Vol 16, No 4 ,2015, African Scientist

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a progressive form of hair follicle shrinkage that is caused by dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and oxidative stress, and it remains a global dermatological and socio-emotional distress. Conventional remedies like minoxidil and finasteride are known to cause side effects, this has forced the need for plantbased remedies.

Forests in Nigeria continue to face substantial pressure from agriculture, population growth, logging, and other forms of land conversion. Reliable information on land use and land cover dynamics is therefore essential for sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation. This study assessed land cover changes within Shasha Forest Reserve, Osun State, Nigeria, over 36 years using Landsat satellite imagery acquired in 1987, 2002, and 2023.

The rapid rate of land use and land cover (LULC) change has become a major concern, especially in tropical forests, where anthropogenic activities continue to strain natural resources. Forest degradation affects biodiversity, climate regulation, soil stability, and ecosystem balance. This study examined the spatial and temporal changes in land use and land cover within the Gilli-Gilli Forest Reserve, Edo State, Nigeria, over 37 years from 1986 to 2023.

Diarrhoea is one of the major health issues in the developing world due to poor water and sanitation. The methanol extract of the fruit of Chrysobalanus icaco (Coco plum) was evaluated for the prophylactic anti-diarrhoeal activity against castor oil-induced diarrhoea in Swiss mice. Diarrhoea was induced in the mice experimentally by castor oil administration, and the anti-diarrhoeal activity of various doses of the fruit extract (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg) was assessed against a control group and a reference group treated with loperamide (3 mg/kg).

Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the world today and has increased in use as weed resistance has developed. Due to its effectiveness and affordability, “Roundup”, a commercialized formulation of glyphosate, is today the second most widely used herbicide in urban areas and in agriculture. The increased use of glyphosate and glyphosatebased herbicides has led to adverse toxic effects on the environment, animals, and humans, even at low concentrations.

Vegetables are a rich source of essential vitamins and its consumption is a key part of diets globally.However, consuming inadequately washed vegetables could serve as avenue for passage of intestinal parasites into the body. This study was aimed at investigating the occurrence of parasites in commonly consumed vegetables in Benin City.Vegetable samples were washed in saline and the sediment was examined using ZnSO4 floatation technique for parasites detection. An overall prevalence of 87.0% was recorded. All the Curry leaf samples examined were contaminated.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder marked by persistent hyperglycemia, which progressively impairs multiple organ systems. This study evaluated the histopathological effects of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes on the pancreas, liver, and kidneys of Wistar rats, and also assessed the protective potential of the methanol leaf extract of Justicia carnea. Thirty-six male Wistar rats were assigned to six groups (n = 6). Group 1 served as the normal control, while diabetes was induced in the remaining groups with STZ (50 mg/kg).

Streptozotocin (STZ) is a chemical compound known to damage pancreatic β-cells and cause hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia plays a key role in glomerular, mesangial cell, and tubular damage in kidneys. Metabolic dysregulation, including hyperglycemia, initiates cellular damage in the kidneys. The present study investigated the modulatory effect of aqueous extract of Dialium guineense (AEDG) stem bark on oxidative status of diabetic rat kidneys.

Oxidative stress is implicated in the pathogenesis of diseases, such that drugs with strong antioxidant property are promoted for health management. The present study evaluated the modulatory effect of aqueous extract of Dialium guineense (AEDG) stem bark on oxidative status of diabetic rat liver. Adult male rats (Wistar strain, n = 20, mean weight = 165 ± 15 g) were randomly assigned to four groups (5 rats/group): control, diabetic, metformin, and extract groups. Diabetes mellitus (DM) was induced in the rats via intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 50 mg/kg body weight, bwt).

Hydrocarbon pollution poses significant threats to soil health by disrupting microbial communities and enzyme activities essential for nutrient cycling. This study examined the potential of cassava mill effluent (CME), as a nutrient-rich organic waste, in enhancing bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon-degraded soil by monitoring its impact on the activities of specific soil enzymes such as urease, phosphatase and dehydrogenase.