Biology, Medicine, & Natural Product Chemistry
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Solanum anomalum Leaf Extract and Fractions Attenuate Oxidative Stress and Liver Injuries in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats
Get PDFThe leaf of Solanum anomalum used in ethnomedicine for the treatment of various ailments such as diabetes was evaluated for antioxidative stress and hepatoprotective potentials against hepatic injuries in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Antioxidative stress and hepatoprotective activities of leaf extract and fractions (70-210 mg/kg) were assessed by determining oxidative stress markers levels, liver function indices and histopathological study of livers of treated rats. The leaf extract and fractions caused significant (p<0.05 – 0.001) increases in the levels of oxidative stress markers (SOD, CAT, GPx, GSH) in the livers of the treated diabetic rats. The extract/fractions treatment caused reduction in liver enzymes (ALT, AST and ALP), total and direct bilirubin. Histology of the livers revealed absence or significant reductions in pathological features in the treated diabetic rats compared to untreated diabetic rats. The results show that the leaf extract and fractions of S. anomalum has antioxidative stress and hepatoprotective potentials which may be due to the antioxidant activities of their phytochemical constituents
Synthesis, Characterization and Activity Test of Natural Zirconium Zeolite (Zr-ZA) Catalyst in The Esterification Reaction of Glycerol with Acetic Acid Anhydride
Get PDFSynthesis of Zr-ZA catalyst used as catalyst for esterification reaction of glycerol with acetic acid anhydrous has been done. Catalysts are characterized using an infrared spectrophotometer, X-ray diffraction, and measurement of surface acidity, while reaction products are characterized using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer. Effect of catalyst acidity, reaction time and re-addition of acetic acid anhydrous studied by glycerol conversion and selectivity value of triacetin were yielded. Infra-red spectrophotometer and X-ray diffraction analysis of the catalyst showed that the synthesized catalyst was zirconium zeolite (Zr-ZA), while esterification analysis using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer showed a triacetin product
Inhibitory Effect of Mammea africana on Alpha-Amylase and Alpha-Glucosidase Enzymes of Rats
Get PDFMammea africana Sabine (Guttiferae), a medicinal plant used traditionally in the treatment of diseases including diabetes was evaluated for effect on alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase enzymes in vivo. The stembark extract (30, 60 and 90 mg/kg) of M. africana were investigated in vivo for inhibitory effect on alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase enzymes using starch, sucrose and maltose as substrates. Acarbose was used as reference drug. The stembark extract caused significant (p<0.05) reduction in blood glucose levels of treated rats with the various substrates used. The results suggest that the stembark extract of M. africana have the potentials to inhibit alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase in rats
Combined Anthocleista vogelii and Alstonia boonei Stem Barks Extract Alleviates Hyperlipidaemia and Renal Malfunctions in Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia-Induced Rats
Get PDFBenign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a urological disease prevalent among the ageing male population, which impairs the quality of life, including hyperlipidaemia and a decline in renal functions. Combining Anthocleista vogelii and Alstonia boonei stem bark extract has effectively managed BPH and its associated complications. This study evaluated the effects of a combined Anthocleista vogelii and Alstonia boonei stem bark extract (CAASBE) on the lipid profile and renal functions of rats induced benign prostatic hyperplasia with testosterone propionate injection. The study comprised five treatment groups, with groups 1 – 5 being the normal control, BPH control, standard control, BPH+200 mg/kg CAASBE, and BPH+400 mg/kg CAASBE, respectively. BPH was induced in the groups 2 – 4 rats by subcutaneous administration of testosterone propionate injection (5 mg/kg) for 28 days, and treatment with Finasteride and CAASBE were administered orally. The BPH control rats exhibited a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the total serum cholesterol, triacylglycerol (TAG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), urea, creatinine and significant (p < 0.05) decline in the serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) compared to the normal control. Conversely, treatment of the BPH rats with 200 and 400 mg/kg of CAASBE significantly (p < 0.05) reversed the altered total serum cholesterol, TAG, LDL-C, HDL-C, urea and creatinine to normal levels comparable to that of the normal control and standard control respectively. These findings show that CAASBE alleviates hyperlipidaemia and renal malfunctions in the BPH rats suggesting it could be effective in managing BPH complication
Detection of the Atherosclerotic PCSK9 gene Inhibitors Through in silico Method to Improve Targeted Therapy
Get PDFThe PCSK9 is one of the most important marks for the evolution of therapeutic agents for atherosclerosis because its interaction with low-density lipoprotein receptors causes atherosclerosis. Protein-ligand interactions help us to understand the true mechanism of pharmacological action. This study seeks to identify the most powerful suppression options for PCSK9. Initially, the reported ACE inhibitors were included in pharmacophore modeling using PharmaGist. Next, ZINCPHARMER was used to screen the selected model against a ZINC database to identify putative drug candidates docked to the target protein to understand the interactions. The 10 best pharmacological candidates for PCSK9 with a binding energy of 9.8-8.2 kcal mol-1 were identified by molecular docking and their pharmacokinetic properties and oral bioavailability were evaluated. The (S) severalplant obtained chemicals have been discovered, including anti-hypersensitive drugs such as “Canadine, Hesperetin, and Labetalolâ€. According to Biochemistry, these compounds formed a stable “protein-ligand†complex. The (S) canadine PCSK9 complex had the lowest RMSD and was the most stable. Future in vitro studies could identify (S) canadin as a promising atherosclerosis inhibitor for the evolution of novel PCSK9 inhibitors
Cover, Editorial Board, Guidance for Authors, & Table of Contents | Vol. 11 No. 1 April 2022
No full textChemical Compositions and Antioxidant Activity of Volatile Oils from Morinda citrifolia and Beta vulgaris Leaves from Nigeria
Get PDFMorinda citrifolia L. and Beta Vulgaris L leaves are both ethnomedicinal use for the treatment of arthritis, indigestion and skin infections with no reports on their essential oils compositions. The colourless volatile oils with a percentage yield of 0.6 and 0.4 (w/w) for Morinda citrifolia L. and Beta Vulgaris L respectively were obtained. Forty-five compounds representing 94.31 % of the total percentage compositions were identified in the leaf essential oil of M. citrifolia with the most abundant compound as 14-beta-H-pregna- (33.13%). Forty-eight compounds representing 74.18% of the total oil composition were identified in the leaf oil of B. Vulgaris with phytol (24.20%) as the dominant compound. The essential oils showed good free radical scavenging activity when compared to ascorbic acid used as control, with % inhibition varying from 88.74 ± 0.010 to 96.61 ± 0.004 as compared to 95.68 ± 0.010 to 97.31±0.003 of the ascorbic acid at (100 to 6.25 mg/ml) concentrations. The leaves essential oils of Morinda citrifolia L. and Beta Vulgaris L contains chemical compounds that might be responsible for their antioxidant activity. This result validates the traditional usage of these plants in the treatment of arthritis, indigestion and skin infections
Effect of Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension on Osmotic Fragility and Hemorheological Factors in Male Wistar Rats
Get PDFDiabetes mellitus is a common risk factor for erythrocyte osmotic stress. This study was aimed at exploring the effect of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes mellitus and salt-induced hypertension on osmotic fragility and hemorheological variables in male Wistar rats. Thirty male rats were grouped into five groups of six animals each as follows: negative control (zero salt in diet); positive control (normal salt diet - 0.3% salt); high salt diet (8% salt) (HSD only); STZ induced diabetes and normal salt diet (STZ only); STZ induced diabetes and high salt diet (STZ + HSD). At the end of a 4 weeks period, hematological variables, osmotic fragility, rheology and cardiovascular responses were assessed. There was an increase (p<0.05) in the mean arterial pressure and heart rate of HSD, STZ and HSD + STZ groups indicating a salt induced hypertension. There was a decrease in the body weight of STZ and HSD +STZ groups. There was significant increase (p<0.05) in the haematocrit, platelets estimates and fibrinogen concentrations in the experimental groups when compared with the controls. The STZ and STZ + HSD groups showed a reduced clotting time which corresponded to the increased platelet estimates and fibrinogen concentration. The increase in haematocrit, platelet and plasma protein resulted in the increased blood viscosity and a decreased flow rate. The osmotic fragility test was also observed to be increased (p<0.05) in HSD, STZ only and STZ + HSD groups. Diabetes mellitus and hypertension increase the rate of hemolysis of erythrocyte, as well as increase blood viscosity
Compliance Level of Textual Therapeutic Usage of Kshirakakoli Containing Formulations with a Serial Ethnomedicinal Survey and Modern System of Medicine
Get PDFFritillaria roylei (Kshirakakoli) is a primal plant used in ancient times. But nowadays, due to biotic and abiotic stress the plant has entered in the list of threatened medicinal plant. In ancient texts effective uses of formulations containing kshirakakoli are well mentioned but the information is not written in simple language due to which the therapeutic value of the plant is not well understood by scientific fraternity. So, there is a major need to perform ethno medicinal survey for the formulations containing kshirakakoli and compare their therapeutic uses as mentioned in text with the modern system of medicine. In this study, a field survey was performed in 4 states i.e., Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh where the conversation regarding usage of this plant or formulation was done with 24 local medical practitioners, 18 shopkeepers and 4 traditional healers. The information thus obtained were recorded and then compared. Results showed that the usage of kshirakakoli containing formulations was highest in Himachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand. Only few clinical studies have been done on these formulations. The effectiveness of the formulations against remedies alluded by the trado-medical practitioners claimed was found accurate as per ayurvedic textual literature. Hence, the ethno medicinal survey provides a precise guidance to scientists for future research on these kshirakakoli containing formulations that are useful in plethora of disorders
A Physical Chemistry Study of Black Powder Materials by Solution Combustion Synthesis Method
Get PDFA study on the synthesis of black powder (La2NiO4) material using the solution combustion synthesis method at a variation of synthesis temperature of 60, 70, and 80°C was carried out. It produces a mass of black powder of 2 grams by four times of synthesis process. Then, material characterization was performed on the black powder samples obtained by using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) to determine the phases formed, Scanning Electron Microscopy - Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) to determine the morphology and analyze the composition elemental on the microscale and Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) to determine chemical bonds. From the whole black powder sample, XRD analysis showed the phases of Dilantanum Nickel Tetraoxide (La2NiO4), Nickel Oxide (NiO), Lanthanum Oxide (La2O3), and Lanthanum Oxide Ht x-form (La2O3 Ht (x-form)). In addition, it was seen from the visible compositions of the phases that the NiO phase looks more dominant and the variation of the synthesis temperature shows that the La2O3 phase was increasing. This was supported by the EDS analysis, which showed that the EDS spectrum contains elements La, Ni, and O where the element O indicates that oxidation occurs in the elements Ni and La. On the other hand, the SEM analysis results confirm that the black powder sample contains the elements La and Ni, based on the high and low electron images contained in the morphology of the black powder sample. In addition, it was also known that the particles in the black powder sample were micron size and had porous morphology. This occurs due to rapid thermal decomposition events and excessive gas development. In addition, FTIR analysis showed that the O-H bond had been reduced and there are still C-O and C-H bonds indicating the presence of organic elements possessed by glycine