Potentiometric Studies on the dissociation constants of amino acids were carried out. The dissociation constants of amino acids were determined using ‘ORIGIN 50’ Program, as an attempt to find an alternative way for determination of the dissociation constants of amino acids, pKa, instead of the conventional calculation methods.
The study was to determine the level of toxicity of repeated administration of ethanol extract of a medicinal mushroom, Daldinia concentrica in animal model. Wistar albino rats of both sexes were sorted randomly into four groups of five rats each. Graded doses of 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg of the extract were administered orally, once daily for eight consecutive days to the rats in the respective groups, while control group received 10% tween 80 in distilled water only.
The study evaluates the gastro-protective activity of methanol extract of the leaves of Polyalthia longifolia (Sonn.) Thw. in Wistar rats. Single daily dose of the extract (200, 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight) were administered orally to the respective groups of experimental rats for 28-consecutive days. The control and standard groups received distilled water and ranitidine (10 ml/kg and 250 mg/kg body weight) respectively. At the end of the period, they were exposed to a single oral dose of 75% ethanol.
A number of studies on the diets of anurans from Nigeria have been reported, however, there is a paucity of information on the diets of arboreal anuran species. Examination of the stomach contents of two arboreal frogs; Chiromantis rufescens and Leptopelis spiritusnoctis collected at Okomu National Park in Edo State revealed a total of nine prey taxa. The preys recorded belonged to eight insect orders (Coleoptera 48.98%, Crustacea 1.02%, Dictyoptera 3.06%, Diptera 5.10%, Hymenoptera 19.3%, Isoptera 1.02%, Lepidoptera 2.04% and Orthoptera 18.37%) and a mollusk (Gastropoda 1.02%).
Fragaria ananassa (strawberry fruit) is a popularly consumed fruit that is well known to contain potent antioxidants. The effects of aqueous extract of Fragaria ananassa on the sperm parameters and hormones were investigated in male adult Wistar rats. Fifteen (15) male Wistar rats were used for this experiment and were randomly assigned into a control group (A) and two treatment group (B and C) with each group containing five animals (n=5 per group).
Physostigma venenosum Balf., known as Calabar beans (Fabaceae family) is a very poisonous plant with reported therapeutic properties. Many studies have shown its use in medicine for eye problems, glaucoma, constipation, epilepsy, cholera, hypertension and tetanus. In this study, quantitative phytochemistry, proximate analysis and mineral constituents of the ethanol extracts of Physostigma venenosum seeds were investigated using standard analytical chemical procedures.
The first and the most essential step in any genetic analysis is the extraction of good quality DNA. In this study, comparison of five different protocols of isolating total genomic DNA from Cowpea plant (Vigna unguiculata) was carried out. A total of 10 varieties of cowpea (V. unguiculata) were collected from IITA and planted in pots in a screenhouse in the Department of Botany, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
The Effects of Aqueous Extract of Ficus sycomorus leaves on the testis, epididymis and sperm parameters in adult male Wistar rats was investigated. Eighteen [18] adult male rats were used for the experiment. The rats were randomly assigned into three groups; control group (A) and two treatment groups (B and C) with each containing six rats (n=6/group).
The mortality of adult D. maculatus on fish treated with palm oil, groundnut oil, coconut oil and palm kernel oil at 2.5ml / kg, 5.0ml / kg and 10.0 ml kg respectively was monitored over a 15 day period. The highest mortality of 40% was recorded in groundnut oil, palm kernel oil and coconut oil at 10ml / kg treatment respectively at the end of the period. Lowest mortalities of 3.3% were recorded in the palm oil groundnut and coconut oil treatments at 2.5 ml/kg and 5.0 ml/kg respectively.
Participatory rural appraisal surveys aimed at determining farmers’ perception of plantain production constraints in Port Harcourt metropolis (specifically at Rivers State University [RSU], Nkoplu and the Agricultural Development Programme [ADP] farms, Rumuodomaya) have revealed: poor soil fertility, wind, “drought” and “disease” (in that order of importance) as the major militating factors to plantain (or Musa) production in this region.
