Distribution of aflatoxins and micro organisms in peanut and sunflower seed products and their potential health Hazards

Aflatoxins are mould metabolites of Aspargillus flavus and parasiticus that contaminate foodstuffs stored in warm moist places. These toxins are hepatotoxic and produce hepatocellular carcinoma in animals and man. To determine the presence of aflatoxins and microorganisms in ready to consume products of peanuts and sunflower seeds of an edible oil processing factory. Five hundred grams each of peanut kernels, peanut pellets, sunflower seed pellets, peanut oil and sunflower seed oil produced by a local oil extracting factory were supplied for extraction and estimation of aflatoxins and microorganisms like Salmonella, Escherichia coli [E.coli], Bacillus and Moulds. Aflatoxins B[1], B[2], G[1] and G[2] were extracted in chloroform and concentration was measured using silica gel columns. The quantitative estimation of these aflatoxins B[1], B[2], G[1] and G[2] was done by fluorescence evaluation on Thin Layer Chromatograms. All test samples contained four types of aflatoxins. The highest aflatoxin values were seen in the pellets and lowest in refined oils. All samples contained higher content of aflatoxins B[1] and B[2] than G[1] and G[2]. Refined peanut oil contained much lower aflatoxin than the sunflower seed oil. This study has also identified the presence of several types of microorganisms such as Salmonella, E. coli, Bacillus and Moulds in ready to eat peanut and sunflower seed products. Detection of high levels of aflatoxins and microorganisms in ready to eat food stuff should be a concern for food regulatory agencies since these products are consumed daily by the common man and their cumulative effect on the body might be adding to liver cancer in the population. Food regulatory agencies should regularly carry out thorough surveillance on food stuff

effect of purified neem oil on the growth rate of the Plasmodium berghei in mice

Traditionally neem extract is used in the treatment and prevention of malaria in Africa and Asia but its effect on the growth of malaria parasites has not been fully studied. To investigate the effect of neem oil extract on the growth of rodent malaria parasite. Purified neem oil was diluted to 10% [v/v] with phosphate buffered saline and administered orally to mice in volumes of 25 microlir, 50]0,1, 100 microlir, and 150 microlir by a feeding needle. Plasnwdium berghei culture was maintained in the outbred original mice. The parasites were introduced into the host mice to develop and then extracted and transferred into another host after every five days. The development of plasmodium parasites were determined by microscopic examination of blood smears and cell counts. 50 microlir of blood were collected into heparinized tubes from the mice which had parasitemias of about 35% and diluted to 5ml [1:100] with phosphate buffered saline with a pH of 7.4. 100ml of the diluted parasitized blood were administered to each mouse by intraperitoneal injection. Mice were divided into two groups for the purpose of determining the potency of neem oil as a therapeutic agent and its protective action against malaria parasite. Group 1 was used to investigate the potency of the inhibitory action of purified neem oil on the growth of Plasmodium berghei w. the mice. All animals were infected with parasitemia 24hr before treatment with neem oil was started. Each animal received a single intraperitoneal injection of 100 microlir of parasitized blood and allowed to live in the same environment for 24hr. They were then divided into five batches and treated with appropriate amounts of neem oil per batch per animal The control batch was treated with water only. The development of parasitemia was recorded every 24hr. Group 2 was used to investigate the protective role of neem oil against invading malaria parasites. All animals were sub-divided into five batches and treated with an appropriate dose of neem oil by gastric intubation. After 24hr, each animal received a single intraperitoneal injection of 100 microlir of parasitized blood. The batch group was treated with the parasitized blood and water only. Purified neem oil extract showed a very strong inhibitory effect on the growth of rodent malaria parasite. This effect was confirmed by a gradual decline in the parasitemia in mice following administration of neem oil. Neem extract has a strong inhibitory effect on the growth of malarial parasite and thus can be used in the prevention and treatment of malaria