Showing papers on "Xylopia aethiopica published in 2007"

Nutritional Qualities of Three Medicinal Plant Parts (Xylopia aethiopica, Blighia sapida and Parinari polyandra) commonly used by Pregnant Women in the Western Part of Nigeria

Abstract: The nutritional potentials of three medicinal plant parts used by pregnant women in the western part of Nigeria Parinari polyandra, Blighia sapida and Xylopia aethiopica were evaluated through their proximate compositions as well as percentage mineral elements composition. Blighia sapida was high in crude fibre (44.09±2.20%) compared with Parinari polyandra and Xylopia aethiopica that were 4.21±1.10% and 12.14±0.70% respectively. Moisture contents of Xylopia aethiopica and Blighia sapida were 16.04±1.25% and 10.17±2.60% respectively while that of Parinari polyandra was 30.65±5.02%. The total ash contents of Parinari polyandra, Blighia sapida and Xylopia aethiopica were 2.53±1.20%, 3.66±1.20% and 4.37±0.85% respectively. The total fat of Xylopia aethiopica, Blighia sapida and Parinari polyandra were 9.55±2.10%, 1.25±0.20% and 0.53±0.15% respectively while the total protein of Blighia sapida, Xylopia aethiopica and Parinari polyandra were 2.1±0.25%, 2.1±0.20% and 7.09±0.20% respectively. The total carbohydrate of Xylopia aethiopica was 55.80±4.26%, that of Parinari polyandra was 54.27±3.20% and that of Blighia sapida was 39.45±2.20%. Xylopia aethiopica can be a good source of magnesium (2.236±0.095), phosphorus (0.620±0.04) and potassium (0.510±0.04) as the amount of these mineral elements were higher than that of the other plant parts with the exception of Parinari polyandra having 0.690±0.11% phosphorus. Blighia sapida is also a good source of phosphorus (0.400±0.20), magnesium (0.430±0.20) and calcium (0.348±0.15). Other mineral elements detected in reasonable amounts were calcium, zinc and sodium. Further tests revealed that heavy metals such as lead, chromium and cadmium were not detected. The results of this research indicated that the three plants parts have nutritional qualities that could provide the users with additional nutrients.

Toxicity Of Some Terpenoids Of Essential Oils Of Xylopia Aethiopica From Cameroon Against Sitophilus Zeamais Motschulsky

Abstract: The acute toxicity of essential oils from the whole fruit (EF) or from the fibres of the fruit (FF) of the local aromatic plants Xylopia aethiopica Dunal (Annonaceae) collected in north Cameroon was evaluated on Sitophilus zeamais adults. A concentration of 1 ml of essential oil per 100 g of maize seeds was tested to determine weevil mortality after 24 h of exposure. Under these conditions, the essential oil derived from both EF and FF of X. aethiopica led to 100% mortality. In a second step, proportions of active compounds present in the oil of both EF and FF of X. aethiopica were quantified. The toxicity of the four main compounds was tested against S. zeamais: alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, Delta-3-carene and terpinen-4-ol according to their proportion in the essential oil of the concerned plant part. beta-pinene and terpinen-4-ol were responsible for 50% of the mortality at the proportion found in EF and FF essential oils respectively. When mixed, a synergic effect of the compounds was observed that restored the mortality percentage observed for the crude oil. It appears that X. aethiopica essential oil could be a potential source of natural and low-cost insecticide to control storage pests.

Nigerian Medicinal Plants II

Abstract: Aframomum meleguata, Dennettia tripetala, Monodora myristica, Piper guineense, Tetrapleura tetraptera and Xylopia aethiopica are some of the Nigerian medicinal spices. These plants are rich sources of phytochemicals, vitamins, carbohydrates and minerals and contain phenolic compounds, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins and tannins. Many flavonoids present in the plants exhibit antioxidant, antimicrobial and oxytocic properties. These plants are used in herbal medicine to regulate irregular menstruation or dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain) and help- to normalize menstrual cycle. Other medicinal uses include inhibition of tumor growth, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and antiallergic action. The plants showed uterine contraction activity when administered to animals. These medicinal plants could therefore have side effects of inducing abortion when used during pregnancy.

Potential use of essential oils from local Cameroonian plants for the control of red flour weevil Tribolium castaneum (Herbst.) (Coleoptera : Tenebrionidae)

Abstract: Animal feed is food constituted for breeding stock animals because it possesses vital nutrients for animal growth. Animal feed or their ingredients as constituted by cereal flour and are stored after formulation for ulterior breeds. These provender or cereal grains used are commonly attacked by storage insects principally of the genus Tribolium. Firstly, contact and ingestion test by two essential oils of aromatics plants Ocimum gratissimum L (Lamiaceae) and Xylopia aethiopica Dunal A. Rich (Annonaceae) were done firstly on adults and aged larvae of Tribolium castaneun . Secondly, the contact and inhalation test by three essential oils of the aromatic plants Annona senegalensis L. (Annonaceae), Lippia rugosa L. (Lamiaceae) and Hyptis spicigera Lam. (Verbenaceae) were done for the control larvae, young and aged adults of the red flour weevil Tribolium castaneum Herbst (Coleoptera : Tenebrionidae) very resistant pest to chemical pesticides. Essential oils of Ocimum gratissimum and Xylopia aethiopica have no contact and ingestion effect on adults of Tribolium castaneum ; their insecticidal activity is characterized mostly by their inhibition of the nymphosis of aged larvae of the same species. On the other hand contact and inhalation tests with crude essential oils of Lippia rugosa and Hyptis spicigera are the most promising because of their efficacy on the other life stages. They are more efficient, with 100% mortality, on larvae at early stages and young adults. On resistant aged larvae and adults, the insecticidal efficacy decreases but remains significant. Since this insect, Tribolium castaneum is the major pest of stored flours and provender, the incorporation of these promising essential oils in flours or in storage formulations of these foods for animals could contribute to their better cereal food conservation. The important and indispensable element of cereals for storage, growth and reproduction animal feed could be preserved from insects attack by use of natural product and may contribute to diminish toxicity of feeder, environmental pollution and the resistance phenomenon of insects. Key words: Essential oils, Tribolium castaneum, Pesticides.

Control of Cultivated Cowpea Pests with Mixtures of Extracts from Piper guineense and Other Plants

Abstract: The insecticidal activity of Piper guineense Schum & Thonn extracts mixed with extracts of other plant species was tested on Maruca vitrata Fab. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and the coried bug, Clavigralla tomentosicollis Stal. (Hemiptera: Coreidae), two major post-flowering cowpea [Vigna vitrata (L.) Walp.] pests. Extracts of Piper guineense mixed with extracts of Allium sativum L., Azadirachta indica A. Juss, and Xylopia aethiopica (Dunal) A. Rich provided effective pest control, leading to significant reductions in the population of the test pests as compared with untreated controls. In 2 years of study, the extract mixtures also resulted in significant reduction of pod damage on the cowpea and grain yields comparable with plants treated with a synthetic insecticide. The observations demonstrate the potential use of P. guineense in mixtures with other plants for protecting field cow-pea against M. vitrata and C. tomentosicollis.