Purpose: To determine the analgesic, anti-inflammatory and toxicological effects of Vigornatural herbal powder, derived from the leaves of Nicotiana tabacum L. (Solanaceae) and the seeds of Buchholzia coriacea Eng. (Capparaceae). Methods: Analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of the herbal powder were assessed using acetic acid-induced writhing and egg-albumin-induced edema models, respectively. Drugs were administered orally to animal groups (n = 4) at a dose of 400 mg/kg using paracetamol and Tween-80 as positive and negative controls, respectively in writhing test, while in egg albumin model, drugs were administered at a dose range of 100 - 400 mg/kg using diclofenac sodium and Tween 80 as controls respectively. Acute toxicity was evaluated using modified Lorke’s protocol. Sub-acute toxicity was investigated in Wistar rats after 14 days of oral administration of 400 mg/kg per day via its effect on hematological and serum biochemical parameters. Qualitative phytochemical analysis was carried out using standard protocols. Results: The herbal powder gave a median lethal dose (LD50) > 5000 mg/kg and significantly provoked 38 % inhibition of acetic acid-induced writhing in mice at 400 mg/kg dose, relative to negative control (p < 0.05). It also significantly inhibited both phases of egg-albumin-induced edema with 9.5 and 16.5 % inhibition at 1st and 4th hours, respectively when compared to standard diclofenac which gave 4.2 and 17.3 %, respectively (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the treated and control groups with regard to all hematological and biochemical parameters tested after 14 days. Qualitative phytochemical tests showed the presence of alkaloids. Conclusion: Vigornatural herbal powder possesses fairly good analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties and does not have any significant adverse effect on hematological, hepatic and renal functions. Further studies to develop it as a potential novel analgesic and anti-inflammatory pharmacotherapeutic agent is recommended.

Over the years, medicinal plants have been employed in the treatment of inflammation and related ailments. This study evaluated the anti-inflammatory potential of the aerial parts of S. brevipes. The extracts and fractions were further evaluated for anti-inflammatory activity in carrageenan-induced rat model at varying doses (200 and 400 mg/kg doses, orally) for 5 h of treatment. The result of the phytochemical screening showed the presence of alkaloids, terpenoids, glycosides, flavonoids and tannins in the aerial parts of the plant. The in vivo anti-inflammatory study exhibited inhibition of 42% and 44%, 47% and 36%, 33% and 31%, and 43% and 42% for methanol extract n-hexane fraction, ethyl acetate fraction, and methanol fraction, at 200 and 400 mg/kg doses, respectively. The positive control (diclofenac sodium) showed an inhibition value of 51% at 5 mg/kg dose. Finally, it is concluded that S. brevipes possesses anti-inflammatory potential which validates the enthnomedicinal claim of the plant.

Fipronil is used to control pests to improve farm yield, however, indiscriminate use of fipronil has been reported to endanger crabs leading to their extinction. Therefore, this study investigated the impact of fipronil on several hematological and biochemical parameters of blue land crabs. We exposed blue land crabs to either fipronil or to a control treatment; fipronil reduced the protein content of the crab and also led to hematological and oxidative damages to the crabs' oxy-hemocyanin. Based on our results, there is need for guided use of agrochemicals such as fipronil to avoid/reduce their adverse effects on economically important species such as crabs.

Purpose: To isolate the anti-cancer and anti-trypanosomal principles of Zanthoxylum leprieurii, a medicinally versatile wild tropical plant used for managing tumours, African trypanosomiasis, and inflammation in southeastern Nigeria. Methods: The pure compounds were isolated using chromatographic methods. The structural elucidation of the pure compounds was based on their NMR (1D and 2D) and mass spectral data as well as chemical test results. Structure-activity relationships were based on the structural differences among the compounds. The cytotoxicity of the extracts and compounds (1, 2, 3, and 4) was evaluated in HeLa (human cervix adenocarcinoma) cell line while the trypanocidal activities were evaluated on Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Results: Two acridone alkaloids, 1-hydroxy-3-methoxy-10-methylacridin-9 (10H)-one, named fabiocinine (1), and 1-hydroxy-2,3-dimethoxy-10-methylacridin-9 (10H)-one (arborinine, 2), together with a furoquinoline alkaloid, skimmianine (3), and a chelerythrine derivative, 6-acetonyl-5,6-dihydrochelerythrine (4) were isolated from the root bark of Zanthoxylum leprieurii. Skimmianine (3) exhibited cytotoxicity and anti-trypanosomal IC50 of 12.8 and 13.2 mu g/mL respectively (p < 0.05). Compound (1) and arborinine (2) were selectively cytotoxic to HeLa cells with cytotoxicity IC50 of 28.49 and 62.71 mu g/mL, respectively, while (4) did not show significant activity (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Zanthoxylum leprieurii root bark contains cytotoxic and trypanocidal compounds, and is thus a potential source of anti-cancer and anti-trypanosomal leads.

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Anthocleista vogelii Planch (Loganiaceae) is used in African Traditional Medicine for the treatment of pain and inflammatory disorders as well as sleeping sickness. Aim of the study: To determine the in vivo anti-inflammatory and in vitro anti-trypanosomal activities of the extracts of A. vogelii stem bark and identify the phytochemical classes of the fractions responsible for the activities. Materials and methods: The in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of the extracts was evaluated using the egg albumin-induced rat paw oedema model while the in vitro anti-trypanosomal activity was assessed on Trypanosoma brucei brucei. The in vitro cytotoxicity was assessed on HeLa (human cervix adenocarcinoma) cell line. Results: The methanolic extract of A. vogelii stem bark, with 11.2% yield, gave LD50 > 5000 mg/kg. The n-hexane fraction of the extract contains steroids, terpenes and fatty acids and yielded non-cytotoxic terpenoidal column fraction with anti-trypanosomal IC50 of 3.0 mu g/mL. The ethylacetate fraction at 100 mg/kg dose significantly (p < 0.05) provoked 37.8, 62.5 and 69.7% inhibition of oedema induced by egg-albumin at the second, fourth and sixth hours respectively. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that the anti-inflammatory and anti-trypanosomal activities of A. vogelii are probably due to non-cytotoxic terpenoids and validated the traditional use of A. vogelii in the treatment of inflammation and sleeping sickness.

Premna hispida (Verbenaceae) is a traditional medicinal plant useful in folk medicine in treatment of various human diseases like buccal infections, rheumatism, asthma, dropsy, cough, fever, boils, and scrofulous diseases. The present study was carried out to qualitatively and quantitatively determine the phytochemical constituents of P. hispida using standard methods. The antimicrobial activity of P. hispida was also investigated in vitro using the agar diffusion method. The results revealed the presence of bioactive constituents, comprising saponins, tannins, flavonoids and terpenoids in varying degrees in the crude extract and in all the solvent fractions except in n-hexane fraction. Total phenolics, total flavonoids and tannins contents were highest in the methanol extract while ethyl acetate fraction had the least. The assay results revealed that the methanol extract and the solvent fractions showed activity against Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger with significant inhibition zones diameter (IZD). The MIC of the crude extract and solvent fractions ranged from 0.44 mg / ml to 2.5 mg/ml. The methanol extract and fractions of this plant compared favourably in terms of zones of inhibition and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration with the standard drug disc (tetracycline and fluconazole) against the tested microorganisms. The antimicrobial activity of the plant leaves as reported by the present study is due to the presence of these secondary metabolites in substantial amounts in the plant. The findings suggest that the plant part has the potential for use as an effective medicine in the treatment of various diseases.

A concise method for the determination of chromium in aluminium alloys colorimetrically by the use of diphenylcarbazide is described. The method is based on measurement of the violet colour formed between chromate III ion (Cr3+) and diphenylcarbazide. The diphenylcarbazide forms a violet complex which absorbs at 540 nm. Other interfering metal ions including manganese and iron were masked by making alkaline with sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Potassium heptaoxodichromate (VI) K2Cr2O7 solution (283ppm) was used as standard. Three aliquots (2ml, 5ml and 10ml) of standards were used for measurement. The solutions of samples were made in aquaregia and colour reagent added. Absorbance of standard as well as samples was measured at 540 nm using a colorimeter. A working curve obtained from known concentrations of standard was used to calculate the concentration of chromium in each sample. The findings show that colorimetric determination of chromium by diphenylcarbazide method is a simple, effective and valuable alternative method for the determination of chromium in aluminium alloys.

Anti-inflammatory activity study involves developing a model that mimics, or provokes the production or release of, the biochemical mediators of inflammation, and monitoring the response of these biochemicals to the test drugs. This report constitutes an updated review of the in vitro and in vivo study models for assessing anti-inflammatory activity in plant extracts and synthetic drugs. The materials, instrumentation, and methods involved, as well as the mechanism of anti-inflammatory activity tested in each model, are extensively described. The merits and limitations of each method have also been discussed. A comparative assessment of the in vivo animal models vis-à-vis, the in vitro enzyme models have been made to assist scientists and researchers in the choice of assay method in terms of sensitivity, reliability, duration of test, ethical, and cost considerations.

Antimicrobial studies were carried out on the aqueous methanolic extracts of stem bark of Zanthoxylum leprieurii, Anthocleistha vogelli, Mesembryanthemum crystallinum and leaves of Milletia aboensis. These plants find wide applications in African Traditional Medicinal Practice (ATMP). The plant materials were subjected to cold maceration using 95% methanol and the extracts concentrated in a rotary evaporator at 40 °C. Acute toxicity studies revealed that the plants have high safety margin with LD50 > 5000 g/Kg except M. Crystallinum which shows LD50 of 2900 g/Kg. Qualitative phytochemical analysis confirms the presence of most of the secondary plant metabolites on all the plants tested. Antimicrobial screening was carried out using agar diffusion method. All the extracts, except that of M. aboensis showed fairly good inhibitory zone diameters on most of the tested organisms with the activities residing mainly on the n-hexane fractions.

Zanthoxylum leprieurii find wide application in African Traditional Medicinal Practice (ATMP) for treating various diseases. Solvent extraction was carried out on the stem back of Z. leprieurii using 95% aqueous methanol by cold maceration. The extract was concentrated in a rotary evaporator at 40oC to yield 22% dry crude extract. Toxicity studies by the Lorke's method revealed high safety margin with LD50 > 5000 g/kg. The crude extract was subjected to solvent-guided fractionation by gradient elution on silica gel to obtain n-hexane (HF), ethylacetate (EAF), absolute methanol (MF) and water fractions (WF) respectively. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of only alkaloids and flavonoids in EAF, saponins, flavonoids and alkaloids in ME, alkaloid and tannins in WF and mainly fatty acids in HF. The EAF was subjected to TLC on silica gel plates eluted with 5: 1 mixture of diethylether and ethyl acetate to give six distinct bands B1-B6. The isolated compounds were assessed for overt cytotoxicity on Hela (Human cervix adenocarcinoma) cells. Compounds B2 and B3 showed significant activities with IC50 < 50 µg/mL. The trypanosoidal activity of EAF carried out on Trypanosoma brucei (T.b.) revealed IC50 of 45 µg/mL. Results showed that stem bark of Z. leprieurii can be used to manage trypanosomoiasis and certain forms of cancer.

Iron (III) complexes of ciprofloxacin, amoxicillin, and cloxacillin were synthesized and their aqueous solubility profiles, relative stabilities, and antimicrobial properties were evaluated. The complexes showed improved aqueous solubility when compared to the corresponding ligands. Relative thermal and acid stabilities were determined spectrophotometrically and the results showed that the complexes have enhanced thermal and acid stabilities when compared to the pure ligands. Antimicrobial studies showed that the complexes have decreased activities against most of the tested microorganisms. Ciprofloxacin complex, however, showed almost the same activity as the corresponding ligand. Job's method of continuous variation suggested 1 : 2 metals to ligand stoichiometry for ciprofloxacin complex but 1 : 1 for cloxacillin complex.