Nigerian foodstuffs with prostate cancer chemopreventive polyphenols

Dietary polyphenols are antioxidants that can scavenge biological free radicals, and chemoprevent diseases with biological oxidation as their main etiological factor. In this paper, we review our laboratory data vis-ὰ-vis available literature on prostate cancer chemopreventive substances in Nigerian foodstuffs. Dacryodes edulis fruit, Moringa oleifera and Syzygium aromaticum contained prostate active polyphenols like ellagic acid, gallate, methylgallate, catechol, kaempferol quercetin and their derivatives. Also Canarium schweinfurthii Engl oil contained ten phenolic compounds and lignans, namely; catechol, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, tyrosol, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, dihydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, phloretic acid, pinoresinol, secoisolariciresinol. In addition, tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) which contains the powerful antioxidant and anti-prostate cancer agent, lycopene; cabbage (Brassica oleracea) containing indole-3-carbinol; citrus fruits containing pectin; Soursop (Annona muricata) containing annonaceous acetogenins; soya beans (Glycine max) containing isoflavones; chilli pepper (Capsicum annuum) containing capsaicin, and green tea (Camellia sinensis) containing (-) epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), (-) epicatechin, (-) epicatechin-3-gallate and (-) epigallocatechin -3-gallate which are widely reported to posses prostate cancer chemopreventive compounds are also grown in Nigeria and other African countries. Thus, the high incidence of prostate cancer among males of African extraction can be dramatically reduced, and the age of onset drastically increased, if the population at risk consumes the right kinds of foods in the right proportion, beginning early in life, especially as prostate cancer has a latency period of about 50 years

Bacterial reduction of N-oxides of tobacco- specific nitrosamines (TSNA)

1 Contrary to established metabolic pattern, a recent investigation of NNK metabolism produced in rat urine higher levels of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1- butanone (NNK) and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyri dyl)-1-butanol (NNAL) than their N-oxides, suggesting that reconversion of N-oxides could occur after urine formation. 2 To verify the possible role of bacteria in the reduction of NNK-N-oxide and NNAL-N-oxide to their respective parent compounds, NNK and NNAL, in smokers with urinary tract infection (UTI), the N-oxides were isolated from the urine of rats treated with 5-3HNNK and individually incubated at 37°C with ten bacterial species in sterile human urine under different pH regimens. After incubation with the bacteria, aliquots of culture media were analyzed by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) with radiochemical detection. 3 Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis possessed varying capacity to regenerate NNK and NNAL from their N- oxides while others showed no detectable reductive capability within 24 h. 4 This result constitutes the first experimental evidence that in tobacco users with concomitant UTI, bacterial regeneration of the procarcinogenic NNK and NNAL from their N-oxides could occur in the bladder leading to increased carcinogen burden in these individuals

Effect of Nauclea latifolia leaves aqueous extracts on blood glucose levels of normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rats

In Northern Nigeria, different parts of Nauclea latifolia (family: Rubiaceae) are prescribed as remedy for diabetes mellitus. This study was designed to evaluate the hypoglycemic property of aqueous extract of the leaves of the plant in normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The aqueous extracts at (200 mg/kg bw.) significantly lowered glucose levels (

Acute Toxicity Effect of the Aqueous Extract of Terminalia avicennioides on White Albino Rats

Lorke’s method was used to study the acute toxicity effect of aqueous extracts from the stem bark of Terminalia avicennioides (ATA) on white albino rats. The study involved intraperitoneal administration of different doses of the extract to groups of male rats. Signs accompanying toxicity and possible death of animals were monitored for two weeks to ascertain the median lethal dose (LD50) of the extract. At the end of the two week study, all the animals in all the dose groups were sacrificed and the mean internal organ-body weight ratios (OBR) were determined and compared with values from those of the control group. The LD50 was found to be > 5000 mg/Kg body weight. There was no significant weight decrease (P>0.05) among dose groups up to 1000 mg/Kg body weight. Liver congestion was observed with 100 mg/kg body weight dose group. The OBR mean values for Kidney, liver and heart were not significantly (P>0.05) different from that of the control group. The safety usage of extracts from this plant in traditional medicine vis-à-vis phytochemical consideration is discussed.Key words: Acute toxicity, Terminalia avicennioides, Albino Rats, Traditional medicine

Oral treatment of Eimeria tenella-infected broilers using aqueous extract of wild mushroom (Ganoderma sp): Effect on haematological parameters and histopathology lesions

In Nigeria, wild Ganoderma species of mushroom grows in abundance during the rainy season. Studies were conducted to evaluate the haematological parameters and the histopathology lesions in organs ofbroilers treated with aqueous extract of wild Ganoderma sp. Blood and organs were collected for haematology and histopathology, respectively. The haematological analysis showed a slight drop in packed cell volume (PCV) in the birds of group A (23.5% ± 0.7), B (28.0 % ± 2.8) and C (27.5 % ± 0.7) at 7 weeks of age, one week after infection with Eimeria tenella. The values of haemoglobin (Hb), red blood cells (RBC) and white blood cells (WBC) were within normal range in all the groups and seemed to bear no direct relationship to the treatment using either the wild mushroom or amprolium. The values showed considerable variations characterized by a wide range of normal values (Hb = 8.5 ± 0.0 - 14.9±1.52 g/dl; RBC = 1.9 ± 0.18 - 8.6 ± 0.78 x1012/L; WBC = 2.0 ± 0.92 - 8.5 ± 0.49 x109/L). Histopathology showed mild lymphocytic infiltration in the liver of the broilers. The lesions could not be linked to the use of mushroom or amprolium, as both treated and untreated birds had similar lesions in their organs. It was concluded that the mushroom has no deleterious or adverse effects on the organs of treated birds.Keywords: Medicinal mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum, Eimeria tenella, haematological values, histopathology lesions, broiler

In vivo antiplasmodial effect of chloroform extracts of Artemisia maciverae Linn and Artemisia maritima Linn

Chloroform extracts of Artemisia maciverae and Artemisia maritima (whole plants) were tested in vivo for anti-malarial activity in Swiss albino mice experimentally infected with chloroquine resistant Plasmodium berghei NK 65 at a dose of 100 mg/kg. The 2 plant extracts showed high anti-malarialactivity. The parasitemia in the infected mice treated with the extracts were significantly reduced (

In vitro trypanocidal effect of methanolic extract of some Nigerian savannah plants

Methanol extracts from twenty three plants harvested from the Savannah vegetation belt of Nigeria were analyzed in vitro for trypanocidal activity against Trypanosoma brucei brucei and Trypanosoma congolense at concentrations of 4 mg/ml, 0.4 mg/ml and 0.04 mg/ml. Extracts of Khaya senegalensis, Piliostigma reticulatum, Securidaca longepedunculata and Terminalia avicennoides were strongly trypanocidal to both organisms while extracts of Anchomanes difformis, Cassytha spp, Lannea kerstingii, Parkia clappertioniana, Striga spp, Adansonia digitata and Prosopis africana were trypanocidal to either T. brucei brucei or T. congolense. These findings provide evidence of the effects of some plants in the traditional management of trypanosomiasis. Key words: Savannah, medicinal plants, trypanocidal effects, trypanosomiasis, trypanosome, in vitro model. African Journal of Biotechnology Vol.2(9) 2003: 317-32

Trypanocidal and leishmanicidal activity of six limonoids

Six limonoids [kotschyienone A and B (1, 2), 7-deacetylgedunin (3), 7-deacetyl-7-oxogedunin (4), andirobin (5) and methyl angolensate (6)] were investigated for their trypanocidal and leishmanicidal activities using bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma brucei and promastigotes of Leishmania major. Whereas all compounds showed anti-trypanosomal activity, only compounds 1–4 displayed anti-leishmanial activity. The 50% growth inhibition (GI 50) values for the trypanocidal and leishmanicidal activity of the compounds ranged between 2.5 and 14.9 μM. Kotschyienone A (1) was found to be the most active compound with a minimal inhibition concentration (MIC) value of 10 μM and GI 50 values between 2.5 and 2.9 μM. Only compounds 1 and 3 showed moderate cytotoxicity against HL-60 cells with MIC and GI 50 values of 100 μM and 31.5–46.2 μM, respectively. Compound 1 was also found to show activity against intracellular amastigotes of L. major with a GI 50 value of 1.5 μM. The results suggest that limonoids have potential as drug candidates for the development of new treatments against trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis

Lipolytic Activity Of Some Fungal Species On Castor Oil

Castor seed is important because of the castor oil content (40 – 57%). The oil enjoys tremendous world demand in the pharmaceutical, paint, cosmetics, textile, leather, lubricant, chemical, plastic, fibre, automobile and engineering industries. Castor oil, aside being a renewable resource, it is biodegradable and eco-friendly. Agricultural products are natural habitats of fungi and these materials contain cellulose, hemi-cellulose, starch, oils and other complex organic compounds. The ability of the fungi to exist in these environments largely depends on their ability to produce enzymes capable of breaking down the various organic materials to provide their nutrients. Castor seeds and castor oil are good sources of nutrients for fungal growth and development. Fungi are capable of producing lipases which can hydrolyze fats or oils to fatty acids thereby increasing the free fatty acids of the produce and this is a deteriorating effect. Lipid degradation takes place when seeds or their oils are damaged by improper storage conditions or are exposed to certain microorganisms. Studies were carried out on the ability of nine fungal species namely: Aspergillus tamarii Aspergillus chevallieri , Penicillium chrysogenum , Cephaliophora irregularis , Syncephalastrum racemosum , Aspergillus flavus , Aspergillus ruber , Aspergillus terreus and Aspergillus niger to produce extracellular lipases in stationary liquid medium using quantitative and qualitative indices including, dry mycelia mass, free fatty acid and peroxide values. These studies showed that all the mould species exhibited lipolytic activity to varying levels as confirmed by formation of blue halo round the fungal colonies. The highest level of lipolytic activity (96.88% ± 1.12%) was produced by Aspergillus tamari. which was also characterized by highest mycelia dry yield (2.54 mg/40ml ± 0.20 mg/40ml), while Cephaliphora irregularis produced the least lipolytic activity (3.10 % ± 0.18%). The highest peroxide value (38.1 meq/kg ± 1.17meq/kg) was obtained in the medium inoculated with Aspergillus tamarii while the least (6.20 meq/kg ± 0.58)meq/kg was with Aspergillus terreus after 30 days of storage. The study showed that Aspergillus tamarii and Aspergillus flavus grew well and readily caused lipolytic activity when cultured in medium containing castor oil as the only carbon source, suggesting that these fungal species contributed significantly to castor oil bio-deterioration