ABSTRACT
Aims: Screening total alkaloidal extract from Alstonia boonei root bark for antimicrobial and wound healing activity. Methodology: The anti-microbial screening was performed using the agar well diffusion method and the excision wound model was employed for the wound healing experiment. Results: Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) of the extract showed four (4) spots when glacial acetic acid, ethyl acetate and chloroform were used in the ratio 1:3:1 respectively. However, six (6) spots were observed when ethyl acetate, methanol and water were used in the ratio 15:3:2 respectively. The total alkaloid extract showed antimicrobial activity against S. aureus, B. subtilis, P. aeruginosa and E. coli. The extract also showed significant wound healing activity (P<0.05). Conclusion: The TLC showed that the total alkaloid extract contains several individual chemical compounds. The alkaloid extract has good antimicrobial activity against the above listed microorganisms at concentrations of 1% (10mg/ml) and above. The total alkaloid extract of Alstonia boonei possesses significant wound healing activity which was evident by the increased rate of wound contraction and reduction in the period of epithelialization.
ABSTRACT
Aims: To establish the presence of monosodium glutamate (MSG) as an ingredient of artificial food seasonings on the Ghanaian market, and to evaluate the anti-fibroid property of an ethanolic stem bark extract of Blighia unijugata on MSG-induced uterine leiomyoma in Sprague-Dawley rats and its safety for use. Study Design: Survey and Experimental. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmacology, CHS; September 2012 and May 2013. Methodology: A survey was conducted to ascertain MSG as an ingredient of Food and Drugs Board approved artificial food seasonings on the Ghanaian Market. Phytochemical screening was performed on an ethanolic, aqueous, and petroleum ether extract of B. unijugata. Thin layer and high performance liquid chromatographic analysis were performed on the ethanolic extract of B. unijugata (EBU), selected after phytochemical screening, to obtain fingerprint chromatograms for identification. Preventive and curative studies (measuring total plasma cholesterol and plasma estradiol and uterus weight) using 50 and 100 mg kg-1 EBU, per os, on 600 and 800 mg kg-1 MSG-induced uterine leiomyoma in Sprague-Dawley rats was conducted. Acute and Delayed toxicity on EBU was tested. Results: Of 21 FDB approved artificial food seasonings, 85.7% had MSG as an ingredient. MSG administration to rats elevated significantly (P ≤ .001) cholesterol, estradiol and uterus weight and size (indicating hyperplasia). Curative treatment reduced significantly (P ≤ .01-.001) the elevated plasma cholesterol and estradiol than preventive treatment. Both treatments however significantly decreased (P ≤ .01-.001) elevated uterus weight. The lethal dose was less than 1000 mg kg-1 p.o. Conclusion: MSG is found in almost all artificial food seasoning on the Ghanaian market which could be a risk factor to the development of uterine leiomyoma. The ethanolic extract of Blighia unijugata reversed hyperplasia induced in the uterus by MSG, making it useful as an anti-fibroid drug.