Volume 17, No 1 , 2016

This study investigated and compared the glycaemic rises following administration of various honey samples in rats. Five Nigerian honeys [Abakaliki honey (ABH), Calabar honey (CAH), Ezzamgbo honey (EZH), Lokoja honey (LOH), Okitipupa honey (OKH)] and one Malaysian honey (MAH) were administered to non-diabetic and alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) concentrations were measured at 0, 30, 60 and 120 min. Glucose parameters including peak blood glucose, area under curve, percentage variation in blood glucose (BG) and percentage change in BG were estimated.

This study was carried out to evaluate the hypoglycemic, hematologic and hypolipidemic potential of berry oil in alloxan-induced adult Wistar rat. Five groups of Wistar rats (4 rats per group) Group 1 served as “Normal control” rats and received normal rat pellets and water. Diabetes mellitus was induced in Groups 2, 3, 4, and 5 by intraperitoneal injection of alloxan (160 mg/kg). Group 3 rats were treated with glibenclamide (5 mg/kg body weight), groups 4 and 5 received 500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg body weight of Berry oil daily respectively for 21 days via oral gavage.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of poultry manure on the growth of Amaranthus caudatus with a view to establishing the optimum poultry manure treatment for its growth. The study was carried out between the months of February and May 2020, in a portion beside the botanical garden in the University of Benin, consisted of three (03) treatments namely PM1 (10%), PM2 (20 %), and PM3 (30 %) with poultry manure and control (PM0) in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) and replicated three times.

This study was carried out in the undergraduate project plot of the department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, University of Benin from March to July 2020, to determine the impact of lead contamination on okra plant. A field experiment was conducted using 4 levels of Pb pollution namely 25, 50, 75, 100 mg/kg and control. Each bag containing 5 kg of air dried sandy loam soil was arranged in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replicates. Five (05) seeds were sown in each bag. All bags were watered regularly. Plants were thinned down to one per bag after a week of emergence.

Phytochemical and gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GCMS) analysis of the ethanolic extract of Uvaria ovata (Uo) roots was carried out. Phytochemical analysis showed high amounts of alkaloids, tannins and flavonoids, moderate amounts of saponins, terpenes and cardiac glycosides, while steroids and phenols were found in little quantities. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry analysis revealed the presence of eleven compounds, of which D-Streptamine and Cystine were prominent.

Therapeutic plants have kept on drawing in consideration worldwide in the quest for powerful antimicrobial drugs that can battle resistant pathogens that have rendered numerous conventional medications out of date in the treatment of diseases. As such this study was carried out to evaluate the ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used for oral pathogens among Esan tribe in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State. A total of four medicinal plants were collected and identified as follows: Harungana madagascariensis, Jatropha curcas, Aframomum melegueta and Plumbago zeylanica.

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most significant pathogens causing nosocomial infections. Twelve (12) methicilllin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains obtained from clinical samples in Abia State, Nigeria was subjected to DNA fingerprinting by Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis to examine their genotypic polymorphism and subsequently determine the degree of genetic relatedness among the various isolates. DNA extraction was carried out by boiling method and quantified using nanodrop1000 spectrophotometer.

Aspergillus niger popularly known as industrial workhorse due to its fitness for industrial fermentation, has the potentials to secret citric acid. In view of surges in demand and growing markets for citric acid, the major attempt in this work was to determine how the product titres can be maximized. A. niger strains were isolated from various food substances. These strains were exposed to UV radiation at 356nm followed by subsequent subjection of the mutant strains to a medium containing chlorate as mutagen.

Microbial activities contribute significantly to the global economic burden of corrosion. The sulphatereducing bacteria (SRB) are major cause of biocorrosion in anoxic environments. This study investigated the corrosion inhibition efficiency of Gmelina arborea extracts against corrosion of carbon steel caused by SRB isolated from injection and produced water from Bonga oilfield. The SRB isolation, antimicrobial assay and corrosion experiments were carried out in a Coy anaerobic chamber.

Insects of the taxonomic order Coleoptera are recognized for considerable cellulolytic activity in their digestive tract. However, the cellulolytic activity of the gut microbiome of the African palm weevil (Rhynchoporus phoenicis), has not been reported. Thus, this study aimed at isolating cellulose degrading bacteria from the gut of the insect’s larva and assessingtheir cellulolytic activities. The larva of the insect was dissected and inoculated in carboxymethylcellulose-Congo red (CMC-CR) agar medium and incubated at room temperature (28±2) for 14 days.