RESUMEN
Chemical analysis were carried out to investigate the bioactive constituents of Vernonia amygdalina and Jatropha gossypifolia and to determine the quality of saponin, alkaloid, and tannin contents of the selected plants. In comparing the bioactive constituents of Vernonia amygdalina and Jatropha gossypifolia, the results showed that there were significant presence of alkaloids, streoids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, condensed tannins, glycosides and reducing sugar in both plants while some were absent such as cardiac glycosides, hydrolysable tannin, phlobatannin, terpenoids, polysaccharide/starch and coumarin. The result also revealed the concentration of some of the bioactive compounds such as saponins 1.103 g/dm3 in Vernonia amygdalina compare with 1.079 g/dm3 in Jatropha gossypifolia. Tannins 26.48 g/dm3 in Vernonia amygdalina, 24.12 g/dm3 in Jatropha gossypifolia and alkaloids; 0.580 g/dm3 in Vernonia amygdalina, 0.7585 g/dm3 in Jatropha gossypifolia. The bioactive compounds detected in these plants are of therapeutic importance and their presence indicates the beneficial effects of the plants and also supports the use of these plants in ethno-medicine for the management of various ailments.
RESUMEN
@#Acetone, Hexane, Ethylacetate and Acetone / Hexane / Ethylacetate (50/30/20 v/v/v) extracts of Vernonia amygdalina leaves (Del, belonging to the family Asteraceae) were investigated for antimicrobial activities. Three different concentrations (100 mg/mL, 50 mg/mL and 25 mg/mL) of each extract were used against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Escherichia coli ATCC 25920 and Candida albicans. The disc diffusion method was used. Phytochemical screening and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis of constituents of the extracts were also carried out. Highest yield (14.25 %) after extraction was obtained for acetone extract followed by hexane extract (8.2 %), Acetone/Hexane/Ethylacetate extract (7.4 %) and ethylacetate (7.1 %) extract. Tannin, steroids, saponin, terpenoid, flavonoid, anthraquinones were present in each of the solvent extracts. Coumarin was present in both acetone and Acetone/Hexane/Ethylacetate extracts while glycosides were present only in the Acetone/Hexane/Ethylacetate extract. Protein was present in ethylacetate extract and absent in the other solvent extracts. The extracts revealed dose-dependent activities against all the test organisms. Highest range of inhibition zone (15.00 mm- 18.00 mm) was obtained for Acetone/Hexane/Ethylacetate extract at 25 mg/mL against the test organisms while lowest range of inhibition zone (7.00 mm- 10.00 mm) was obtained for acetone extract at 100 mg/mL. Various compounds (Oxalate, Phyrate, Epivernodalol, Vernodalol, Venonioside A, Vernonioside B, Vernodalin, Luteolin, Andrographolide, Andrographoside) were separated at different peak heights (mV) and at varying retention times from all the solvent extracts. The solvent extracts of Vernonia amygdalina can serve as good alternative to orthodox medicine in the treatment of infections associated with the three test organisms.
RESUMEN
The study evaluated the effect of combined extracts of Vernonia amygdalina (VA) and Gongronema latifolium (GL) on the pancreas of streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic Wistar rats. Thirty-two (32) albino rats were divided equally into 4 groups. Groups A and B which served as normal (NC) and diabetic (DC) controls respectively, received placebo treatment. The diabetic test groups C and D were respectively treated with combined extracts of VA and GL (200mg/kg b. w., p. o.) and insulin, (humulin 5 IU/kg, s.c.) for 28 days. Thereafter, the animals were sacrificed and blood and pancreas were collected for serum glucose and histological evaluation, respectively. Changes in animal weight were also measured within the period. From the results it was revealed that both the combined extracts and humulin significantly increased the animals’ body weight (p<0.05) from -10.5% reduction in the DC, to 7.6% and 8.9% respectively. In the same order, serum glucose significantly decreased (p<0.05) by 12.49% and 14.96% after the 28-day treatment compared to DC. The extent of reversal of hyperglycemia in the extract treated animals compared well with the insulin treated group. The biochemical results were corroborated with results of histological evaluations: The pancreatic β-cells of DC animals which were distorted and degenerated with shrunken cell mass as against prominent islet cells with normal exocrine pancreas of NC animals became rapidly proliferated upon intervention with the combined extracts, suggesting a possible regeneration of the islet cells. On the otherhand, intervention with humulin did not produce observable differences in the cyto-architecture of the pancreatic islets compared to the diabetic control, confirming an extra-pancreatic mechanism of insulin.