Application of acid activated natural clays for improving quality of Niger (Guizotia abyssinica Cass) oil.

Natural clay has been considered as one of the most appropriate, locally available, effective, and low-cost edible oil adsorptive purifying materials. The removal of impurities and colored substances from edible oil increases the quality of oils. This study reports the application of acid activated different clays for bleaching of Niger oil. The clay samples were collected from different parts of North Shoa Zone, Ethiopia namely Zemero, Seladengay and Mehal Meda, and treated by three different acid concentrations (15 %, 20 % and 25 %) with HCl, HNO3, and H2SO4. The acid activation boosts the behavior of the clays by manipulating its physical and chemical properties, which highly responsible for the removal of impurities. The characteristic of the clay samples were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray Fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and UV-vis spectrophotometer, respectively. The Niger oil (Guizotia abyssinica Cass) was treated with each activated clays to evaluate for their use as local adsorptive materials. The results indicated that all the clay samples activated with H2SO4 demonstrated the highest bleaching efficiency compared to the clays activated with HCl and HNO3 under similar conditions. Therefore, 25 % sulfuric acid activated Zemero clay is the most efficient (94.5 %) with adsorbent dose (1 g), contact time (30 min), and temperature (90 °C) compared to Seladengay and Mehal Meda clay samples. The results indicate the adsorption capacities of all the three activated clays and their potential applications for efficient treatment and purification of oils to improve flavor, taste, and shelf life of oil products.

Assessment of preventive behavior and associated factors towards COVID-19 in Qellam Wallaga Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia: A community-based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The world is being challenged by the COVID-19 outbreak that resulted in a universal concern and economic hardship. It is a leading public health emergency across the globe in general and developing countries in particular. Strengthening good preventive behavior is the best way to tackle such pandemics. OBJECTIVE: The study assessed preventive behavior and associated factors towards COVID-19 among residents of Qellam Wallaga Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia, 2020. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted with a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected by interview and analyzed using SPSS version 23.0. Binomial logistic regression was used to test the association between the variables. An Adjusted Prevalence with 95% CI was used to express the associations and interpret the findings. RESULTS: Among 634 participants, 417(65.8%) were from urban residences, and 347 (54.7%) belongs to a female. Age ranges 18 years through 87 years. Only 68(10.7%) participants showed good preventive behavior for COVID-19. The majority of them (84.7%) perceived that the disease is very dangerous and 450(71.0%) of them believe that they are at high risk. More than 17% of the respondents have sufficient knowledge. Respondents with sufficient knowledge about COVID-19 were about 2 times more likely to exercise good preventive behavior compare to those with insufficient knowledge, [(APR: 2.1; 95% CI: [1.2, 3.9)]. The urban residents was 3.3 more than that of rural residents to practice good preventive behavior, [(APR: 3.3; 95% CI: [1.6, 6.4)]. Respondents who use social media as a source of information were more than 2 times more likely to have good preventive behavior compared to those who did not, [(APR: 2.3; 95% CI: [1.3, 3.4)]. CONCLUSION: Adoptions of COVID-19 preventive behavior in the study population is very low. Due emphasis should be given to rural residents. Risk communication activities should be strengthened through effective community engagement to slow down and stop the transmssion of the disease in the community.

Phytochemical analysis and evaluation of skin irritation, acute and sub-acute toxicity of Cymbopogon citratus essential oil in mice and rabbits.

Cymbopogon citratus has been used by the local people in Ankober district, northern Ethiopia, as traditional medicine to treat various ailments. Its essential oil has been shown to have antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities amongst others. This study was conducted to determine skin irritation, acute and subacute toxicity of C. citratus essential oil in mice and rabbits. The essential oil was analyzed using GC-MS. The essential oil at dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight was administered to mice for 21 consecutive days. The mice mortality, behavioral change, injury and other signs of illness were recorded once daily. Biochemical parameters were evaluated. Liver and kidney were taken after sacrifice for gross findings and histological analyses. 10 % ointment formulation of C. citratus oils was applied on the rabbit skin to determine skin irritation effects. The result revealed, the presence of citral (71.297%), myrcene (19.034%), 4, 5-epoxycarene (2.780%), linalool (1.713%), ((S)-cis-verbenol (1.110 %), linalool (1.713 %), ((S)-cis-verbenol (1.110 %) and undecan-2-one (1.001 %) in the C. citratus essential oil. There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in the body weights, gross abnormalities of the organs and biochemical parameters compared to the control. No histopathological changes were detected in the organs tested. 10 % ointment formulation of C. citratus oils did not cause skin irritation. Analysis of results leads to the conclusion that Ethiopian C. citratus essential oil may be considered as relatively safe and non-toxic.

Evaluation of Skin Irritation and Acute and Subacute Oral Toxicity of Lavandula angustifolia Essential Oils in Rabbit and Mice.

Lavandula angustifolia is used in traditional and folk medicines of Ankober District, North Central Ethiopia, for the treatment of several livestock and human disorders. This toxicity study aimed to investigate L. angustifolia essential oil oral toxicity in mice and skin irritation in rabbit. L. angustifolia essential oil was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry methods and showed predominance of Eucalyptol (52.36%), Camphor (11.91%), gamma-terpinene (8.775%) and endoborneol (7.585%). Limit test at 2000 mg/kg dose was used for L. angustifolia essential oil acute toxicity test and revealed LD50 value was higher than 2000 mg/kg. For subacute toxicity study 2000mg/kg was given orally to each mouse for 21 days. The result demonstrated no significant changes (p > 0.05) in the body weights, and biochemical parameters, gross abnormalities, water, and food intake were observed. No macroscopic changes were seen in the histopathology analysis of kidneys and livers. For skin irritation test shaved rabbit skin was treated with 10% ointment formulation. Ointment of L. angustifolia oil did not affect mice skin. Generally, this toxicity study demonstrated that L. angustifolia essential oil is nontoxic.

Toxicity of Millettia ferruginea darasana (family: Fabaceae) against the larvae and adult ticks of Amblyomma variegatum Fabricius a three-host tick in cattle.

The in vitro toxicity of Millettia ferruginea darasana (family: Fabaceae) was tested against the larvae adult male and female of a three-host tick, Amblyomma variegatum Fabricius (family: Ixodidae or hard tick), known as 'tropical bont tick' parasitic mainly to cattle found in Ethiopia and other equatorial Africa. The 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 % concentrations of the seed oil extracted with petroleum ether were found to kill all (100 % mortality) larvae after 12, 9, 6, 3 and 1.5 h respectively. The results summarized in the Table 1 was found to be statistically significant at the probability level of p = 0.05. The 100 % concentration of the oil caused 100 % mortality of adult male, adult female and fully engorged female tick after 5, 7 and 12 h respectively. The root and root bark showed less toxicity. The leaves did not show any toxicity. [Table: see text].