2016

Genotoxicity testing represents a powerful line of evidence for assessing impacts from chemical contaminants in drinking water. In this study, fifteen brands of sachet water, five of which do not have the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) registration numbers, were collected in the Benin metropolitan city square in Edo State of Nigeria and subjected to cytological evaluation using the macroscopic and microscopic parameters in Allium cepa L.

Numerous health benefits of consuming eggplant fruits (Solanum melongena L.) have been reported. This research was carried out to determine some of the constituents responsible for its nutritional and medicinal properties. The unripe fruits of Solanum melongena L. (round variety) were evaluated for its phytosterol, phenolic acid, amino acid and sugar profiles by gas chromatography. The Phytosterol analysis showed the presence of seven phytosterols and sitosterol (233 ± 0.852 mg/100g) was found to be significantly higher (p<0.01) than the other phytosterols.

Below-ground carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions occur naturally at CO2 springs, but the risk of occurrence at other sites will increase as geologic CO2 storage is implemented to help mitigate climate change. This investigation examines the effect of controlled injection of below ground CO2 emission on wheat plant and soil microbial respiration where spring wheat (triticum aestivum L.) was grown. The study involved setting up eight (8) experimental plots (each 2.5 x 2.5m) for the growth of spring wheat.

Proximate and elemental analysis of Beta vulgaris was carried out using standard procedures. Ethanolic and aqueous extract of the root were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively for phytochemicals. The agar well diffusion assay was employed to determine the antibacterial activity of both ethanolic and water extracts of Beta vulgaris. Carbohydrate, protein, fat/oils, ash and moisture content were 9.50±0.01, 1.58±0.00, 0.23±0.00, 1.43±0.01 and 88.69±1.20 % respectively. The mineral content ranged from 1.90±0.01 to 15.98±0.01 % with calcium being the lowest and manganese the highest.

There is an urgent need for agents with improved efficacy against pancreatic cancer, as only 20% of pancreatic cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy respond to treatment. This study investigated the antiproliferative attributes of hydroethanolic and aqueous leaf extracts of Stachytarpheta cayennensis on human pancreatic carcinoma cell lines (AsPC-1).

The study was aimed at generating callus from immature inflorescence and young leaf explants of coconut (Cocos nucifera L). Eeuwen’s medium which was supplemented with Murashige and Skoog macro salts, 6- Benzylamino purine (BAP) and 6-y dimethylally amino purine (2iP) at concentration of 1 mg/l each, was used as the culture medium. The effect of different concentrations of growth regulators when added to the culture medium was tested on callus generation.

Solanum melongena L. (round variety) is an eggplant that is commonly called “garden egg” in Nigeria. The unripe fruit is often eaten as snack, dessert or vegetable. The dried fruit powder was evaluated for its alkaloid, flavonoid and fatty acid profiles by Gas Chromatography (GC). The vitamin profile was estimated by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The alkaloid profile showed the presence of high amounts of solamargine (134 ± 0.719 mg/100g) and solasonine (115 ± 0.455 mg/100g), with other alkaloids present in lower amounts.

Fresh vegetables water leaf (Talinum traingnlare), pumpkin leaf (Telfairia occidentalis) and scent leaf (Ocinum gratissimum) collected from urban markets in Benin City, Nigeria, were investigated for the presence of Vibrio species using standard microbiological techniques. The antibiotic susceptibility profiles of the isolates against a panel of 13 antibiotics, was carried out according to the method described by The National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCCLS).

Phaseolus vulgaris L. seeds were grown in soil treated with different concentrations of cadmium to investigate its effect on germination and growth. The seeds were sown in three replicates of 5 kg soils treated with 25, 50, 75 and 100 mg/kg of cadmium and control. Toxicity effects increased with increasing concentration. Germination was significantly affected as data recorded for the various treatment showed great inhibition along the concentration gradient. Cadmium treated soil of 100 mg/kg caused death to experimental plants before 28 days.

Senna alata and Senna podocarpa are medicinal plants widely used in complementary and alternative medicine in the treatment of various diseases, in southwestern Nigeria. The in vitro cytotoxic and genotoxic potential of a formulation composed of methanolic leaf extract of S. alata (75%) and S. podocarpa (25%), on Human Epithelial Squamous Carcinoma (HEp-2) cells was investigated.