Anatomy and Physiology in Health and Illness

Phytonutrients and antinutrientscomposition of D.edulis fruits at different maturation stages was investigated. Samples used were at the fully matured but not darkened, half darkened and full darkened stages. Results obtained for phytochemicals showed that alkaloids were present in fully matured but not darkened, and half darkened stages of the samples in high concentrations. Oxalates were present in high concentrations in half darkened and full darkened stages of the investigated fruits while tannins were highly concentrated in full darkened stage of the fruits only. Screened vitamins revealed moderate concentrations of thiamine in half and full darkened stages whereas pyridoxine concentration was moderately high in fully matured but not darkened and half darkened stages of the samples. Mineral results showed that concentrations of sodium, calcium, and magnesium were highest in full darkened stage of the fruits, phosphorus and iron were highest in fully matured but not darkened stage while copper, zinc and potassium were highest in half darkened stage of the studied fruits. The present study has revealed the phytonutrients and antinutrients composition of D.edulis fruits at different maturation stages.

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Phytonutrients and antinutrients screening of D.edulis fruits at differentmaturation stages

Toxic effect of Carica papaya	bark on body weight, haematology and
some biochemical parameters was investigated. Two-five out of
thirty-five male albino rats allocated to five groups were sacrificed
for the analysis. One group served as the control and the rest were
test groups. The control group was placed on pelletized rat feed while
that of the test groups were compounded feed of pelletized rat feed and
ground sample of C. papaya bark. The rats were placed on tap water
while the feed administration lasted. Results obtained showed that %
average weight change, haematological and some biochemical parameters
were significantly (p<0.05) affected in test rats against those of
the control. This study has shown the toxic effect of C. papaya bark on
body weight, haematology and some biochemical parameters

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Toxic effect of carica papayabark on body weight, haematology, andsome biochemical parameters

Indigenous vegetables have gained attention due to their dietary fibre, mineral, amino acids, phytochemicals, and antioxidant activities. Bitter leaf (BL); Efinrin leaf (EF); Koro owu or cotton seed leaf (KO); Marugbo leaf (MA); Ewedu leaf (EW) and Ira leaf (IR) are common Nigeria indigenous vegetables. These vegetables were processed into soup and analysed for proximate, mineral, amino acids, phytochemicals, and antioxidant activities. The crude fibre content of the vegetable ranged from 2.70 g/100 g in BL to 8.63 g/100 g in MA. It was observed that MA soup had the highest calcium content (42.89 mg/100 g) while the phytochemicals (mg/g) - tannin, phytate, oxalate, total phenol and total flavonoids values ranged as follows: 0.80–7.30; 2.00–32.76; 0.63–5.77; 1.06–9.12 and 0.61–19.50 respectively. The branch chain amino acid content ranged from 10.75 in MA to 14.67 in BL, total non-essential amino acids (35.32 in BL – 57.97 g/100 g in KO) and total essential amino acid (25.70 in MA – 32.34 g/100 g in KO) respectively. The DPPH ranged between 32.32 and 97.24%. Hence, consumption of these processed Nigerian indigenous vegetables soups may be beneficial in prevention and treatment of diet related diseases. 

Nutrient, amino acids, phytochemical and antioxidant activities of common Nigeria indigenous soups

Background: Vernonia amygdalina is a green leafy vegetable that grows in tropical Africa and popularly cultivated in the southern part of Nigeria for its economic, nutritional and ethnomedicine value. Aims: This study analysed the influence of copper-induced abiotic stress on the deoxyribonucleic acid and secondary metabolites of V. amygdalina . Setting: Analyses of plant material were carried out in the Department of Botany, Lagos State University. Methods: Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extraction and Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) amplification were performed. Copper (Cu) concentration in leaves and stem of V. amygdalina was determined using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), secondary metabolites were determined using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and the effect on DNA amplification and profiling was analysed using gel electrophoresis. Results: After 41 days of cultivation, the stem of V. amygdalina significantly bioaccumulated 37 mg/L, 50 mg/L and 215 mg/L of Cu after spiking with 400 mg/L, 1000 mg/L and 2000 mg/L, respectively, whilst the leaves accumulated 52 mg/L, 100 mg/L and 350 mg/L of Cu, respectively. Copper-impregnated soil influenced phytochemicals of the plants by causing inconsistent increase and decrease in specific compounds such as levomenthol, methyl stearate and glycerine. Deoxyribonucleic acid bands of the stem and leaf of V. amygdalina from control site showed no band shift, whilst band shift occurred in the stem and leaf of the Cu-spiked V. amygdalina. Conclusion: This study revealed the leaves of V. amygdalina having higher Cu accumulation capacity than the stems. Also, Cu alters the quality and quantity of phytochemicals in plant parts.

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Secondary metabolites profiling of Vernonia amygdalina Del. in response to copper-induced abiotic stress

The study was carried out to investigate the protective effects of bi-herbal formulation of aqueous extracts of Vernonia amygdalina and Gongronema latifolium against gentamicin induced nephrotoxicity and liver injury in rats. Forty (n=40) male Wistar albino rats were procured and separated into five groups. Groups I and II served as normal control and experimental control respectively. Groups III to V served as test groups. Rats of experimental control (group II) and test groups were induced with lethal dose of gentamicin. Test groups III and IV were placed on herbal formulation of aqueous extracts of V .amygdalina and G. latifolium respectively, whereas rats in test Original Research Article Constance et al.; AJRB, 7(4): 12-20, 2020; Article no.AJRB.59205 13 group V received bi-herbal formulation of aqueous extracts of V. amygdalina and G. latifolium. Nephrotoxic indices such as urea reduced significantly (p<0.05) in test groups (III, IV, and V) when compared to experimental control (group II) and normal control (group I). Creatinine also reduced significantly (p<0.05) in test groups III and V against group II (experimental control), and increased insignificantly (p>0.05) in test group V when compared to normal control (group I). Rats induced with gentamicin had upsurge in liver enzymes indicating possible compromise of hepatocellular integrity but the ameliorating effects of the herbal formulations were seen clearly in test groups in this study as they tried to protect the hepatocellular integrity. The bi-herbal formulation of aqueous extract of 5% v/v each of V. amygdalina and G. latifolium offered the best protection as observed in this study. This study has revealed the protective effects of bi-herbal formulation of aqueous extract of V. amygdalina and G. latifolium against gentamicin induced nephrotoxicity and liver injury in rats.

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Protective Effects of Bi-Herbal Formulation of Aqueous Extracts of Vernonia amygdalina and Gongronema latifolium against Gentamicin Induced Nephrotoxicity and Liver Injury in Rats

Chemical composition of three different eggplant fruit species was studied using standard methods. Solanum aethiopicum, Solanum melongena and Solanum macrocarpon fruit species were used as samples. Results obtained showed high moisture, phytate and oxalate contents in the investigated fruit species. Vitamin concentrations of the investigated fruits ranged from high to low. One or two of the investigated fruits possessed a higher amount of the chemical compounds than others. This study has shown the comparative study of the chemical composition of three different eggplant fruit species.

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Ezekwe Ahamefula

Papers

Protective Effects of Bi-Herbal Formulation of Aqueous Extracts of Vernonia amygdalina and Gongronema latifolium against Gentamicin Induced Nephrotoxicity and Liver Injury in Rats

Comparative Study of Chemical Composition of Three Different Eggplant Fruit Species