Insecticidal properties of volatile extracts of orange peels.

Statistical studies using the randomised complete block design with four replicates showed that volatile extracts of two species of orange peel--Citrus sinensis (sweet orange) and Citrus aurantifolia (lime) had insecticidal activity against mosquito, cockroach and housefly. Insecticidal activity was better after 60 min than at 30 min spraying of rooms. Volatile extracts of C. sinensis showed greater insecticidal potency, while the cockroach was the most susceptible to the orange peels among the three insects studied.

Biochemical indicators of occupational health hazards in Nkalagu cement industry workers, Nigeria.

Routine diagnostic tests for some organ-system functions were adopted as biochemical probes in health screening of cement milling workers. Thirty-five volunteers from the Nkalagu cement industry, Nigeria were screened. Out of 14 biochemical parameters studied, raised levels of serum bicarbonates (HCO-), aspartic transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) were observed among cement milling workers compared with a control population. Elevated bicarbonate values were found to differ statistically (P < 0.05) between the quarry workers and the rest of the volunteer work population. In a similar manner, elevated ALT values differ statistically (P < 0.05) between the kilning workers and the rest of the study population. Elevated bicarbonate values are associated with chronic bronchitis, while elevated values of AST and ALT suggest susceptibility to hepatitis, particularly anicteric hepatitis as the elevated values of the transaminase were not matched by a corresponding rise in serum bilirubin. The implications of this study to occupational health screening cannot be overemphasized.

Anti-nutritional factors in the roots of a local cultivar of Moringa oleifera (Lam).

The evergreen plant, Moringa oleifera (Lam) has been known to have both medicinal and nutritional properties, thus its wide use in traditional medicine in Africa and Asia. The roots, in particular, have been reported to possess antibiotic, anti-tumour and anti-oxidative activities. This study therefore seeks to determine the levels of the anti-nutritional factors and other proximate analyses in the roots of a local cultivar of Moringa oleifera which might be responsible for such activities. The concentrations of oxalates and phytates in the roots were determined using the methods of Munro and Bassir and Griffith and Thomas, respectively. The methods of Association of Analytical Chemists (AOAC) were used to estimate the amount of tannins, saponins and cyanogenic glycosides while the Technicon sequential Multi-sample amino acid analyzer (TSM) was used determine the amino acid concentration in the roots. Tannins (45 mg 100 g(-1)) and oxalates (17.08 mg 100 g(-1)) were present in the roots at higher levels while saponins (4.20mg 100 g(-1)), cyanogenic glycosides (2.72 mg 100 g(-1)) and phytates (0.07 mg 100 g(-1)) occurred at much lower levels. The roots contained (Mean +/- Standard Error of mean) %crude lipid (6.33 +/- 1.64), %crude proteins (5.02 +/- 1.52), %carbohydrates (76.75), %ash (4.97 +/- 0.53) and %moisture (6.93 +/- 0.58). The roots lacked the water-soluble vitamins pyridoxine, riboflavin and thiamine but contained ascorbic acid (48.13 mg 100 g(-1)) and niacin (5.83 mg 100 g(-1)). This study has shown that Moringa oleifera roots are rich in anti-nutritional factors and that is why they are widely used in traditional medicine in Africa, Asia and Americas for its medicinal importance.