THIS text-book of pharmacognosy has already found wide recognition among teachers and students of pharmacy. Its subject matter has grown from a laboratory manual intended for use in practical classes, and now comprises the requirements for the Chemist and Druggist Qualifying Examination of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. A Textbook of Pharmacognosy By T. C. Denston. Fourth edition. Pp. xviii + 594. (London: Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons, Ltd., 1945.) 27s. 6d. net.

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A Textbook of Pharmacognosy

https://jcp.bmj.com/content/jclinpath/30/7/686.1.full.pdf

Fundamentals of Clinical Chemistry

Dr. Henry, as director of a large laboratory specializing in clinical chemistry, is in a unique position for acquiring a personal familiarity with a wide variety of chemical methods. Surveying the literature of clinical chemistry, evaluating hundreds of published methods, and selecting that small fraction of material which can be included in a book certainly constitute an impressive task. Not since publication of Peters and Van Slyke's classic Quantitative Clinical Chemistry has anyone been courageous enough to undertake this project, and Dr. Henry has succeeded remarkably well. The first chapters of the book cover basic principles of analytical methods such as colorimetry, spectrophotometry, and flame photometry. The remaining chapters deal with analytical methods for specific substances, and for each substance one or two methods are given in sufficient detail to permit use of the book as a laboratory manual. No attempt is made to include methods such as gas chromatography

Clinical Chemistry: Principles and Technics

Organophosphates are one of the major constituent of herbicides, pesticides, insecticides and nerve gas. Azinophos-methyl, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, fonofos and disulfoton are well-known organophosph...

Toxicity, monitoring and biodegradation of organophosphate pesticides: A review

There is a growing interest in natural plant-based remedies as a source for commercial products. Around 80% of the South African population use traditional medicines to meet their primary health care needs; however, only a few South African medicinal plants have been exploited to their full potential in terms of commercialization. The opportunity for bioprospecting of plant compounds for novel pharmaceuticals remains largely untapped. Certain renowned medicinal plants of international acclaim including buchu and rooibos are currently contributing to local enterprise; however, other exciting opportunities exist for commonly used plants which have not yet reached the international arena. This paper focuses on the key research and development contributions of 10 commercially important medicinal plants of South Africa. Traditional uses, scientific validation, commercialisation developments, as well as both potential opportunities and setbacks are discussed.

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Commercially Important Medicinal Plants of South Africa: A Review

Constipation is the most common gastrointestinal complaint all over the world and it is a risk factor of colorectal cancer. In this study, the efficacy of aqueous leaf extract of Aloe ferox Mill. was studied against loperamide-induced constipation in Wistar rats. Constipation was induced by oral administration of loperamide (3 mg/kg body weight) while the control rats received normal saline. The constipated rats were treated with 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight/day of the extract for 7 days during which the feeding characteristics, body weight, fecal properties and gastrointestinal transit ratio were monitored. The extract improved intestinal motility, increased fecal volume and normalized body weight in the constipated rats, which are indications of laxative property of the herb with the 200 mg/kg body weight of the extract showing the best efficacy. The effect of the extract compares favourably well with senokot, a standard laxative drug. These findings have therefore, lent scientific credence to the folkloric use of the herb as a laxative agent by the people of the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

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The effect of Aloe ferox Mill. in the treatment of loperamide-induced constipation in Wistar rats

Diabetes is one of the most common metabolic disorders worldwide. It is a major health problem with its frequency increasing every day in most countries. The disease is generally believed to be incurable; and the few orthodox drugs available to manage the disease are not readily affordable to the poor. Based on the historical success of natural products as antidiabetic agents and the ever increasing need for new antidiabetics, a number of South African medicinal plants have been evaluated for their antidiabetic properties. In this article, we review the major studies conducted based on ethnobotanical surveys carried out between 2005 and 2008 in South Africa on plants that are traditionally used for the treatment of diabetes. Overall, the results of the studies conducted confirmed the potential of South African medicinal plants in antidiabetic drug discovery and identified a number of promising taxa for further in vivo investigation as plant-based antidiabetic agents.

In vivo Studies on Antidiabetic Plants Used in South African Herbal Medicine.

Background: The increase in the rate of infertility in women has prompted the need to search for plants with antifertility potentials. Objective: The effect of administration of aqueous extract of Cnidoscolous aconitifolius leaves for seven days on reproductive hormones of female Wistar rats was investigated. Materials and Methods: Sixty female albino rats were grouped into four (A, B, C and D) of 15 each. Group A (the control) received orally 6.5 ml kg -1 body weight of distilled water on daily basis for 7 days. Groups B, C and D were treated like the control except that they received 250, 500 and 1000 mg kg -1 body weight of the extract. Results: Phytochemical screening of the extract revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, phenolics, tannins, flavonoids, anthraquinones, phlobatannins and triterpenes. Administration of the extract produced significant increase (p<0.05) in the serum prolactin concentration whereas those of estradiol, progesterone, follicle stimulating and luteinizing hormones were significantly reduced. Conclusion: The alterations in the female rat reproductive hormones by the extract are indications of adverse effect on the maturation and ovulation of follicles. Consequently, the extract may impair fertility and conception in female rats. Thus, the Cnidoscolous aconitifolius leaf extract may be explored as a female contraceptive.

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Effect of Cnidoscolous aconitifolius (Miller) I.M. Johnston leaf extract on reproductive hormones of female rats

Biochemical investigations were carried out to assess the effect of consumption of crude oil contaminated catfish on the hepatocytes and performance of rat. Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) (n = 120) were grouped into 6 of 20 catfish each and held for 30 h in 5 different mixtures of crude oil polluted water (0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1% v/v). Catfish in the control group were held in borehole water. At the expiration of 30 h, the catfish were harvested and used to formulate diet. Albino rats (n = 60) were grouped into 6 of 10 rats each and fed on the formulated diet for a period of 30 days. Compared with the control, the result showed no significant difference (p>0.05) in the average daily feed intake in all the groups of rats. However, a significant reduction (p<0.05) was observed in the overall body weight, the liver-to-body weight ratio as well as the serum concentrations of albumin and globulin of rat as the amount of crude oil in the diet increased. A significant increase (p<0.05) was also observed in the serum bilirubin concentration of rats fed on diet formulated with crude oil contaminated catfish when compared with the control. Histological analysis also revealed that the architectural arrangement of the liver was altered following the consumption of diet containing catfish exposed to crude oil polluted water. Overall, the data obtained indicate a possible adverse effect on the performance and impaired liver function in the rats fed on diet containing catfish exposed to crude oil polluted water.
				
					 
				
					Key words: Crude oil, hepatocytes, catfish, albumin, globulin, bilirubin.

Biochemical assessment of the effects of crude oil contaminated catfish (Clarias gariepinus) on the hepatocytes and performance of rat

Artemisia afra Jacq. ex Willd. is a widely used medicinal plant in South Africa for the treatment of diabetes. This study aimed to evaluate the hypoglycemic activity and possible toxicity effect of aqueous leaf extract of the herb administered at different dosages for 15 days in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Administration of the extract at 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg body weight significantly () increased body weight, decreased blood glucose levels, increased glucose tolerance, and improved imbalance in lipid metabolism in diabetic rats. These are indications of antidiabetic property of A. afra with 200 mg/kg body weight of the extract showing the best hypoglycemic action by comparing favourably well with glibenclamide, a standard hypoglycemic drug. The extract at all dosages tested also restored liver function indices and haematological parameters to normal control levels in the diabetic rats, whereas the kidney function indices were only normalized in the diabetic animals administered with 50 mg/kg body weight of the extract. This investigation clearly showed that in addition to its hypoglycemic activity, A. afra may also protect the liver and blood against impairment due to diabetes. However, some kidney functions may be compromised at high dosages of the extract.

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TO Sunmonu

Papers

The effect of Aloe ferox Mill. in the treatment of loperamide-induced constipation in Wistar rats

In vivo Studies on Antidiabetic Plants Used in South African Herbal Medicine.

Effect of Cnidoscolous aconitifolius (Miller) I.M. Johnston leaf extract on reproductive hormones of female rats

Biochemical assessment of the effects of crude oil contaminated catfish (Clarias gariepinus) on the hepatocytes and performance of rat

Evaluation of Antidiabetic Activity and Associated Toxicity of Artemisia afra Aqueous Extract in Wistar Rats