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Achillea millefolium L. subsp. millefolium essential oil’s antifungal effect
Get PDFThis study was carried out with the aim of determining the antifungal effect of the essential oil isolated from Achillea millefolium subsp. millefolium plant against pathogenic fungi. In order to test the antifungal effect of the oil, an analysis was conducted on a total of 4 pathogen fungi which included Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida parapsilosis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and the effect of the essential oil on the growth of these fungi was investigated. The essential oil of A. millefolium ssp. millefolium had varying degrees of effect on the tested fungi. The highest antifungal effect was found against S. cerevisiae; whereas the lowest antifungal effect was found against C. parapsilosis. Nystatin showed a higher activity than the essential oil of A. millefolium subsp. millefolium against the tested fungi. MIC values of the essential oil against the tested fungi ranged from 1.25 μl/ml to 10 μl/ml. The results obtained indicate that essential oil of A. millefolium subsp. millefolium can be used as an alternative to antifungal agents such as amphotericin, ketoconazole, and fluconazole.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.134633
Anti-oxidant effect of Flemingia stricta Roxb. leaves methanolic extract
Get PDFAim of the study was to evaluate the possible anti-oxidant activity of Flemingia stricta leaf extract. In antioxidant study, plant crude methanol extract was evaluated for 1,1-diphenyl,2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and reducing power capacity. Moreover, total phenolic and total flavonoid content of plant extracts were determined and expressed in mg of gallic acid equivalent per gram of dry sample (mg GAE/g dry weight). In the DPPH free radical scavenging assay, methanol extract showed concentration dependent inhibition of the free radicals. IC50 of ascorbic acid and F. stricta leaves were 4.25 µg/ml and 320.47 µg/ml respectively. In case of reducing capacity, the methanol extract at concentrations of 25, 50, 100, 200, 400 µg/ml, the absorbances were 0.56, 0.92, 1.41, 1.76, 2.23, respectively. Total phenolic content was estimated by gallic acid and expressed as milligrams of gallic acid equivalent (GAE). The methanol extracts contained a considerable amount of phenolic contents of 482±8.72 of GAE/g of extract and the total flavonoid content of the F. stricta leaf was estimated by using aluminium chloride colorimetric technique and found that the extract contained flavonoid content 340.625±4.50 of GAE/g of extract. These results suggested that the methanol extract of F. stricta Roxb. possess anti-oxidant activity.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.146976
Assessment of post intervention of geohelminth infection and risk factors among school aged children in the most endemic area of Kano, Nigeria
Get PDFThis study is an initial attempt at determining the prevalence of geohelminth infections among school aged children (SAC) in the most endemic area of Kano State as well as risk factors associated with the infection and the impact of deworming programme in SAC. A retrospective study on the prevalence of geohelminth infection in the 44 Local Government Areas (LGA) of Kano State was conducted. A stratified random sampling technique was used for sample collection. A total of 3000 children were recruited aged 6-15 years. Retrospective study showed that none was of high endemicity. The present status of geohelminth showed that only hookworm was present among SAC with a prevalence of 2.2% and intensity was light (mean: 17 epg). Risk factors that predispose SAC to geohelminth infection like eating outside home, poor hand washing practice, and nail biting were found not to be significantly associated with hookworm infection except risk factor like walking bare footed which was significantly associated with hookworm infection. In conclusion, Prevalence of geohelminth infection in Kabo LGA prior to deworming was 35.1% and post intervention among SAC was generally low (2.2%). The observed low prevalence of geohelminth infection could be attributed to the success of the deworming programme carried out in the district in 2013. Risk factors like poor hand washing practice (2.3%), walking bare footed (2.6%) and eating outside home (2.6%) were pre-dominant among SAC.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.147246
Occurrence and characteristics of the migrating myoelectric complex in ovine gallbladder and its relationships to the small intestinal motility
Get PDFAn attempt has been made to identify the migrating motility complex in the ovine gallbladder and to span it with the small-intestinal pattern. For this purpose, four rams underwent surgical implantation of bipolar electrodes into the abomasal antrum, entire small bowel and gallbladder infundibulum, corpus and fundus. The strain gauge force transducer was also mounted in the gallbladder fundus, near the electrode. In the course of chronic experiments, the myoelectrical and motor activity was recorded in fasted and non-fasted rams, with or without feeding. Cyclic myoelectrical and motor activity pattern was found in the gallbladder. It resembled the migrating myoelectric complex present in the small bowel. The gallbladder pattern was well correlated with the intestinal migrating complex. Three or four phases of this pattern could be identified in all gallbladder regions. The most characteristic phase 3-like activity was longer and more intense in the gallbladder fundus as compared with the upper gallbladder regions. In both the small bowel and gallbladder, motility alterations caused by various feeding conditions were comparable. Therefore, the migrating motility complex occurs in the ovine gallbladder, albeit its putative role can be different from that in the small bowel, at least in part.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.58079
Alteration in biochemical indices following administration of seafood (Thais coronata) extract
Get PDFSeafood consumption has been a way of life to most people especially those that leave in riverine areas, because seafoods are known to contain many nutrients that are essential for healthy living. Consequently, this research therefore seeks to investigate the effect of these nutritive components of Thais coronata on biochemical indices of albino Wistar rats. Fourty five male albino Wister rats weighing between 180-220 g were assigned into 3 groups of fifteen rats each in metabolic cages and were given rat feed and drinking water ad libitum. Two test doses (low dose 7.0 mg protein/ml and high dose 52 mg protein/ml) were selected and administered to two groups of rats orally and daily for six weeks, while a third group of rats served as the control, n = 15. At the expiration of the feeding period, blood samples were obtained from all the rats via cardiac puncture for the analysis of the various biochemical indices. Both the low and high doses of the extract produced significant increases in HDLc (P<0.001) compared with control. k (P<0.001), HCO3- (P<0.01) and Ca2+ (P<0.001) were also significantly increased in the extract treated groups. The extract groups had significant reductions in ALT (P<0.001), ALP (P<0.001), Na+ (P<0.001) and Cl- (P<0.001) compared with control. Also Tc (P<0.001), TG (P<0.001), LDL (P<0.001) and VLDLc (P<0.001) were significantly decreased in the extract treated group. In conclusion seafood consumption is of immense benefit to health because it serves to regulate the lipid profile, electrolytes and enzyme concentrations in blood.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.58078
Antioxidant response of vitamin A during the exposure of blood platelets to electromagnetic radiation generated by LCD monitors - in vitro study
Get PDFThe article presents the results of in vitro studies aimed at identifying changes in activity of the enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD-1) as a parameter of oxidative stress and protective antioxidant role of vitamin A during the exposure of blood platelets to electromagnetic radiation (EMR) generated by LCD monitors. Blood platelets were exposed to an electromagnetic radiation for 30 min. and 60 min. generated by monitors, which is characterized by parameters: 1 kHz frequency and 220 V/m intensity. The enzymatic activity of SOD-1 increases significantly compared to control values after 30 min. of exposure to EMR (from 2523.39 U/g protein to 3896.15 U/g protein), and decreases after 60 min (to 2846.58 U/g protein). A significant decrease in enzyme activity after the addition of vitamin A was noticed (to 1569.54 U/g protein). In samples exposed for 30 min. the SOD activity was significantly increased by addition of vitamin A and decreases after 60 min. Changes in enzymatic activity of SOD-1 dependent on exposure time and application of vitamin A suggest an important preventive role of vitamin A to protect against the effects of EMR which we are exposed to in everyday life.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.32160
Fungal diseases on tomato plant under greenhouse condition
Get PDFThe cultivation of crops in the greenhouse is the most intensive form of horticultural production. Greenhouse climatic conditions provide an ideal condition for the development of many foliar, stem and soil-borne plant diseases. Diseases are a major limiting factor for vegetable that cause serious yield reduction leading to severe economic losses. Fungi enter plants through natural openings such as stomata and through wounds caused by pruning, harvesting, hail, insects, other diseases, and mechanical damage. This chapter provides an overview of the most important diseases of tomato plants. Some of the diseases that will cover in this chapter are the follow: Early blight late, Septoria leaf spot, Late blight, Fusarium wilt, Verticillium wilt, Anthracnose, Buckeye rot, and Southern blight. For each disease, main symptoms and disease development are described. This review is based on combined information derived from available literature and expertise knowledge.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.101116
Management of fungal plants diseases
Get PDFPlant diseases that can affect yield and quality of field crops everywhere around the world are numerous. Fungal parasites are by far the most prevalent plant pathogenic organisms. To develop, all components of the disease triangle must be present. These components are a susceptible host crop, a plant pathogen able to infect the host crop, and an environment that favors disease development. Management practices aiming to reduce plant diseases affect specific components of the disease triangle. They need to be combined to limit more than a single component, an approach known as integrated disease management (IDM). Integrating different tools leads to better disease reduction and decreases selection pressures. Knowing that pathogens are affected by selection pressures when certain individual management practices are over-used, and this can result in new “races” of the pathogen or fungicide-resistant strains of the pathogen being selected. The continual and indiscriminate application of chemical fungicides has caused health hazards in animals and humans due to residual toxicity. Recently, several synthetic fungicides have been banned in the western world because of their undesirable attributes such as high and acute toxicity. Nowadays, biological control is going to be the best alternative strategy for the control of plant diseases. However, other methods in IDM for crop disease control are still necessary in various environmental conditions. Consequently, for economic threshold, other control strategies of IDM besides/with biological control should be also applied to effectively reduce the disease development and the yield loss of crops in the different crop systems.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.101235
Functional assessments and histopathology of hepatorenal tissues of rats treated with raw and processed herbs
Get PDFThe present study ascertained the functional integrity of hepatic and renal tissues, concurrently with blood lipid patterns, of Wistar rats infused with CCl4 and treated with raw and hydrothermal processed herbs, namely, Monodora myristica, Chromolaena odorata, Buccholzia coriacea and Sphenostylis stenocarpa. Measurement of phytochemical contents of the herbs was according to standard methods. The rats were randomly designated on the bases of diets and treatments received for 28 consecutive days. Fibrosis was induced in the Wistar rats by single dose intra-peritoneal injection of CCl4 for 2 consecutive days. Liver and kidney function tests and serum lipid profile were measured using spectrophotometric methods. Renal and hepatic tissues were subjected to histopathological examinations. The concentrations of alkaloids in the four herbal extracts were within the range of 4.83±0.03 - 31.33±0.29 mg/100 g sample, whereas the concentrations of saponins varied within a relatively narrow range: 0.33±0.09 - 4.33±0.02 mg/100 g dry sample; p > 0.05. The activity ratios of AST to ALT of the rat groups were generally less than 1.0 unit. Atherogenic indices of fibrotic rats were within the following ranges: TAG/HDL-C ratio (3.59±0.03 - 6.76±0.06), TC/HDL-C ratio (3.72±0.02 - 6.94±0.05) and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio (2.00±0.01 - 4.59±0.02). Losses in phytochemical contents following hydrothermal processing of the herbs did not substantially affect their overall therapeutic scores against morpho-logical and functional impairments of hepatic and renal tissues following CCl4 intoxication of the rats.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.82322
Physiological responses to excess boron in wheat cultivars
Get PDFThis study investigates the response of two wheat cultivars to boron toxicity stress. Plants were cultivated in sand culture and boron was applied to the culture for 10-day. Symptoms, tiller number, boron concentration, soluble sugars, proteins and other free amino acids than proline were studied. The differences between the cultivars were apparent from higher boron and the chlorosis in tolerant cultivar was about 7% compared to the sensitive one 70%. Tiller number gradual decreased in tolerant-cultivar, while in sensitive one a dramatic reduction was exhibited by increasing boron level in culture media. In most boron levels, although the accumulation of soluble carbohydrates was significantly stimulated in shoot of B-sensitive cultivar (Gemmeza 9; S), there were no appreciable differences in the production of carbohydrates in shoot of B-tolerant cultivar (Sakha 93; T). However, the soluble proteins production did not affect by most boron levels in both cultivars. The presence of boron at various concentrations induced a production of free amino acids in shoots of each of the two test cultivars. Tiller number (yield index) decreased in the two test cultivars and was in range 50-59 and 84-92% less than control plants for tolerant and sensitive cultivar, respectively.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20037