Anticonceptive and Pharmacognostic Studies on the Seed and Diethyl Ether Extract of RICOM-1013-J

Aims: The anticonceptive effect of the diethyl ether extract of Ricinus communis Linn (RICOM 1013-1) was studied in rats alongside pharmacognostic properties, amino acids content and elemental analysis. Study Design and Methodology: 20 adult female albino Wistar rats were randomized into four experimental groups of five rats each. The first, second and third groups received 3, 10 and 20 mg/kg of diethyl ether extract administered subcutaneously (SC) in divided doses over two days, respectively. The fourth group received 0.1 ml of corn oil for two days and served as control. They were then mated with proven fertile males in a ratio of 3:1 and followed for three gestation periods. The first day of mating was termed day 0 of pregnancy. In addition, amino acid and elemental analyses were undertaken as well as a phytochemical screening of the seed of RICOM-1013-J. Results: At doses of 3, 10 and 20 mg/kg, RICOM-1013-J produced dose-dependent inhibition of pregnancy in female albino Wistar rats over three gestation periods. The total ash value obtained was 3.13 ± 0.26%, while the acid-insoluble and water-soluble ash values were 0.30 ± 0.003% and 0.20±0.003%, respectively. The yield to ethanol was much higher than the water-soluble extract. Essential and non-essential amino acids were not detected. K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ were present in high concentrations in the following order: defatted undecorticated>undecorticated>decorticated samples. Phytochemical screening indicated the presence of steroids and alkaloids whereas, triterpenes, tannins and flavonoids were absent. Conclusion: The pharmacognostic parameters, including elemental values, provide some preliminary data for identification of this species among many varieties reported in the literature.

Indigenous Knowledge and Management of Yam (Dioscorea Cayenensis –Dioscorea Rotundata Complex) Pests and Diseases in Northern Benin.

Yam (Dioscorea spp.)production in Northern Benin is severely affected by pests and diseases resulting in poor yields and cultivars diversity loss in spite of the importanceof thiscommodity.In order to develop efficient integrated pestsand diseases management approaches, twenty seven (27) villages of the yam production zone of northern Benin were surveyed using participatory research appraisal to document farmers’indigenous knowledge, and traditional management practices of yam pests and diseases. Results indicated that farmers have good knowledge of the yam pests and diseases that were even reported as the third most important production constraints in the study area. Among the pests and diseases nematodes, termites, mealybugs and wilt diseases were the most signaled. Farmers surveyed have traditional methods for mealybugs but nothing for the other pests and diseases apart from the use of resistant/tolerant cultivars. An undetermined disease locally called Ban was reported as expanding at alarming rate throughout villages and yam fields seriously affecting the food quality of the tubers. Urgent intervention zones were identified with multivariate analysis and recommended to the national protection service. The sensitization of the yam producers of the necessity of treating both soil and tuber seeds before planting, the development and the use of pests and diseases tolerant cultivars were proposed as management strategies. Also, the extension of the study to other yam producing regions of the country for identifying more cultivars tolerant to pests and diseases was recommended.