Md. Monirul Islam

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The current study was conducted to investigate anti-oxidative, membrane stabilizing, antimicrobial, cytotoxic and thrombolytic properties of Methanol, Aqueous, Pet-Ether, Dichloromethane, and Ethyl Acetate soluble fractions of Stixis suaveolens. To determine the antioxidant activity, free radical scavenging activities (antioxidant capacity) of the plant extracts on the stable radical 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and total phenolic content was determined. Ascorbic Acid & BHT were used as standards in this studies. To evaluate cytotoxicity, the brine shrimp lethality bioassay was used.Vincristine sulfate (VS) was used as positive control. Antithrombolytic ability of the plant extracts were determined on bloods drawn from healthy volunteers. Membrane stabilizing potential were assessed by evaluating their ability to inhibit haemolysis of human erythrocytes. Antimicrobial investigation by disc diffusion method revealed no anti-microbial potential. The amount of total phenolic content differed in different extractives and ranged from 4.9375mg of GAE/gm of extractives to 70.125mg of GAE/gm of extractives of Fruits of S. suaveolens Roxb. The antioxidant activity of IC₅₀ values in DPPH method are differed in different extractives and ranged from (75.67μg/ml) to (5634.00μg/ml). Methanol Soluble Fraction (MESFF) of Fruits of S. suaveolens Roxb. exhibited highest thrombolytic activity of 26.85%. Furthermore, the Aqueous Soluble Fraction (AQSF) inhibited 11.06%, Ethyl Acetate Soluble Fraction (EASF) inhibited 9.16%, Methanol Soluble Fraction (MESF) inhibited 8.84%, Dichloromethane Soluble Fraction (DCMSF) inhibited 7.92%, and Pet-Ether Soluble Fraction (PESF) inhibited 5.86% of hemolysis of RBC. The highest brine shrimp lethality was given by EASF with 0.99μg/ml followed by PESFwith 1.10μg/ml, DCMSFwith 4.77μg/ml, MESF with 8.37μg/ml and AQSFwith 24.26μg/ml. Hence, that S. suaveolens extracts and its fractions possess anti-oxidant, membrane stabilizing, cytotoxic and thrombolytic properties.

Elias Adikwu, Bensandy Othuke Odeghe, Frances Ebubechi John

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Medical plants are used traditionally as alternative treatment for malaria. Anthocleista grandiflora (A. grandiflora) is used traditionally for the treatment of malaria.  This study attempt to scientifically validate its traditional use for malaria treatment by evaluating the antiplasmodial activity of its aqueous leaf extract (AAG) in Plasmodium berghei infected mice. P. berghei infected mice were orally treated with AAG (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) daily in curative, suppressive and prophylactic studies. The untreated parasitized control (UPC) and the (PC) positive control were orally treated with normal saline (0.2mL) and chloroquine (CQ) (10mg/kg) respectively. At the end of treatment, blood samples were analyzed for parasitamia levels, hematological parameter and lipid profile. No morality was observed in acute toxicity evaluation of AAG in mice. AAG showed significant dose-dependent curative, suppressive and prophylactic activities via reductions in parasitamia levels at 100 mg/kg (p<0.05), 200 mg/kg (p<0.01) and 400 mg/kg (p<0.001) when compared to UPC. Mean survival time was increased in a dose-dependent fashion at 100 mg/kg (p<0.05), 200 mg/kg (p<0.01) and 400 mg/kg (p<0.001) when compared to UPC. AAG increased red blood cells, hemoglobin, pack cell volume, high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, but decreased white blood cells, total cholesterol, triglyceride and low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels  in a dose-dependent fashion at100 mg/kg (p<0.05), 200 mg/kg (p<0.01) and 400 mg/kg (p<0.001) when compared to UPC. Comparatively the effects of AAG (400 mg/kg) were statistically at par with (CQ) 10mg/kg.  Based on the observations in this study, AGA seems safe and has antimalaria activity

Catherine Kaluwa Kaingu

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Croton menyharthii root bark is used to
manage female reproductive ailments in
Tana River County, Kenya. The plant
treats dysmenorrhea, prevents abortion,
stops post-partum hemorrhage and is also
a contraceptive. Toxicological and
phytochemical profile of the plant is still
unknown. Preliminary phytochemical
screening of Dichloromethane-Methanol
and aqueous Croton menyharthii root bark
extracts was carried out as per method 

used by Kisianan et al., 2019. Acute oral
toxicity study was conducted using female
rats by using OECD 423 guidelines
whereas the sub-acute toxicity study was
carried out using OECD 407 guidelines.
General behavior, adverse effects and
mortality were keenly observed throughout
the experimental period. Food intake,
water intake, body weight, organ weight,
hematological and biochemical parameters
were evaluated. Alkaloids, saponins,
phenols, cardiac glycosides and tannins 

were present in both organic and aqueous
extract. Both extracts had acute oral
toxicity greater than 2000 mg/kg. In the
sub-acute toxicity study, there was a
significant dose-dependent decrease in the
levels of total protein in rats treated with
200 (P&lt;0.006), 400 (P&lt;0.00) and 800
mg/kg (P&lt; 0.00) aqueous extract relative
to the control. None of the extracts caused
a significant effect on haematological
parameters. Long term administration of
Croton menyharthii root bark extract is
associated with significant alterations in
renal physiology. Given the finding, we
recommend the judicious use of the root
bark extracts of Croton menyharthii
particularly when long term use is being
considered.

Koto-te-Nyiwa Ngbolua

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Aims: To provide knowledge on phytochemistry and bioactivity of H. madagascariensis Lam. ex Poiret.

Study Design: Multidisciplinary advanced bibliographic surveys, utilization of ChemBioDraw software package and dissemination of the resulted knowledge.

Place and Duration of Study: Faculty of Science, Pedagogical National University, Faculty of Science, University of Kinshasa and Department of Environmental Science, University of Gbadolite, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, between October 2018 and decembre 2019.

Methodology: A literature search was conducted to obtain information about the phytochemistry and pharmacognosy of H. madagascariensis from various electronic databases (PubMed, PubMed Central, Science Direct and Google scholar). The scientific name of this plant species was used as a keyword for the search, along with the terms phytochemistry and pharmacognosy. The chemical structures of the H. madagascariensis naturally occurring compounds were drawn using ChemBioDraw Ultra 15.0 software package.

Results : Harungana madagascariensis Lam. ex Poiret.  is a species of shrubs belonging to the family of Hypericaceae and is native to Madagascar and grows in the forests of tropical Africa, which is used in several traditional medicines to cure various diseases. The plant is reported to possess antibacterial, antifungal, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective activity and vasodilatory effects. A wide range of chemical compounds including four prenylated anthranols, harunganols C−F, along with kenganthranol A, harunganin, and ferruginin A [were identified from the leaves and two anthronoids named harunmadagascarins A and B, along with the harungin anthrone, harunganol B, methyl 3-formyl-2,4-dihydroxy-6-methyl benzoate, friedelin, lupeol and betulinic acid were identified from the stem bark of H. madagascariensis.

Conclusion: This review can therefore help to inform future scientific research for the development of new drugs of relevance for improving human health and well-being. In particular, drug candidates for the treatment of diseases due to oxidative stress such as sickle cell disease.