Phytochemical profiling, toxicity studies, wound healing, analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of Musa paradisiaca L. Musaceae (Plantain) stem extract in rats.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The stem of Musa paradisiaca (plantain) has found application in traditional medicine for the treatment of diabetes, inflammation, ulcers and wound injuries. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study investigated the phytochemical composition, toxicity profile, wound healing, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of aqueous Musa paradisiaca stem extract (AMPSE) in rats. METHODS: Phytochemical analysis of methanol-MPSE was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Acute toxicity testing was carried out through oral administration of a single dose of AMPSE up to 5 g/kg. Four separate groups of rats were used for the subacute toxicity testing (n = 6). Group 1 served as a normal control and did not receive AMPSE, groups 2-4 received AMPSE daily by gavage for 28 days. In the experiments with excision and incision wounds, the rats were treated with 10 w/w AMPS extract. The anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of AMPSE were assessed using egg albumin-induced paw oedema and acetic acid-induced writhing methods, respectively. For the subacute, anti-inflammatory and analgesic studies, AMPSE was administered to the experimental rats at doses of 300, 600 and 900 mg/kg body weight. RESULTS: Bioactive compounds identified include ß-sitisterol, n-hexadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid, diethyl sulfate, p-hydroxynorephedrine, phenylephrine, nor-pseudoephedrine, metaraminol, pseudoephedrine and vanillic acid. No signs of toxicity and no deaths were observed in all the groups. For the groups treated with AMPSE for 28 days, a significant reduction in alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, urea, sodium, chloride, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were observed while high density lipoprotein cholesterol, glutathione and superoxide dismutase increased compared to control (p < 0.05). In wound healing experiments, AMPSE showed greater percent wound contraction and wound resistance fracture compared to the povidone-iodine (PI) treated and control groups. Treatment with 900 mg/kg AMPSE resulted in significant (p < 0.05) anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects compared to the control. CONCLUSION: This study shows that AMPSE is not toxic but contains biologically active compounds with hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, lipid-lowering and wound-healing effects. Treatment of rats with AMPSE has shown that AMPSE has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, hepatoprotective, lipid-lowering and wound-healing effects, supporting its therapeutic use in ethnomedicine.

Bioactive Phytoconstituents and Their Therapeutic Potentials in the Treatment of Haematological Cancers: A Review.

Haematological (blood) cancers are the cancers of the blood and lymphoid forming tissues which represents approximately 10% of all cancers. It has been reported that approximately 60% of all blood cancers are incurable. Despite substantial improvement in access to detection/diagnosis, chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation, there is still high recurrence and unpredictable but clearly defined relapses indicating that effective therapies are still lacking. Over the past two decades, medicinal plants and their biologically active compounds are being used as potential remedies and alternative therapies for the treatment of cancer. This is due to their anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic, anti-angiogenic, anti-cancer activities and negligible side effects. These bioactive compounds have the capacity to reduce proliferation of haematological cancers via various mechanisms such as promoting apoptosis, transcription regulation, inhibition of signalling pathways, downregulating receptors and blocking cell cycle. This review study highlights the mechanistic and beneficial effects of nine bioactive compounds (quercetin, ursolic acid, fisetin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate, curcumin, gambogic acid, butein and celastrol) as potential remedies for chemoprevention of haematological cancers. The study provides useful insights on the effectiveness of the use of bioactive compounds from plants for chemoprevention of haematological cancers.

Phytochemical composition, bioactive properties, and toxicological profile of Tetrapleura tetraptera.

The use of medicinal plants has gained renewed wide popularity in Africa, Asia, and most parts of the world because of the decreasing efficacy of synthetic drugs. Thus, natural products serve as a potent source of alternative remedy. Tetrapleura tetraptera is a medicinal plant with cultural and traditional significance in West Africa. In addition to the plant being commonly used as a spice in the preparation of traditional spicy food for postpartum care it is also widely used to constitute herbal concoctions and decoctions for treatment of diseases. This review aimed to provide an up-to-date information on the ethnomedicinal uses, pharmacological activities and phytoconstituents of T. tetraptera. Preclinical studies regarding the plant's toxicity profile were also reviewed. For this updated review, literature search was done on PubMed, Science Direct, Wiley, and Google Scholar databases using the relevant keywords. The review used a total of 106 papers that met the inclusion criteria from January 1989 - February 2022 and summarised the bioactivities that have been reported for the rich phytoconstituents of T. tetraptera studied using various chemical methods. Considering the huge report, the review focused on the antimicrobial and antiinflammatory activities of the plant extracts and isolated compounds. Aridan, aridanin and several bioactive compounds of T. tetraptera have shown pharmacological activities though their mechanisms of action are yet to be fully understood. This study also highlighted the influence of plant parts and extraction solvents on its biological activities. It also presented data on the toxicological profile of the plant extracts using different models. From cultural uses to modern pharmacological research the bioactive compounds of T. tetraptera have proved effective in infectious disease management. We hope that this paper provided a robust summary of the biological activities and toxicological profile of T. tetraptera, thus calling for more research into the pharmacological and pharmacokinetic activities of natural products to help combat the growing threat of drug resistance and provide guidelines for their ethnomedicinal uses.

A review on the traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities of clove basil (Ocimum gratissimum L.).

In traditional medicine, Ocimum gratissimum (clove basil) is used in the treatment of various diseases such as diabetes, cancer, inflammation, anaemia, diarrhoea, pains, and fungal and bacterial infections. The present study reviewed the phytochemicals, essential oils, and pharmacological activities of O. gratissimum. The bioactive compounds extracted from O. gratissimum include phytochemicals (oleanolic acid, caffeic acid, ellagic acid, epicatechin, sinapic acid, rosmarinic acid, chlorogenic acid, luteolin, apigenin, nepetoidin, xanthomicrol, nevadensin, salvigenin, gallic acid, catechin, quercetin, rutin, and kaempfero) and essential oils (camphene, ß-caryophyllene, α- and ß-pinene, α-humulene, sabinene, ß-myrcene, limonene, 1,8-cineole, trans-ß-ocimene, linalool, α- and δ-terpineol, eugenol, α-copaene, ß-elemene, p-cymene, thymol, and carvacrol). Various in vivo and in vitro studies have shown that O. gratissimum and its bioactive constituents possess pharmacological properties such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, antidiarrhoeal, and antimicrobial properties. This review demonstrated that O. gratissimum has a strong preventive and therapeutic effect against several diseases. The effectiveness of O. gratissimum to ameliorate various diseases may be attributed to its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties as well as its capacity to improve the antioxidant systems. However, despite the widespread pharmacological activities of O. gratissimum, further experiments in human clinical trial studies are needed to establish effective and safe doses for the treatment of various diseases.

Ocimum gratissimum leaf extract ameliorates phenylhydrazine-induced anaemia and toxicity in Wistar rats.

OBJECTIVES: Ocimum gratissimum L. is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of bacterial infections and anaemia. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of O. gratissimum leaf extract on phenylhydrazine (PHZ)-induced anaemia and toxicity in rats. METHODS: The experimental rats were divided into five groups (A-E) (n=6/sex/group). Each rat in groups B-E was intraperitoneally administered 50 mg/kg of PHZ for two consecutive days. Group A (normal control) did not receive any PHZ, group B (negative control), group C received orally 5 mg/kg ferrous sulphate whereas groups D and E received 200 and 400 mg/kg O. gratissimum leaf extract respectively, for 14 days. RESULTS: Red blood cell count, packed cell volume, haemoglobin concentration and high-density lipoprotein increased significantly (p<0.05) whereas low-density lipoprotein and very-low-density lipoprotein decreased in extract-treated groups when compared to the negative control. O. gratissimum (400 mg/kg extract) and standard drug (5 mg/kg ferrous sulphate) significantly (p<0.05) reduced the levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that O. gratissimum leaf extract has a restorative effect on the phenylhydrazine-induced metabolic distortions in the blood, liver, and kidney, and therefore could be used therapeutically as an anti-anaemic tonic.

Psidium guajava leaf extract improves gastrointestinal functions in rats and rabbits: an implication for ulcer and diarrhoea management.

PURPOSE: Psidium guajava L. (Family, Myrtaceae) is reportedly used in ethnomedicine for the treatment of diarrhoea, inflammation, and gastroenteritis. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the gastrointestinal function of Psidium guajava leaf extract (PGLE) in rats and rabbits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Crude ethanolic PGLE was subjected to phytochemical and toxicity tests (acute and sub-acute). Standard analytical procedures were employed to evaluate the in vivo gastrointestinal motility, and gastroprotective effect of PGLE against aspirin-induced ulcers. RESULTS: In the phytochemical analysis, phenols were the highest (48.32 mg) followed by flavonoids (32.74 mg) and least in tannins (7.31 mg). The acute toxicity of PGLE was >6000 mg/kg. Administration of PGLE decreased significantly (p < 0.05) the body weight, while the liver biomarkers were not significantly altered (p > 0.05) when compared to the control. PGLE significantly increased extractible mucus weight and lowered gastric acid secretion in rats (p < 0.05). PGLE decreased significantly (p < 0.05) ulcer scores and indexes, and increased percentage ulcer inhibition in a dose-dependent manner compared to the negative and omeprazole-treated groups. PGLE dose-dependently inhibited basal amplitudes of contractions, and significantly inhibited acetylcholine-induced contractions, terminating them completely at higher doses. CONCLUSION: PGLE may be a good anti-ulcer and anti-diarrhoeal agent, raising the prospect of novel drug development for such applications.

Ocimum gratissimum leaf extract ameliorates phenylhydrazine-induced anaemia and toxicity in Wistar rats.

OBJECTIVES: Ocimum gratissimum L. is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of bacterial infections and anaemia. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of O. gratissimum leaf extract on phenylhydrazine (PHZ)-induced anaemia and toxicity in rats. METHODS: The experimental rats were divided into five groups (A-E) (n=6/sex/group). Each rat in groups B-E was intraperitoneally administered 50 mg/kg of PHZ for two consecutive days. Group A (normal control) did not receive any PHZ, group B (negative control), group C received orally 5 mg/kg ferrous sulphate whereas groups D and E received 200 and 400 mg/kg O. gratissimum leaf extract respectively, for 14 days. RESULTS: Red blood cell count, packed cell volume, haemoglobin concentration and high-density lipoprotein increased significantly (p<0.05) whereas low-density lipoprotein and very-low-density lipoprotein decreased in extract-treated groups when compared to the negative control. O. gratissimum (400 mg/kg extract) and standard drug (5 mg/kg ferrous sulphate) significantly (p<0.05) reduced the levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that O. gratissimum leaf extract has a restorative effect on the phenylhydrazine-induced metabolic distortions in the blood, liver, and kidney, and therefore could be used therapeutically as an anti-anaemic tonic.

Safety Evaluation of an Aqueous Extract of Termitomyces robustus (Agaricomycetes) in Wistar Rats.

Termitomyces robustus is an edible and highly nutritious wild Basidiomycetes mushroom. It is used in ethnomedicine for treating malnutrition-related diseases, rheumatism, diarrhea, gonorrhea, anemia, and hypertension. Despite the tremendous use of this delicious edible mushroom as a source of nutrients, no comprehensive literature describes its safety and toxicity profiles. Therefore, this study evaluated the toxicity profile of an aqueous T. robustus extract in rats. In the acute toxicity test, male and female rats were orally administered daily a single dose of up to 10 g/kg extract. In the subacute toxicity test, male rats were orally administered the T. robustus extract at graded doses of 500, 1000, and 1500 mg/kg for 14 days. No mortality or any signs of toxicity were observed in the acute toxicity study, indicating that the median lethal dose (LD50) of T. robustus is greater than 10 g/kg. In the subacute toxicity study, T. robustus had no effect (P > 0.05) on hemoglobin, packed cell volume, red blood cell, white blood cell, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, neutrophil, lymphocyte, or lipid profile parameters in any of the rats. However, significant differences (P < 0.05) were noted in alanine aminotransferase, eosinophils, basophils, monocytes, platelets, urea, creatinine, and electrolytes in the tested groups when compared to values from the control group. No histopathological alterations or changes were observed in the liver or kidneys of the rats. This study established that an aqueous extract of T. robustus is nontoxic and therefore safe for consumption at the tested doses.

Sensitivity of Coriandrum sativum extract on bacterial pathogens isolated from digestive system of rabbits, and its role on in vitro cecal gas production and fermentation.

The present context was aimed to investigate the antibacterial potency of aqueous extract of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) leaves against bacterial pathogens isolated from the organs associated with digestive system of rabbit. This study also evaluated the influence of varied doses of aqueous extract of C. sativum (AECS) leaves on in vitro gas production (GP), methane (CH4) production, and some other pivotal fermentation parameters from caecal sample of rabbits. The pathogenic bacteria were isolated from mouth, caecum, and anus of rabbits, and further identified through morphological, biochemical, and molecular tools. The growth inhibitory characteristics of AECS against pathogens were determined using disc diffusion assay. Surprisingly, the result revealed lack of antibacterial potential at tested concentrations. Further, in order to demonstrate the in vitro GP and fermentation parameters in rabbits, four treatments comprising of 0, 0.6, 1.2, and 1.8 mL extract/g dry matter (DM) of AECS were used. Results showed no linear or quadratic effect (P > 0.05) on in vitro GP and CH4 production after the supplementation of AECS in the feeding diet. However, the inclusion of AECS at the concentration of 1.8 mL/g DM exhibited the lowest asymptotic CH4 production and initial delay prior to CH4 production. Similarly, the addition of AECS at 1.8 mL/g DM concentration reduced asymptotic GP as well as CH4 production, and improved fermentation parameters of rabbits when compared with the control and other tested doses. In a nutshell, the tested doses of AECS showed lack of antibacterial trait against the pathogenic bacteria isolated from mouth, caecum, and anus of rabbits. Besides, the AECS exhibited the unique potentiality of reducing GP and improving diversified fermentation parameters in rabbits, thereby suggesting its plausible role as an alternative to commercially available growth promoters in livestock industries.