Vol 16, No 3 ,2015 , African Scientist

This study investigated effluents from three industrial facilities (alcoholic, non-alcoholic, and abattoir) located in Benin City, Nigeria, to ascertain the suitability of the discharges for aquatic life using the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus). The physicochemical properties and heavy metals assessment of the effluents were measured using standard methods, while the acute toxicity assays were done using a static bioassay with continuous aeration for 96 h under laboratory conditions.

Medicinal plants have long been explored for their therapeutic potential, especially in the search for new antimicrobial agents to address rising antibiotic resistance. Salvia hispanica (chia seeds) has attracted scientific interest due to its rich bioactive profile and associated health benefits. This study investigates the phytochemical composition and antimicrobial activity of aqueous and ethanolic seed extracts.

This study evaluated the ameliorative effects of a polyherbal formulation comprising Garcinia kola, Buchholzia coriacea, and Picralima nitida on hepatic function and pancreatic histomorphology in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic male Wistar rats. Thirty-five Wistar rats were randomly divided into seven groups: normal control, diabetic control, four groups treated with the polyherbal extract (100, 150, 200, and 250 mg/kg), and a positive control treated with metformin (50 mg/kg). Diabetes was confirmed 48 hours post-STZ injection (60 mg/kg).

Diarrhoeal diseases remain a global health challenge, with rising antimicrobial resistance driving the need for plant-based therapies. This study evaluated the phytochemical composition and anti-diarrhoeal activity of a bi-herbal aqueous extract derived from Psidium guajava and Ocimum gratissimum. The phytochemical analyses were performed using standard methods. The in vitro anti-diarrhoeal activity of the extract was assessed against selected diarrhoeagenic microorganisms (Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp., Shigella dysenteriae, and Aspergillus niger) using the agar well diffusion technique.

This study aimed to identify, quantify and compare the phytochemical constituents present in the ethanolic leaf extracts of four Cola species - Cola acuminata, Cola rostrata, Cola parchycarpa, and Cola nitida, using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The analysis revealed varying numbers of distinct peaks: 77 for C. acuminata, 47 for C. rostrata, 43 for C. parchycarpa, and 45 for C. nitida, indicating diverse phytochemical profiles among the species. In C. acuminata, 14-Pentadecenoic acid (5.93%) was the dominant compound, with a retention time of 33.746 minutes.

The release of hydrocarbons into the environment whether accidentally or through human activities is a main cause of water and soil pollution. This study investigated the effect of crude oil contamination and fertilizer treatment on soil physicochemical properties. Unpolluted soil samples obtained from the bed of Ovia River, Benin City, Nigeria, were contaminated with crude oil, and thereafter remediated with NPK/urea fertilizer. A range of physicochemical parameters were measured in both soil samples.

Bioremediation, an affordable and environmentally friendly technique, remains a viable strategy for tackling water and soil pollution. This study investigated microbial activities in crude oil-contaminated soils amended with fertilizer. Unpolluted soil samples obtained from the bed of Ovia River, Benin City, Nigeria, were contaminated with crude oil, and thereafter remediated with NPK/urea fertilizer. Textural classification of the soils showed that the clay soil contained 77 % clay, while that of the sandy-clay soil was 72 %.

This study investigate preliminary phytochemical analysis of aqueous Hura crepitans leaf, stem bark, and root. The result the phytochemical screening reveal that flavonoids, polysteroids, terpenoids, tannins, glycoside, alkaloids, phelonics, and saponins are present on leaves, stem bark, and root of Hura crepitans plant.

Previous investigations have demonstrated that Bryophyllum pinnatum enhances sperm characteristics, reproductive hormone levels, and testicular histoarchitecture in male rats. However, functional fertility outcomes following treatment remain inadequately documented. This study evaluated the fertility potential of B. pinnatum-treated male rats using mating efficiency, pregnancy rate, and litter size as definitive indices of male fertility. Adult male Wistar rats were orally administered B. pinnatum leaf extract at doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg body weight.

Emotion regulation (ER) is essential for psychological well-being, yet its psychosocial predictors remain understudied among African university populations. This study examined the social and psychological determinants of ER and the mediating effects of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression on the relationship between lifestyle quality and emotional distress among undergraduates in South-West Nigeria.