirubin concentration and alkaline phosphatase activity were elevated in Sprague -Dawley rats treated with total alkaloidal fractions of E. guineense stem-bark. The phytochemical assays revealed that the chemical composition of E. guineense include alkaloids, saponins, cardiac glycosides and tannins. The toxicity of the stem-bark of E. guineense could be attributed to the combined toxicity of other constituents such as tannins, saponins and glycosides with the alkaloids as earlier speculated

ANTITRICHOMONAL ACTIVITY OF 1,3-DIARYL-2-PROPEN-1-ONES

1,3-diaryl-2-propen-1-ones were synthesized by the Claisen - Schmidt condensation method. T. gallinae parasites isolated from domestic pigeon were cultured in vitro. The in vitro susceptibility of T. gallinae was evaluated in multi-well plates at 37oC. Four of the synthetic compounds produced significant antitrichomonal activity against T. gallinae. The minimal lethal concentrations (MLCs) (produced by) 2’-hydroxy-4-methoxychalcone, 2’-hydroxy-2,4’-dimethoxychalcone, 2’-hydroxy-4-chlorochalcone, 3,4,4’-Trimethoxychalcone and 4-hydroxcychalcone were 100.0, 0.78, 50.0, 50.0 and 3.13 µg/ml respectively. The results indicate that 2’-hydroxy-2,4’-dimethoxychalcone and 3 other synthetic 1,3-diaryl-2-propen-1-ones possess potent antitrichomonal activity against T. gallinae. However, the studies on cytotoxicity effect showed that all the active chalcones demonstrated a very low haemagglutination titre values ranging between 0.57 –4.06 suggesting their low toxicity profile

Investigation of the Genetic Diversity of Selected Wild and Cultivated Sorghum Germplasm Using Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis Investigation of the Genetic Diversity of Selected Wild and Cultivated Sorghum Germplasm Using Sodium

ABSTRACT Thirty-five (35), wild (5) and cultivated (30) Sorghum bicolor germplasms were collected from 5 different agro-ecological zones in Nigeria. Proteins were extracted from six weeks old fresh leaves (1.0 g) with 10ml of 0.85% (w/v) sodium chloride (NaCl) solution, filtered and followed by centrifugation at room temperature at 3,000 rpm for 10 min. The supernatants were employed for protein analyses on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of SDS. The protein concentrations of the cultivars from North East, North West, South and wild were not statistically different ( P < 0.05) but in the same range with those of cultivars from North Central agro-ecological zone. Analyses of proteins revealed a total of 141 protein bands produced by the cultivars, 21 % has relative molecular mass of 190kD, 24% (22kD), 21% (11kD) and 24% (10kD). However, proteins with 21kD and 26kD were specific to only cultivars from North Central and wild collections. The proportion of differentiated protein (Pp) ranged between 0.06 and 0.24 while the dendrogram constructs revealed little variation between the cultivated and wild sorghum accessions

HYPOGLYCAEMIC EFFECTS OF NIGERIAN ZINGIBER OFFICINALE RHIZOME ON EXPERIMENTAL DIABETIC RATS

The aqueous extract of Zingiber officinale Roscoe (Zingiberaceae) rhizome was studied in Streptozotocin (STZ) and Glucose-induced diabetic rats to evaluate its hypoglycaemic activity. The aqueous extract was administered intraperitoneally at 2g/kg, 4g/kg and 8g/kg. The hypoglycaemic effect produced by the extract in STZ induced diabetic rates and glucose-induced hyperglycaemia were found to be shown 30 min after drug administration having high significant value as compared to diabetic control rats. However, there is no significant change with increase in dose between 4 and 8g/kg in STZ diabetic rats. When compared to chlopromide (45mg/kg), the aqueous extract if ginger at 2g/kg was of equal potency. Hypoglycaemic effect was also observed in glucose-induced hyperglycaemia when 4kg/kg of ginger extract was used under the same conditions. The results of this study indicate that the acute dose of aqueous extract of Nigerian cultivated Zingiber officinale rhizome exhibited hypoglycaemic activity. Key Words: Anti-diabetic effects, Zingiber officinale, Ginger, hypoglycaemic agent, STZ induced diabetic, Glucose-induced hyperglycaemia. [Nig. J. Nat. Prod. And Med. Vol.6 2002: 33-3

Full length Research Article - Sub-Acute Toxicity and Biochemical Effects of extracts of Anaphe venata larvae in mice

Ataxia syndrome which is characterized by sudden onset of severe muscular tremor and gait ataxia has been shown to be associated with the consumption of the larvae of Anaphe venata in South Western part of Nigeria. In this report, the sub-acute toxicity and biochemical effects of polar and non-polar extracts of Anaphe venata larvae were investigated in mice. The sub-acute toxicity study showed an increase in the behavioural components as tremor, jerking and stretching, after the administration of the extracts for 7 days, an indication of Ataxia syndrome. Also, no significant difference in these components occurred between polar and non-polar extracts, an indication of similarity in the chemical composition and level of toxicity. There was a corresponding increase in enzymatic activities coupled with increase in weight of essential organs investigated, but not significantly different from the controls. However, the involvement of receptors and neurotransmitters, in the action of the extracts to cause ataxia syndrome require further investigation

Research Paper - ANTITRICHOMONAL ACTIVITY OF 1,3-DIARYL-2-PROPEN-1-ONES ON TRICHOMONAS GALLINAE

1,3-diaryl-2-propen-1-ones were synthesized by the Claisen - Schmidt condensation method. T. gallinae parasites isolated from domestic pigeon were cultured in vitro. The in vitro susceptibility of T. gallinae was evaluated in multi-well plates at 37oC. Four of the synthetic compounds produced significant antitrichomonal activity against T. gallinae. The minimal lethal concentrations (MLCs) (produced by) 2'-hydroxy-4-methoxychalcone, 2'-hydroxy-2,4'-dimethoxychalcone, 2'-hydroxy-4-chlorochalcone, 3,4,4'-Trimethoxychalcone and 4-hydroxcychalcone were 100.0, 0.78, 50.0, 50.0 and 3.13 μg/ml respectively. The results indicate that 2'-hydroxy-2,4'-dimethoxychalcone and 3 other synthetic 1,3-diaryl-2-propen-1-ones possess potent antitrichomonal activity against T. gallinae. However, the studies on cytotoxicity effect showed that all the active chalcones demonstrated a very low haemagglutination titre values ranging between 0.57 -4.06 suggesting their low toxicity profile