Studies on Phytochemical, Nutraceutical Profiles and Potential Medicinal Values of Allium sativumLinn (Lilliaceae) on Bacterial Meningitis

The studies on phytochemical, nutraceutical profiles and potential medicinal values of Allium sativumlinn (lilliaceae) on bacterial meningitis were evaluated against bacterial meningitis pathogens. The methods employed in this study were validation of phytochemical screening which was done according to standard methods, determination of nutritional composition was carried out using analytical automated instruments (Atomic Absorption Spectrometers) and evaluation of in vitro antibacterial activities of the extracts against clinical isolates using agar-well diffusion and broth dilution methods. The clinical isolates of meningitis pathogens, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitides, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzaeand Escherichia coliwere obtained from Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Shika-Zaria. The collected bulbs of A. sativum(600g) were washed and air dried under shade for 2 hours and the dry scaly outer covering was peeled-off to obtain the fresh garlic cloves which were then divided into three parts of 200 g each. These three portions were crushed separately for cold extraction. The first portion was homogenized and poured into a muslin cloth to squeeze out the juice, while second and third portions were homogenized and submerged into 500 ml of 96% ethanol and 500 ml of distilled water respectively for 24 hours and both filteredafter thorough shaking. The first and second portions were freeze dried, while the third portion was evaporated over water bath at 50°C to obtain the powdered yield. The phytochemical screening of A. sativum extracts (JEAS, EEAS and AEAS) revealed the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, cardiac glycosides, fats & oils, flavonoids, saponins and steroidal terpenoids. The results obtained as nutritional profiles from analytical automated machines analysis showed that A. sativumcontained all classes of foodnutrients such as carbohydrate, protein, fat and oils, dietary fibres, and vitamins together with zeolite herbominerals (nanopharmacologic effects). JEAS and EEAS extracts were potent in (0.94 ± 0.01 minutes), (0.99±0.04) and antibacterial activities while and AEAS (1.20±0.04) showed low activity, inhibiting the clinical bacterial isolates Neisseria meningitides, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzaeand Escherichia coliwith diameter of zone of inhibition ranging from 15-36 mm at concentrationsof 10, 15, 20 and 25 mg/ml. It produced significant (p<0.05) antibacterial activity while EEAS and AEAS showed low activities, except Klebsiella pneumoniaewhich was resistant to the three extracts concentrations used. The extracts inhibited the growth ofthe bacterial isolates in a concentration dependent manner with MICs ranging between 0.04-1.56 mg/ml while MBCs was 0.10-2.50 mg/ml respectively the findings from this study could be of interest and suggest the need for further investigations with a view to use the plant in novel drug development for BM therapy. The outcome of this study could therefore justify the ethnomedical and folkloric usage of A. sativumto treat bacterial meningitis locally

Antiplasmodial Activity of Aqueous leaf Extract of Mucuna Pruriens Linn in Mice Infected with Plasmodium Berghei (Nk-65 Strain).

The antiplasmodial activity of the aqueous leaf extract of Mucuna pruriens (M. pruriens) was evaluated against Plasmodium berghei NK-65 strain in mice. The plant was selected based on their traditional claims for treatment of fever and other malaria related diseases in southeastern region of Nigeria. An aqueous leaf extract (90 – 270 mg/kg) was investigated for antiplasmodial activity against Chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium berghei infections in mice. The antiplasmodial activity during early and established infections as well as prophylactic action of the plant in blood was investigated. Chloroquine (10 mg/kg) and pyrimethamine (1.2 mg/kg) were used as positive controls. The extract (90 – 270 mg/kg) dose dependently reduced parasitaemia induced by Chloroquine sensitive Plasmodium berghei infection in suppressive, prophylactic and curative models in mice. The extract at these doses caused 60.06 – 71.75% inhibition of parasitaemia in the suppressive test, 65.97 – 84.38% parasitaemia inhibition in prophylactic test and a mean survival time of 16 – 30 days representing 64.41– 89.71% inhibition of parasitaemia in the curative test. These reductions were statistically significant (P<0.05) comparable to that of the standard drug used (Chloroquine and Pyrimethamine). These results show that the aqueous leaf extract of M. pruriens possesses significant (P<0.05) antiplasmodial activity which confirms its use in folkloric medicine in the treatment of fever and other malaria-related disease.

Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth: Phytochemistry and pharmacological properties outline.

This mini-review aims to outlining the beneficial impacts of the witch-weed parasitic plant; Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth. S. hermonthica plant beside its well-known devastating impacts on the most important food cereal crops in Africa and is deemed to be one of the main factors that threatens the food security in this continent; it does also have a beneficial side in the tradition medicine for the African people. S. hermonthica has a wide range of medicinal uses; the pharmacological abortificient effect, dermatosis, diabetes, leprosy ulcer, pneumonia and jaundice remedy, trypanocidal effects, antibacterial and anti-plasmoidal activities have been approved. Here, we focus mainly in the phytochemical studies, its applications in the remediation of both animal and human physiological and infectious diseases and Striga tissue culture advantage as biotechnological application for pharmaceutical production.

Comparative phytochemical screening of flowers of a few medicinal plants.

The flowers of a few medicinal plants such as Calotropis gigantea, Caesalpinia pulcherrima, Cassia auriculata, Azadiracta indica, Catharanthus roseus and Nerium oleander were collected, air dried, pulverized and subjected to methanol extraction. Methanol extracts were screened phytochemically for its chemical components. This revealed the presence of steroids, reducing sugars, triterpenoids, sugars, alkaloids, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, catechins, saponins, tannins, anthroquinons and amino acids. This study provides some scientific bases for the use of theses flowers as a remedy for some infectious diseases in folkloric medicine. The phytochemicals observed could be attributed to the presence of some of the active compounds which will be used for the treatment of various diseases.