Charles Obiora Nwonuma

Insecticides are toxic substances, though not necessarily toxins, intentionally released into the environment to kill or manage insect populations. These chemical toxins pose significant risks to human and animal health due to their direct effects and their impact as environmental pollutants. To mitigate these chemical hazards, the use of phytocompounds with superior larvicidal or mosquitocidal effects, low toxicity levels in mammals, and short-term environmental persistence may be a preferable alternative. This study aimed to evaluate the larvicidal and adulticidal effects of the combined hydroethanolic extracts of garlic and clove on Anopheles gambiae. The experiment included four treatment groups: garlic, clove, combined extract (garlic + clove), and deltamethrin (standard insecticide). At the end of the 24 h experiment, the knocked-down adult mosquitoes were homogenized and used for biochemical assays. The combined garlic-clove extract significantly increased (p < 0.05) the larval mortality rate compared to the single garlic and clove extracts. Similarly, the combined extracts of garlic-clove significantly increased (p < 0.05) mortality of adult mosquitoes compared to deltamethrin and the individual garlic and clove extract. The garlic-clove combined extracts showed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the activity of acetylcholine esterase and Na–k ATPase compared with the deltamethrin group. Furthermore, the docking interaction between AChE and voltage gated ion channel with the GC–MS identified compounds of the extracts showed a higher binding affinity with caryophyllene, estrone, morellinol compared to deltamethrin. The efficacy of the garlic-clove extract as a larvicide and adulticide has been confirmed through biochemical analyses and in silico studies. This lethal effect is likely due to the inhibition of crucial enzymes that facilitate essential processes such as signal transduction and energy production. Moreover, the biocidal properties of these extracts stem from the alteration of vital metabolic pathways, influenced by a range of bioactive compounds found in both garlic and clove.

Eukaryotic probiotics currently attract a lot of scientific attention, with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces boulardii being the most widely investigated probiotic yeasts. The range of yeast species with probiotic potential needs to be broadened. In this respect, juice-providing plants may diversify eukaryoti c probiotic sources for organism preference. This study tested the probiotic potential of Pichia kudriavzevii and Kluyveromyces marxianus isolated from coconut juice and Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Wickherhamomyces anomalus isolated from raffia palm juice in Nigeria. The in vitro tests used the optical density method to assay the tolerance to acid (pH 2, 3, 5), alkaline (pH 7.5, 8.0), gastric juice (30%), bile (1, 2, and 3%), and osmotic pressure (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30% gluco se solution). All four yeasts survived in the test environments, exhibiting varying degrees of probiotic potential. After 96 h in simulated gastric juice, S. pombe outperformed K. marxianus and W. anomalus by 13 and 97.7% (p < 0.05), respectively. W. anomalus appeared to be the least viable in 30% gastric juice. After 96 h in the acid media, all yeasts performed better at pH 3.0 than at pH 2.0, with roughly 89% (1.695/0.185 mean absorbance values) greater growth in pH 3.0 than in pH 2.0. The alkaline media had a better effect on the growth rate. P. kudriavzevii fared best at pH 2.0 and 3.0 for up to 96 h. All yeasts maintained viability in 1, 2, and 3% bile solutions, although the growth rate did not improve significantly in any of the assay periods. Only minimal growth increase was registered in increased bile concentrations. All samples demonstrated sustained viability in 5–30% glucose between 24 and 48 h of incubation. After 48 h of incubation, the yeast concentrations began to fall as the glucose concentration rose from 5 to 30%. P. kudriavzevii was the least affected after 96 h (41.8%) and demonstrated the best survival results by the four criteria tested in this study. If this species meets all other non-assayed parameters which qualify a microorganism as a probiotic, P. kudriavzevii obtained from Nigerian coconut juice can be recommended as a potential s ource of commercial probiotics.

In Nigeria, Annona muricata L. has been used to treat a variety of ailments. The mechanism of the antimalarial activity of ethanolic leaf extract of Annona muricata (EEAML) was investigated using both an in vivo and an in silico approach. The experimental mice were divided into five groups: A-F. The mice in groups B-F were inoculated with Plasmodium berghei NK-65 and treated accordingly. Groups A and B are the negative and positive controls (infected and untreated), respectively. Group C received 10 mg/kg chloroquine (standard drug), whereas groups D-F received 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg body weight of the extract orally respectively. The mice were euthanized eight days after infection, and their liver and blood were collected and used in biochemical tests. Molecular docking was performed using the extract's HPLC compounds and Plasmodium falciparum proteins. In the suppressive, prophylactic, and curative tests, there was a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in parasitemia levels in groups treated with the extract compared to the positive control and standard drug. When compared to the positive control, there was a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in liver MDA, total cholesterol, and total triglyceride levels. The binding energies of luteolin and apigenin- pfprotein complexes were significantly (p < 0.05) higher compared to their respective references. The anti-plasmodial activity of the extract may result from its hypolipidemic effect, which deprives the parasite of essential lipid molecules needed for parasite growth, as well as from the inhibitory effects of apigenin and luteolin on specific proteins required for the Plasmodium metabolic pathway.

Background: Data available support that ninety percent of male infertility cases are due to low sperm counts. There is a scarcity of data on the medicinal effects of cannabis on fertility. This study evaluated testicular function and sperm quality modulation with cannabis in rats.Methodology: Twenty-five male Wistar rats were randomly grouped into five: A, B, C, and D, each group have 5 rats. A (control): 0.2 ml 2% DMSO, B (vitamin C): 90 mg/kg body weight, C, D, and E were administered: 5 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg body weight of ethanolic leaf extract of cannabis (ELEC) respectively. The rats were sacrificed 24 h after the last day of the 60 day oral administrations. Flavonoids were the predominant phytochemical present in the extract while quercetin, kemferol, silyman and gallic acid were identified.Results: The results showed a significant improvement (p < 0.05) in sperm quality and a significant increase in the concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, triglycerides, cholesterol, and total protein determination compared to the normal control. Similarly, there was a significant increase (p < 0.05) in the activities of acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, and superoxide dismutase compared to the normal control. RAC-alpha serine/threonine-protein kinase (AKT1)-silymarin complexes (-8.30 kcal/mol) and androgen receptor (AR)-quercetin complexes (9.20 kcal/mol) had the highest affinity.Conclusion: The antioxidant effects of the flavonoids in the ethanolic extract of cannabis may have protected testicular and sperm cells from oxidative damage. Biochemical processes and histopathological morphology were preserved by cannabis. The docking prediction suggests that the bioactive principle of cannabis may activate the androgenic receptors. The androgenic receptor modulation may be attributed to silymarin and quercetin.

Background of the study. Raphia hookeri G. Mann & H. Wendl (Arecaceae) is an important plant used in folkloric medicine to treat various ailments such as inflammation, tumor, microbial infections, paralysis, hypertension, and rheumatism, primarily in Africa and Asia. Aim and Objectives. The study was designed to investigate the antiplasmodial and antioxidant potencies of Raphia hookeri leaves, mesocarp, and epicarp using Plasmodium infected mice. The bioactive constituents were further explored via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results. The presence of alkaloids, fats and oils, phenolic, and flavonoids was detected via the qualitative test which was confirmed from the result obtained from the GC-MS chromatogram of ethanolic leaves extract. The GC-MS chromatogram of the constituents analogous to the twenty peaks was analyzed as follows: dodecanoic acid (1.94), 2-undecanone (3.42), hexadecanoic acid (44.84), oleic acid (7.45), octadecanoic acid (8.41), narcissidine (2.38), 1-dotriacontanol (2.38), α-sitosterol (2.02), and lupeol (1.42). The total phenolics and flavonoids of 118 and 23.3702mg/g were analyzed in the leaves extract. The leave extract exhibited inhibitory activity of 73.49 against free radicals which could lead to inflammation. The extracts and chloroquine-treated groups showed significant decrease in percentage parasitaemia with pronounced activity observed in chloroquine groups. Conclusion. The curative and scavenging potencies of studied plant could be attributed to the metabolites analyzed and could guide the formulation of new pharmacophores against malaria infections and inflammations.

Tetracarpidium conophorum (African Walnut) is a plant with acclaimed multi-therapeutic properties in different parts of the plant. This research investigated the effect of fermented walnut supplemented diet on cadmium-induced toxicity in the liver and brain of rats. Twenty male Wistar rats were divided into four groups of five animals each weighing between 90-140 g. Group 1 received 5 mg/kg body weight cadmium chloride (CdCl2) and normal rat feed. Group 2 received a normal rat diet while groups 3 and 4 received 5 mg/kg body weight of cadmium chloride, and 5% and 10% walnut supplemented feed respectively. Cadmium (Cd) was administered daily for 6 weeks by oral intubation. Rats were sacrificed 24 hrs after the final treatment. Cd exposure elicited increased activities of Acetylcholinesterase, Superoxide dismutase, Catalase as well as elevated Glutathione levels. In addition, Cd exposure caused increases in rat plasma cholesterol and triglyceride concentration. The fermented walnut supplemented diet restored some rats’ biochemical parameter to near normal comparable to control. Our study shows that walnut supplemented food could substantially moderate Cd-induced toxicity in rat liver and brain while providing health and nutritional benefits. Hence, it could be useful for occupationally exposed individuals as a dietary intervention to reduce adverse health effects.

Conventional drugs, as means of alternative medicine, have been in use in the Asian and African nations and some developed countries for the treatment of ailments and cure of diseases. Objective: Puerarin, a naturally occurring isoflavone in numerous plants, is one of the conventional medication that possess anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory properties for the treatment of cardiac illnesses, osteonecrosis, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and other circulatory conditions. Puerarin is extensively distributed in numerous organs including the kidney, mammary gland, femur, tibia, stomach, liver, pancreas, brain, and lungs, but at a low rate because of its poor availability. However, when co-administered with compounds like gastrodin that can convey it into the cell, it shows a wide range of pharmacological properties, including antioxidant, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, anti-Alzheimer's, hepatoprotective, and neuroprotective activity. The biotransformation process of puerarin showed that it is well metabolized with daidzein, being the main hydrolyzed product. Puerarin is well tolerated in the body with a dosage of up to 250 mg/kg per day, does not initiate any toxic side effects but rather shows a wide range of beneficial and pharmacological properties.