Methanolic extract of Kigelia africana and wound healing: an in vitro study.

OBJECTIVE: Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. (Bignoniaceae) syn. Kigelia pinnata (Jacq. DC) is a tropical plant that is native to tropical Africa. The aim of this study was to determine if a methanolic extract prepared from Kigelia africana (KAE) can promote wound healing in treated human normal epidermal keratinocyte (HaCaT) cells and human normal foreskin fibroblast cell line (BJ) cells compared with untreated cells. METHOD: Experimental steps included: the methanolic extraction of the leaf and fruit of the Kigelia africana plant; the preparation of HaCaT and BJ cell lines; cell culture with a stable tetrazolium salt-based proliferation assay; and the evaluation of the wound healing effect of KAE (2µg/ml) in BJ and HaCaT cells. The phytochemical contents of KAE were determined using liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. RESULTS: The following molecules were identified as being present in the KAE, among others: cholesterol sulfate; lignoceric acid; embelin; isostearic acid; linoleic acid; dioctyl phthalate; arg-pro-thr; 15-methyl-15(S)-PGE1; sucrose; benzododecinium (Ajatin); and 9-Octadecenamide (oleamide). KAE effected faster wound healing in treated cells compared with untreated cells for both cell lines. HaCaT cells that had been mechanically injured and treated with KAE healed completely in 48 hours compared with 72 hours for untreated HaCaT cells. Treated BJ cells healed completely in 72 hours compared with 96 hours for untreated BJ cells. Concentrations of KAE up to 300µg/ml had a very low cytotoxic effect on treated BJ and HaCaT cells. CONCLUSION: The experimental data in this study support the potential of KAE-based wound healing treatment to accelerate wound healing.

Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth leaf extract inhibits rat brain and liver mitochondrial membrane permeability transition pore opening.

The effect of Kigelia africana on mitochondrial membrane permeability transition has not been explored. In this study, the effect of a solvent fraction of Kigelia africana leaf extract on mitochondrial membrane permeability transition of rat brain and liver was evaluated. A methanol extract of K. africana leaves was fractionated into different solvents by vacuum liquid chromatography and following preliminary screening, the dichloromethane:ethylacetate (1:1) fraction was selected for further assays. Constituent phytochemicals in the fraction were revealed by thin-layer chromatography and further purification was carried out to characterize the compounds. Brain and liver mitochondria were isolated and used for mitochondrial membrane permeability transition and adenosine triphosphatase assays. Exogenous Ca2+ and Al3+ were used to trigger the mitochondrial membrane permeability transition opening. Physicochemical properties revealed by thin-layer chromatography showed that the isolated compounds were flavonoids. The extract inhibited mitochondrial membrane permeability transition opening in the presence and absence of triggering agents in brain and liver mitochondria. It also inhibited mitochondrial lipid peroxidation and adenosine triphosphatase activity. These results suggest that the extract can limit the rate of apoptosis via inhibition of mitochondrial membrane permeability transition which is pivotal to the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and is an important therapeutic target in some pathological conditions.

UHPLC/GC-TOF-MS metabolomics, MTT assay, and molecular docking studies reveal physostigmine as a new anticancer agent from the ethyl acetate and butanol fractions of Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. fruit extracts.

Kigelia africana plant is widely used as a herbal remedy in preventing the onset and the treatment of cancer-related infections. With the increase in the research interest of the plant, the specific chemical compound or metabolite that confers its anticancer properties has not been adequately investigated. The ethyl acetate and butanol fractions of the fruit extracts were evaluated by 2-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-3,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide assay against four different cell lines, with the ethyl acetate fraction having inhibition concentration values of 0.53 and 0.42 µM against Hep G2 and HeLa cells, respectively. More than 235 phytoconstituents were profiled using UHPLC-TOF-MS, while more than 15 chemical compounds were identified using GC-MS from the fractions. Molecular docking studies revealed that physostigmine, fluazifop, dexamethasone, sulfisomidine, and desmethylmirtazapine could favorably bind at higher binding energies of -8.3, -8.6, -8.2, and -8.1 kcal/mol, respectively, better than camptothecin with a binding energy of -7.9 kcal/mol. The results of this study showed that physostigmine interacted well with topoisomerase IIα and had a high score of pharmacokinetic prediction using absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity profiles, thereby suggesting that drug design using physostigmine as a base structure could serve as an alternative against the toxic side effects of doxorubicin and camptothecin.

Exploration of Rapid Evaporative-Ionization Mass Spectrometry as a Shotgun Approach for the Comprehensive Characterization of Kigelia Africana (Lam) Benth. Fruit.

Rapid evaporative-ionization mass spectrometry (REIMS) coupled with an electroknife as a sampling device was recently employed in many application fields to obtain a rapid characterization of different samples without any need for extraction or cleanup procedures. In the present research, REIMS was used to obtain a metabolic profiling of the Kigelia africana fruit, thus extending the applicability of such a technique to the investigation of phytochemical constituents. In particular, the advantages of REIMS linked to a typical electrosurgical handpiece were applied for a comprehensive screening of this botanical species, by exploiting the mass accuracy and tandem MS capabilities of a quadrupole-time of flight analyzer. Then, 78 biomolecules were positively identified, including phenols, fatty acids and phospholipids. In the last decade, Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. fruit has attracted special interest for its drug-like properties, e.g., its use for infertility treatments and as anti-tumor agent, as well as against fungal and bacterial infections, diabetes, and inflammatory processes. Many of these properties are currently correlated to the presence of phenolic compounds, also detected in the present study, while the native lipid composition is here reported for the first time and could open new directions in the evaluation of therapeutic activity.

Sausage tree (Kigelia africana) flavonoid extract is neuroprotective in AlCl3-induced experimental Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a developmental neurodegenerative disorder for which there is no effective treatment or cure at present. In this study, the neuroprotective properties of a methanol extract of the leaves of Kigelia africana (KAE) and its flavonoid-rich fraction (FKAE) in aluminum chloride (AlCl3)-induced experimental AD was evaluated. Symptoms mimicking AD were induced in male Sprague Dawley rats by administering 17mg/kg AlCl3, orally, for six consecutive weeks. Pretreatment of animals with 50 and 100mg/kg KAE or FKAE for two weeks, followed by their co-administration with AlCl3 for a further four weeks ameliorated neurological deficits, cerebral oxidative stress, neurochemical disturbances and histoarchitectural alterations caused by AlCl3 intoxication. The results suggest that KAE and FKAE are promising therapeutic agents for AD.

Quality control methods for fruit extracts of Kigelia africana using high performance thin layer chromatography.

Kigelia africana is a tree native to Africa but also found in eastern and southern parts of India with reported anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory activities. Verbascoside, caffeic acid and ferulic acid are important markers for the quality control of the plant. Two different HPTLC methods were developed and validated; method - 1 for estimation of verbascoside and caffeic acid while method - 2 for estimation of caffeic acid and ferulic acid. Developed methods were applied to the methanolic fruit extract to determine the quantities of markers. Both methods were found to be linear, specific, precise, accurate, sensitive and robust. Results indicated that both methods can be used for quantitative determination of verbascoside, caffeic acid and ferulic acid in fruit extract. The developed methods may be utilised as a part of the quality control and standardisation for the raw material and extracts of Kigelia africana and can also aid to chromatographic fingerprinting of the plant.

Kigelia africana fruit fractions inhibit in vitro alpha-glucosidase activity: a potential natural alpha-glucosidase inhibitor.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes affects 75% of people in low-income countries, where conventional drugs like metformin are available, but newer drugs like alpha-glucosidase inhibitors are not accessible to most Southern African patients. AIM: To evaluate the α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory activities of fractionated aqueous extracts of Kigelia africana fruit (KAFE) and their phytochemical fingerprints using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied K. africana fruit fractions' inhibitory effects on alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase using bioassay-guided fractionation, and analyzed their phytochemical profiles with GC-MS. KEY FINDINGS: Both the aqueous extract and ethyl acetate fraction of the aqueous extract exhibited a low dose-dependent inhibition of alpha-amylase activity (p < 0.0001). At a concentration of 500 µg/mL, the aqueous extract caused an alpha-glucosidase inhibition of 64.10 ± 2.7%, with an estimated IC50 of 193.7 µg/mL, while the ethyl acetate fraction had an inhibition of 89.82 ± 0.8% and an estimated IC50 of 10.41 µg/mL. The subfraction G, which had the highest alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity at 85.10 ± 0.7%, had significantly lower activity than the ethyl acetate fraction. The most bioactive fraction was found to contain 11"(2-cyclopenten-1-yl) undecanoic acid, ( +)- and cyclopentane undecanoic acid as well as the indole alkaloids Akuammilan-17-ol-10-methoxy, N-nitroso-2-methyl-oxazolidine and epoxide Oxirane2.2″ -(1.4-butanediyl) bis-. CONCLUSION: The K. africana fruit fraction demonstrated significant alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity, while its alpha-amylase inhibitory activity was limited. This study suggests a potential natural alpha-glucosidase inhibitor and phytocompounds that could serve as leads for developing antidiabetic agents.

Pharmacological Effects of the Lipidosterolic Extract from Kigelia africana Fruits in Experimental Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Induced by Testosterone in Sprague Dawley Rats.

Background: The use of phytotherapics is very frequent in men with prostatic diseases, sexual disorders and infertility, and many associations are commercially available. Various vegetable products used as drugs or nutraceuticals are attributed to possess the capacity to exert benefic effects on the reproductive system, and most of these drugs have a rich and varied lipidosterolic fraction, primarily responsible for the effects related to the male genital sphere. Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. (Bignoniaceae) is a plant used in African folk medicine as a vegetal remedy for various diseases, including some disorders of the male reproductive system; however, its potential activities have not yet been fully explored. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the lipidosterolic hexane extract (LHE) from K. africana fruits, analyzed by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/flame ionization detection (GC×GC-MS/FID), can prevent or reverse benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in rats. Methods: BPH was induced in experimental groups by daily subcutaneous injections of testosterone propionate (TP) for four weeks. ß-sitosterol (ß-s) was used as positive control. On day 28, the animals were sacrificed by cervical dislocation after anesthesia. Prostates were excised, weighed, and used for macroscopic and histological studies. Testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels in prostate were measured. Results: The results showed that LHE significantly reduced the prostatic weight, prostatic index, prostatic levels of testosterone and DHT, and the histopathological alterations (including the epithelial thickness, stromal proliferation, and lumen area) induced by testosterone. These effects were superior to those demonstrated by ß-s and appear to be due to a partial antiandrogenic activity of LHE. Conclusion: The results obtained showed that the LHE can prevent, and reverse testosterone induced prostatic hyperplasia, and support the traditional use of Kigelia africana in some disorders of the reproductive system.

Therapeutic importance of Kigelia africana subsp. africana: an alternative medicine.

AIM: To summarise a detailed up-to-date review of the traditional uses, phytoconstituents, and pharmacological activities of various parts of Kigelia africana. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Google Scholar, PubMed, PubChem, Elsevier, King Draw, indianbiodiversity.org. RESULT: The phytochemical analysis of Kigelia africana subsp. africana has revealed the presence of approximately 145 compounds extracted from different parts of the plant. These bioactive extracts of the plant possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antineoplastic, and anti-urolithic activities. Due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-booster properties, Kigelia can prove to be an essential source of drugs for treating various disorders. CONCLUSION: Knowledge of the phytoconstituents, non-medicinal and medicinal traditional uses, pharmacological activities, and products obtained from Kigelia is described in this review with the hope that the updated findings will promote research on its biological pathways.

Traditional medicinal importance of Kigelia africana subsp. africanaPhytoconstituents present in extracts from different parts of the plantPharmacological activities of phytochemicals extracted from KigeliaAnti-inflammatory and antioxidant role in preventing oxidative stressPotential as ethnopharmacological therapeutic in treating respiratory ailmentsToxicity evaluation of Kigelia africana subsp. africana.

Phytochemical Characterization and In Vitro Evaluation of the Anti-Sickle Cell Activity of Aqueous and Ethanolic Extracts of Two Medicinal Plants from Niger: Flueggea virosa (Roxb. ex Willd.) Royle and Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth.

Sickle cell anaemia is a hereditary blood disorder that attacks the red blood cells and deforms them, giving them a sickle shape. Sickle cell anaemia is a serious health problem in the West African country of Niger. Moreover, the cost associated with medical care is very high. The main objective of this study is to contribute to the valorisation of Flueggea virosa (Roxb. ex Willd.) Royle (aerial part), Kigelia africana (lam), and Benth (leaves) from Niger were used to treat sickle cell disease using aqueous and ethanolic extracts of phytochemical compounds. To achieve this objective, the evaluation of anti-sickle cell activity was carried out in vitro using the Emmel technique through the normalisation rate. The analyses showed that the aqueous and ethanolic extracts contained various classes of bioactive substances known for their valuable biological activities. The chemical composition rich in bioactive compounds led to very good results in biological assays. Thus, from a dose of 0.05 mg/mL, the ethanolic extracts of the two plants normalised up to 75% of the sickle cells. As the rate of normalisation was shown to be dose-dependent, at a dose of 10 mg/mL, the ethanolic extracts showed the best rates of sickle cell normalisation, with 95% for F. virosa and 93% for K. africana. Phytochemical screening was used to correlate the secondary metabolite and anti-sickle cell activities of the extracts from the two plants. These results may justify the use of these two species in traditional medicine for the treatment of sickle cell disease in Niger. The inclusion of these plants in phytomedicines could provide significant relief to people suffering from sickle cell disease.

Probing the bioactive compounds of Kigelia africana as novel inhibitors of TNF-α converting enzyme using HPLC/GCMS analysis, FTIR and molecular modelling.

Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Converting Enzyme (TACE) mediates inflammatory disorder and contributes to the pathophysiology of a variety of illnesses, such as chronic inflammation and cancer. This study identified metabolites in solvent extracts of Kigelia africana as putative TACE inhibitors due to the plant's known anti-inflammatory properties. HPLC-MS/GCMS analysis was used to characterize tentative phytochemicals from K. africana. The identified metabolites (n = 123) were docked with TACE to reveal the lead compounds. Binding free energy, ADMET prediction, molecular dynamics simulation at 100 ns, and DFT calculation were further conducted. The results revealed that K. africana contains sterol, phenols, alkaloids, terpenes and flavonoids. The FTIR shows that the extracts had peaks that correspond to the presence of different functional groups. The quantum polarized ligand docking (QPLD) analysis identified compound (n = 3) with binding affinity higher than standard compound IK-682. The hits also had modest ADMET profiles, interacted with essential residues within TACE binding pockets, and formed stable complexes with the protein. The 100 ns MD simulation shows that the compounds formed fairly stable interactions and complex with the protein as evidenced through RMSF, RMSD and MM-GBA results. The HOMO/LUMO, global descriptive molecular electrostatic potential Fukui function aid in the identification of the compounds' atomic sites prone to electrophilic/neutrophilic attacks, and non-covalent interactions. This study suggests that K. africana's bioactive compounds are capable of mitigating inflammation by inhibiting TACE.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Kigelia africana inhibits proliferation and induces cell death in stage 4 Neuroblastoma cell lines.

Neuroblastoma (NB) is one of the most common solid pediatric tumors and especially high-risk NBs still account for about 12-15% of cancer related deaths in children. Kigelia africana (KA) is a plant used in traditional African medicine which has already shown its anti-cancer potential in several in vitro and in vivo studies. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of KA fruit extract on stage 4 high-risk NB cells. Therefore, NB cell lines with and without MYCN amplification and non-neoplastic cells were treated with KA fruit extract at different concentrations. The effect of KA on cell viability and apoptosis rate were assessed by bioluminescence-/fluorescence-based assays. Several proteins involved in survival, tumor growth, inflammation and metastasis were detected via western blot and immunofluorescence. Secreted cytokines were detected via ELISA. Phytochemical composition of the extract was analyzed by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). Our group demonstrates a dose- and time-dependent selective cytotoxic effect of KA fruit extract on NB, especially in MYCN non-amplified tumor cells, by inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing cell death. Western blot and immunofluorescence results demonstrate a regulation of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), disialoganglioside GD2 and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in KA-treated tumor cells. Our results evidence striking anti-cancer properties of KA fruit and pave the way for further surveys on the therapeutic properties and mechanisms of action in NB.

Kigelia africana fruit biofibre polysaccharide extraction and biofibre development by silane chemical treatment.

Silane-treated natural cellulosic Kigelia africana fruit fibre (KAF) was experimentally established to have strong strength after removing hydrophilic materials. Silane treatment makes it compatible with hydrophobic biopolymeric materials than existing non-grafted KA fibre. In this work, the polysaccharide was extracted from the KAF and found to have all the essential compounds. KA fruit-based cellulosic fibre was extracted and treated with different concentrations of silane solution. Silane-treated (13%) KAF has a cellulose content of about 76.86%. The peak found at 1734 cm-1 shows the hemicellulose in untreated fibres, and its intensity decreased after silane treatment, as confirmed by FTIR. X-ray diffraction investigation indicated that silane-treated (5%) KAF has a crystallinity index of 70.22%. After treatment, the tensile strength of 5% silane-treated KAF shows a tensile strength of 490.77 MPa, giving more viability to biofibre reinforcement.

Effects of Combined Garcinia kola and Kigelia africana on Insulin and Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) Levels in Type 2 Diabetic Rats.

BACKGROUND: Individual extracts of Garcinia kola and Kigelia africana have been shown to have therapeutic effects against a variety of variables linked to the development of diabetes mellitus. However, there is still a lack of information about the combined effects of these extracts on Insulin and Paraoxonase 1 (PON-1) in Streptozotocin-Nicotinamide-induced type-2 diabetic Wistar rats. METHODS: Forty-two young male rats (180-200g) were randomly divided into six groups (n = 7/group). Diabetes was intraperitoneally induced with 110 mg/kg of nicotinamide constituted in distilled water and fifteen minutes later with 65 mg/kg of streptozocin freshly prepared in 0.1M citrate buffer (pH of 4.5) and treated for six weeks as follows: the control rats received either 0.9% normal saline (NS) or 250 mg/kg extract by gavage. The remaining animals were diabetes induced and subsequently treated with either NS, graded doses of the extract (250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg), or 5 mg/kg Glibenclamide + 100mg/kg Metformin. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS) of the combined extracts was also analyzed to identify the bioactive compounds present in it. Insulin, PON-1 levels, lipid profiles, and atherogenic index were assessed. RESULTS: Our findings show that Insulin and PON-1 levels in the plasma of diabetic rats treated with the combined extracts were significantly increased when compared to the control rats. Moreover, the GCMS of the extract shows the presence of both monounsaturated (oleic acid) and polyunsaturated (linoleic acid) fatty acids. CONCLUSION: The current findings suggest that the extract may help improve glucose homeostasis and prevent atherosclerosis through the established mechanism of the identified bioactive compounds.

Bioactivity-directed evaluation of fruit of Kigelia africana (Lam.) benth. Used in treatment of malaria in Iwo, Nigeria.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The ancient people of Iwo communities consisting of Ile-Ogbo, Olupona, Iwo and Ogbagba continue to engage in the traditional use of medicinal plants for the treatment and management of common diseases especially malaria. AIMS OF THIS STUDY: This study conducted an ethnomedicinal survey of plants used to treat malaria and feverish conditions by the people of Iwo, Nigeria. It also evaluated the antiplasmodial activity of the morphological parts of Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth., and isolated, as well as characterised pure compounds from the semi-purified fractions of the fruit extract. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The ethnomedicinal survey was conducted using semi-structured questionnaires administered to only herb sellers in Iwo, Ile-Ogbo, Olupona, and Ogbagba areas of Osun State. Extracts of K. africana morphological parts; leaf, root, stem bark, and fruit were obtained by cold maceration in methanol, followed by assessment of acute toxicity (LD50) and antiplasmodial activity in Plasmodium berghei infected rats using the 4-day suppressive test model. The most active fruit extract was further subjected to activity-guided fractionation and purification using n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate (EtOAc), n-butanol (n-BuOH), and methanol (MeOH) in gradients to obtain the semi-purified fractions and two pure isolated compounds using various chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: From the survey, thirty-one plant species were identified for treating malaria in Iwo area. Azadirachta indica leaf was the most frequently used (78.3% of the respondents) while Manihot esculenta leaf (3.33%) was the least. The identified plants are distributed among 24 families, with Anacardiaceae and Asteraceae (11.67% each) been the most occurring families. Kigelia africana (Bignoniaceae) ranked the 6th position with 60% frequency of occurrence. The LD50 values obtained for the extracts were greater than 5000 mg/kg (p.o). The chemo-suppression activity of the extracts at 125 mg/kg was in the order of stem bark (26.59%), leaf (41.75%), root (43.95%), and fruit (54.54%). The semi-purified methanol fraction of the fruit showed the most antiplasmodial activity with a percent chemo-suppression of 69.94 and yielded 4-(2,3-dihydroxypropoxy)-3,5-dihydroxy-5-methylfuran-2-one and sucrose. CONCLUSION: The use of herbs and medicinal plants either singly or in combination for the treatment of malaria among the people of Iwo community in Nigeria is still well practised. Lack of formal education among most of the respondents and use of same local name for different plants species or plant parts; which often lead to wrong plant collection were among the constrains encountered. Kigelia africana has antiplasmodial activity in the order of fruit > root > leaf > stem bark.

Enhanced sequestration of Cr(VI) onto plant extract anchored on carbon-coated aluminium oxide composite.

Aluminium oxide (ALU) and carbon-coated aluminium oxide modified with Kigelia africana leaf extract (KECA) were employed for the removal of toxic hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) from the aqueous phase. The adsorbents (ALU and KECA) were characterized by TGA, BET, FESEM, FTIR, Raman and XRD spectroscopic techniques. The potential of KECA and ALU to remove Cr(VI) from simulated wastewater was optimum at pH 2, sorbent dose of 0.025 g and a contact time of 200 min. Meanwhile, the uptake capacity of KECA and ALU was enhanced with an increase in sorbent dose, contact time and initial Cr(VI) concentration. The uptake of Cr(VI) onto the adsorbents ALU and KECA was kinetically best described by the pseudo-second-order and Elovich models, respectively. Besides, the equilibrium data acquired for ALU and KECA obeyed Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models, respectively. ALU and KECA were observed to have optimum adsorption capacity of 56.45 mg g-1 and 258.2 mg g-1, respectively. The adsorption of Cr(VI) onto the adsorbents was thermodynamically feasible, endothermic in nature and entropy-driven. A decrease in efficiency was observed on regeneration of the absorbents, thus limiting their reusability. However, the presence of functional groups with reducing property in the extract of Kigelia africana leaves was noticed to enhance the capacity of the adsorbent to abstract Cr(VI) from the solution. Hence, this study demonstrates the potential of KECA to sequestrate Cr(VI) from an aqueous solution and provides a reference for its application to the treatment of Cr(VI)-laden industrial wastewater.

Exploration of Modern Chromatographic Methods Coupled to Mass Spectrometric Techniques for Trace Element and Chemical Composition Analyses in the Leaf Extracts of Kigelia africana.

The use of Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. plant dates back to last century. The different parts of the plant exhibited various pharmacological activities. But literature search revealed scanty use of the leaf extract owing to few information regarding the various phytochemical constituents. The aim of this study is, therefore, to profile the chemical compounds through the use of omics-based approach. Ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (qTOF-UPLC/MS) alongside gas chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (qTOF-GC/MS) were used to profile these chemical compounds. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) was used to determine the concentration of trace elements as well as limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ). For broader metabolite determination, a modified sample preparation was employed and to ascertain the cytoprotective potential of the leaf extract, MTT assay on A375 human melanoma cell lines was carried out. Sixty-eight peaks were characterized with the identification of 275 metabolites where 8 of these were confirmed. Of importance is the identification of eugenol; a polyphenolic compound at m/z 165.09 on fragments 119.09, 147.08, 109.10, 137.10, and 137.06. for qTOF-GC/MS analysis, 232 metabolites were identified consisting of terpenes, fatty acids, furans, amines, amides, and alkanes. The concentration of trace elements in the leaf extract ranged from 0.08 for Zn to 0.28 mg/kg for Fe with low concentrations of Cd according to the recommendation of European Legislation. The leaf showed higher inhibition of growth against A375 human melanoma cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. The results showed that K. africana leaf contained various pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, designer drugs, and phytochemicals, and these chemicals have minimal cytotoxic side effects. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study providing information on the various secondary metabolites in the leaf extract through the use of omics-based approach. Therefore, the leaves of K. africana plant can be used as antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiproliferative agents for industrial, therapeutic, and medicinal applications. Graphical Abstract.

Study on a Novel natural cellulosic fiber from Kigelia africana fruit: Characterization and analysis.

In recent days, there is an increasing use of green composites in composite manufacturing, where cellulosic natural fibers have been started using for this purpose. In line with this, a novel cellulose fiber was extracted from the Kigelia africana fruit and its physical, chemical and thermal properties, crystallography and surface morphology analysis were studied and reported in this investigative research paper. The physical analysis revealed the mean tensile strength as 50.31 ± 24.71 to 73.12 ± 32.48 MPa, diameter as 0.507 ± 0.162 to 0.629 ± 0.182 mm and density as 1.316 g/cm³ for the Kigelia africana fiber. The proximate chemical analysis estimated the cellulose percentage to be 61.5 % and the existence of different basic components like cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin are confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. Thermogravimetric analysis establishes the thermal stability of the fiber as 212 °C. The crystallinity index, 57.38 % of the fiber was determined by X-ray diffraction. Surface morphology by field emission scanning electron microscopy reveals the presence of protrusions in fiber which aid in the better adhesion with the matrix in composite manufacturing.

Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Activity of Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. (Bignoniaceae).

Kigelia africana has been used in the management of human ailments since time immemorial. Ethnobotanists have documented the traditional uses of K. africana, which include treatment of skin disorders, cancer and gynecological complaints, among others. This has interested scientists, who have examined K. africana plant parts for their bioactivity. This review provides an insightful understanding on the ethnobotany, phytochemistry and pharmacology of K. africana. Web search engines Google and Google Scholar, as well as the databases of PubMed, Scopus, JSTOR, HINARI, SID, AJOL and Springer Link, were exhaustively searched using key words and phrases. Institutional reports and conference papers were also consulted. A total of 125 relevant international literature sources meeting the inclusion criteria were included. Kigelia africana has biologically active phytochemicals, many of which have been isolated. Whilst the fruits are most often cited in pharmacological studies, other plant parts are also used in herbal preparations. Commercially available products have been formulated from K. africana, though many have not been fully standardized. Despite many efforts by researchers to scientifically validate traditional uses of K. africana, many remain merely claims, thus the need to conduct more research, scientifically validate other traditional uses, isolate new bioactive phytochemicals and standardize K. africana products.

Effects of Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. fruits extract on the development and maturation of the reproductive system in immature male rats.

In the present study, we investigated the effects of Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. fruits ethanolic extract in prepubertal male rats, to evaluate the influence of the extract on the reproductive system and on pubertal development. Experiments were conducted using the rodent pubertal male assay. The plant extract, analyzed by TLC, HPLC-PDA and HPLC-ESI-MS, was administered orally at doses of 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg b.w. from post-natal date 21 to post-natal day 53. Age at puberty onset, body growth, development of sexual organs exposure to plant extract or positive control were examined. Results obtained indicate that Kigelia extract, at all doses tested, significantly anticipates puberty and increases body growth and sexual organs development. These effects appears to be due to stimulation of the secretion of androgenic hormones by the compounds found in its extract and scientifically support some of its traditional uses in disorders of the male reproductive system.