Gastric acid anti-secretory, anti-ulcerogenic and mucogenic effects of aqueous leaves' extract of Ocimum gratissimum in rats.

In this study, albino Wistar rats were placed on normal rats chow + drinking water and/or 500mg/kg, 1000mg/kg body weight of the Ocimum gratissimum extract orally, once daily for 28 days and gastric acid, mucus and ulcers determined. All the rats received normal rat chow + drinking water ad libitum for 28 days. Gastric acid, mucus secretion and ulcer scores were determined with standard procedures. Results showed that the mean basal gastric acid output for control, low dose and high dose groups were 11.28 ± 0.70, 8.04 ± 0.57 and 6.14 ± 0.67 µmol/hr respectively. The high dose extract recipients had a significantly reduced gastric acid output compared with control and low dose. Increase in gastric acid output as induced by histamine was highest in high dose (599.02%), followed by low dose 426.28%, then control (221.28%). Administration of ranitidine was observed to attenuate the effect of histamine in all the groups. The high dose group also had a significantly higher mean gastric mucus and lower ulcer levels compared with other groups. In conclusion, the aqueous leaves extract of Ocimum gratissimum decrease gastric acid secretion and ulceration, it also produced an increase in the gastric mucus secretion. If these results are applied to man, it could be beneficial in the management of peptic ulcers and other related complications.

Phytochemistry and some haematological changes following oral administration of ethanolic root extract of Gongronema latifolium in rats.

Gongronema latifolium is a climbing perennial plant that belongs to the family of asclepidaceae. The medicinal uses of the leaves and stem bark extract of Gongronema latifolium has been reported in many scientific literatures to include anti-hyperglycaemic, anti-ulcerative etc. There is paucity in scientific reports on the medicinal properties of the root extract. This study was therefore designed to elucidate the phytochemical constituents and effect of ethanolic root extract of Gongronema latifolium on some hematological parameters. Eighteen (18) albino Wistar rats were randomly assigned into 3 groups of 6 rats each. Group 1 [control] was fed on normal rat chow, the test groups [group 2 and 3] in addition received extract treatment [p.o] at a dose of 100mg/kg and 200mg/kg respectively. The feeding regimens lasted for 14 days and all animals had access to tap water. Results show that the extract contains polyphenols, glycosides, reducing sugars and alkaloids. The mean RBC count for control was 4.44+/-0.15x10(6)cells/mm3, this did not differ significantly from the test groups. The total WBC counts were 3.79+/-0.15x10(3) cells/mm3, 3.37+/-0.19x10(3)cells/mm3 and 5.54+/-0.39x10(3)cells/mm3 for groups 1, 2, and 3 respectively. WBC was significantly [P<0.01] higher in the high dose [group 3] compared with control. Mean PCV [%] were 33.60+/-0.81, 37.20+/-0.80 and 34.80+/-1.35 for groups 1, 2, and 3 respectively. The PCV was significantly [P<0.05) higher in low dose extract recipients [group 2] than in control. Hb content, MCV and MCH did not differ significantly among the groups, but MCHC was significantly lower in the test groups compared with control group. Neutrophils were significantly [P<0.001] reduced in the test groups, while the eosinophils and monocytes count were significantly increased in the test groups than in controls. In conclusion, the extract has little or no effect on RBC count, PCV, MCV and MCH. But low doses of the extract significantly increased the Hb count while high doses significantly increased WBC count, probably due to increase in eosinophil and monocyte counts. MCHC was dose-dependently reduced. The extract was also observed to contain polyphenols, alkaloids, glycosides and reducing sugars.

Stimulation of insulin secretion by Viscum album (mistletoe) leaf extract in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Twenty male white rats (250-300 g) of Wistar strain were randomly divided into two batches, the normoglycaemic batch and the streptozotocin-induced diabetic batch often rats each. Animals in each batch were further divided into two groups of five rats per group. After an overnight fast (12 hrs), animals in each group received D-glucose load (2.0 g/kg.i.v) under pentobarbital anaesthesia, with or without the crude extract (100 mg/kg/iv). Blood samples were collected intravenously at 15 min intervals for 3 hrs. for analysis of glucose, insulin and glucagon levels. From the results, the extract (100 mg/kg) did not appear to have any significant effect on the blood glucose level of normal rats, but produced about 35.3% decrease in the diabetic rats. Despite the apparent lack of action on glucose level of normal rats, the extract stimulated insulin secretion by about 92.9% (% control) in this group, and about 81.5% in the diabetic group (% control). The glucagon level was not altered by the extract in the normal rats. In the diabetic group, there was mild but significant suppression ofglucagon level after the first 1 hr. which lasted for about 50 min. We suggest that this extract from V. album leaves may possess antihyperglycaemic, insulinotropic, and possibly, mild glucagonostatic agent(s) and may therefore be a candidate for the anti-diabetic drugs.

Chemical and Biological Characterization of a Crude Venom Extract from the Sea Anemone-Bunodosoma Aavernata

Background: Sea-anemones; in common with other members of the phylum cnidaria (coelenterate) possess numerous tentacles containing specialized stinging cells of cnido-cysts. Our main objective is to elucidate the chemical character and biological properties of this Nigerian species of sea anemone Bunodosoma cavernata with a view to providing investigators a scientific basis for future research. Methods: The Nigerian species of sea anemone-Bunodosoma cavernata were collected at Opuaduakiri fishing port in Bonny town; Rivers State; Nigeria. The animal extract was prepared according to standard procedure. The protein content of the extract and percentage protein in the whole animal were also estimated following standard methods. Other biochemical constituents of the animal estimated were the total lipids; carbohydrate; moisture and the mineral content. The stability of the extract and an arbitrary unit of biological activity of the extract were also determined. Results: From the results; the protein content of the crude extract was 0.5 mg protein/ml for a 10-fold diluted extract; while the percentage total protein was about 39.4. The percentage lipid was about 14.9while carbohydrate was probably absent. The moisture content was about 95.7with about 3.4mineral content. The extracts prepared from fresh animals showed the highest activity or potency while the freeze-dried extract lost their potency after about 6 months storage. The result showed that the bulk of the animal was water with very low mineral content. On the biochemical constituents; protein level was the highest and the animal was probably devoid of carbohydrates. Conclusion: We conclude that the anemone (B. cavernata) extract is probably highly toxic and it is very likely that the difficulty in storage which resulted in loss of its biological activities was due to the proteinaeceous nature of the animal

Effect Crude Extract of Viscum album (mistletoe) on Plasma Lipids : an insight into its possible Antihyperglycaemic and Antihypertensive Properties

Background: Reports on the hypoglycaemic property of mistletoe leaf is abundant in the literature. In this study; we have investigated this property in relation to the lipid profile in Wistar rats.Methods: Six groups of five rats per group were used for the study. Diabetes was induced with alloxan (60mg/kg. ip) and hypertension by high salt- loading. The treated groups received the crude extract (150mg/kg. oral) for 5 weeks in addition to normal rat feed; water ad libitum. Plasma glucose; total cholesterol; triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol levels were determined using standard procedures.Results: The diabetic and the hypertensive rats had about 30.8and 9.1increase in blood sugar levels respectively compared to the control. The extract (150 mg/kg. oral) produced about 84.2and 33.2(P0.05) decrease in blood sugar levels in the diabetics and hypertensives respectively. Also the total cholesterol; triglyceride; and LDL-cholesterol levels were increased in both diabetics and hypertensives (P 0.05). The LDL levels were lowered by the extract by about 21.4and 24.3(P0.05) in the diabetics and hypertensives respectively. Finally the extract also produced about 34.5and 8.3depression of blood pressure of the hypertensives and normotensives respectively.Conclusion: We suggest the reduction of plasma lipid fractions by the extract as being responsible for the antihyperglycaemic and antihypertensive activities of the mistletoe extract

Increased plasma total cholesterol and high density lipoprotein levels produced by the crude extract from the leaves of Viscum album (mistletoe).

The effect of an aqueous extract prepared from the leaves of Viscum album (Mistletoe) on plasma cholesterol and albumin levels in male Wistar rats was studied. Lethality studies revealed that the extract had an LD50 value of 417.0 mg/kg mice, intraperitoneally. The rats were randomly divided into seven (7) groups of 5 rats per group with one animal per metabolic cage. Group one served as the control (C1), groups two to six were treated with extract (200 mg/kg body weight orally and daily) for a maximum of ten (10) weeks, whereas, group seven (C2) received no extract treatment but was fed on normal rat chow. All the rats had free access to rat food and drinking water. The first group (C1) was sacrificed a fortnight after the commencement of the experiment, while group seven (C2) was sacrificed at the end (10th week) of the experiment. The extract-treated groups were sacrificed respectively in the order two, four, six, eight and ten week of extract administration. Whole blood was collected from these groups for analysis. Results showed significant [P < 0.01] increases in the level of total cholesterol (TC) from 1.92 +/- 0.11 mMol/L to 2.59 +/- 0.02 mMol/L (about 35% increase) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL) from 0.95 +/- 0.02 mMol/L to 1.50 +/- 0.08 mMol/L (about 58.50% increase) at week ten. The LDL levels, the total protein and albumin levels did not show any significant change from the control values. From the results, it is suggested that the crude aqueous extract from mistletoe leaf may be relatively safe for therapeutic use as it neither predisposes to cardiovascular risk nor adversely affects protein metabolism following prolonged period of administration.