Shea butter extraction technologies: Current status and future perspective
February 2019
Shea butter is a high–value shea nut fat used as an edible oil, antimicrobial and moisturiser in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, respectively. The annual worldwide export of shea nut from Africa is 350,000 MT of kernels with a market value of approximately $120 million to producing countries. The multifunctional properties of the shea butter depend strictly on its compositional properties: the...
Studies on some physicochemical properties of Rhodanese synthesized by Bacillus cereus isolated from the effluents of iron and steel smelting industry
January 2019
The study purified and investigated the physicochemical properties of rhodanese (a cyanide detoxifying enzyme) synthesized by Bacillus cereus. This was with a view to producing an industrially important enzyme. The bacterial strain was identified as B. cereus by sequencing of its 16SrRNA gene. B. cereus rhodanese was purified with a fold of 3.53, yield of 36.80% and specific activity of 25.30 µmol/min/mg protein....
Evaluation of the effect of vitamin C on caspase 9 and oxidative stress in rheumatoid arthritis patients
November 2018
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic and an autoimmune disease of the joints and is widely distributed worldwide. It is characterized by alterations of the antioxidant defense system and increased free radical formation and pro-inflammatory cytokine. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of vitamin C supplementation on oxidative stress biomarkers and caspase 9 level in rheumatoid arthritis patients....
New insight on premature atherosclerosis in Egyptian children with β-thalassemia major
October 2018
Beta-thalassemia major (β-TM) in children is associated with an increase in the risk of premature cardiovascular complications caused by accelerated atherosclerosis which significantly contributes to morbidity and mortality. The molecular mechanisms underlying β-TM associated atherosclerosis and its relation to biochemical risk factors still remain obscure. We aimed to investigate the association between SIRT1...
Lipase in biodiesel production
September 2018
Although fossil fuels have been serving mankind for several centuries, their exploration and use bring about several environmental problems. Besides, fossil fuels are neither renewable nor sustainable. There is therefore a need to search for renewable alternatives which are sustainable and environmentally friendly. Biodiesel, chemically known as methyl ester, is a renewable and sustainable biofuel used to run diesel...
The interplay between paraoxonase-1 and epigenetic changes in colorectal carcinoma
August 2018
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related death. Colorectal mucosa has high levels of oxidative stress (OS) landmarks. OS has deleterious effect on cell structures as lipids, proteins and DNA. Markers of protein oxidation are named as advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs) which have been considered as novel disease biomarkers. OS may also induce DNA damage which leads to mutation of...
Prevalence of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency (A-376/202) in homozygous sickle cell patients in Senegal and its clinical impact
July 2018
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is the most common worldwide enzymopathy with approximately 400 million individuals affected. This inherited disease is sex-linked recessive inheritance. The high prevalence of certain variants of G6PD in different populations and ethnic groups increases the likelihood of finding associations with other pathologies. Sickle cell disease and thalassemia are the most...
Bacteriostatic and Bactericidal effects of ethyl acetate root bark extract of Terminalia avicennioides on Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
June 2018
Root bark extract of Terminalia avicennioides was obtained by cool maceration with 750 ml n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol, independently for 48 h using soxhlet extractor. ATCC 33591 standard strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was used. Strain resistance to methicillin/oxacillin antibiotic was verified by a retest of its sensitivity to oxacillin antibiotic. The antimicrobial...
Biochemical characterisation of soybean germplasms with respect to bioavailable iron and zinc, vitamin A and crude protein
May 2018
Soybean germplasms were assessed for bioavailable zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe), vitamin A and crude protein using standard methods. Thirty soybean germplasms were investigated. Results were analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and showed statistically significant differences in their Zn, Fe and vitamin A concentrations, as well as in crude protein content (P < 0.05). The Zn content ranged from 5.74 ± 0.04 to...
Effect of organic acids on the alteration of black rice anthocyanins by Enterobacter aerogenes NBRC 13534
March 2018
In a previous study, it was reported that Enterobacter aerogenes and four organic acids are involved in the alteration of black rice anthocyanins. To investigate the factors involved in altering the coloration of black rice anthocyanins, organic acids (caffeic acid, ferulic acid, malonic acid, and p-hydroxybenzoic acid) were individually added to potato dextrose agar medium containing black rice anthocyanins and...
Effects of garden egg, carrot and oat-supplements on biochemical parameters in cadmium exposed rats
March 2018
Cadmium (Cd) toxicity is influenced by dietary components, such as fiber and minerals. Garden egg, carrot and oat are rich sources of fiber. Thus, this study examines the effect of Solanum melongena (garden egg), Daucus carota (carrot) and oat-supplements on selected biochemical parameters in the plasma and tissues of cadmium-exposed rats. Twenty-five healthy male Wistar rats (140±50 g) were distributed into five...
Evaluation of nutritional, anti-nutritional and some biochemical studies on Pleurotus squarrosulus (Mont.) singer using rats
February 2018
Evaluation of nutritional, anti-nutritional and some biochemical studies on Pleurotus squarrosulus (Mont.) Singer using rats was undertaken with standard methods. Results of nutritional contents such as proximate composition revealed moisture (11.67%), crude protein (21.31%) and total carbohydrate (51.58%). Vitamin composition showed the presence of vitamins A (0.17 mg/kg), B2 (0.62 mg/kg), B3 (0.45 mg/kg), B6 (0.84...
Preventive action of zinc against heavy metals toxicity in honeybee
January 2018
A detrimental consequence of industrial growth has been the steady increase in heavy metal pollution which has major, negative impacts on living organisms. Heavy metals still pose a significant health threat, despite the implementation of many strategies to reduce pollution. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible effects of zinc on the accumulation of some heavy metals in honeybees. Groups totalling 15...
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, impacts on tissue oxidation and dietary management of non-communicable diseases: A review
December 2017
Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in biological systems has been reported to be a significant cause of inflammatory and metabolic diseases. More recently, ROS and in a particular ozone has also been implicated in the conversion of cholesterol to atherogenic compounds, secosterol A, and upon aldolization to secosterol-B. Secosterol-A is uniquely produced by cholesterol ozonolysis, while secosterol-B can also be...
Therapeutic effect of an alkaloid-rich fraction of Abrus precatorius seed methanol extract on paracetamol-induced liver damage in rats
November 2017
The therapeutic effect of an alkaloid-rich fraction of the chloroform-methanol extract of Abrus precatorius seeds on paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in rats was investigated in this study. The extract was fractionated in a 17.5 × 2.5 cm Sephadex G15 swollen, packed and eluted with water. The fractions were spotted on F2.54 pre-coated thin layer chromatography (TLC) plates and sprayed with Drangendorff’s...
Chemical composition, antibiotic promotion and in vivo toxicity of Piper nigrum and Syzygium aromaticum essential oil
October 2017
The antimicrobial activity of spices of human daily diet has been widely demonstrated. Yet, their capacity of promoting antibiotic activity has not been explored adequately. In this work, the chemical composition of essential oils of Piper nigrum and Syzygium aromaticum from Chad were determined and their antimicrobial effect in combination with different antibiotics towards Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enteritidis...
Haptoglobin polymorphism and cardiovascular risk factors in followed epileptic patients at Fann National University Hospital
August 2017
The aim of our research was to evaluate the cardiovascular risk factors on epileptic patients treated at the Fann University Hospital and to study the influence of haptoglobin (Hp) polymorphism on disease progression. In order to do that, eighty-six (86) patients followed in neurology for at least 2 years were recruited. Each patient was matched to a control according to age and sex. Hp phenotyping was performed by...
Optimization of amylase production by Aspergillus niger cultivated on yam peels in solid state fermentation using response surface methodology
July 2017
The study involved the production of amylase from Aspergillus niger grown on yam peels in solid state fermentation. The process parameters: temperature, pH (initial) and incubation time were optimized for maximum amylase production using central composite design (CCD) of response surface methodology (RSM). Temperature was the most significant (p<0.05) parameter and the maximum interaction occurred between temperature...
Effects of ethanol and aqueous leaf extracts of Pterocarpus mildbraedii on hematology parameters and cholesterol in albino rats
June 2017
One of the commonly consumed leafy vegetables in Nigeria is Pterocarpus mildbraedii Harms (Leguminosae) leaf. It has been found that, ethanol and aqueous extracts of the plant leaves exert anti-diabetic effect on rats. This study investigated the effects of ethanol and aqueous leaf extracts of this plant on some hematological parameters and serum cholesterol level in Wistar albino rats. Intraperitoneal administration of...
Antimibacterial activity of saponins from Sanseviera trifasciata prain cv. golden hahnii roots on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus
May 2017
Sansevieria-trifasciata-is commonly known as both in and out door house plant. It is also used in traditional medicine for treatment of influenza, cough and respiratory inflammation. The roots and leaves have secondary metabolites such as saponins that exbihit remedy for cough, snake bite, sprain, bruise, boil, abscess, respiratory inflammation and hair tonic. The plant sample was collected and dried. The...
Effects of date fruit extract on paracetamol induced nephrotoxicity in wistar rats
April 2017
This study was aimed to investigate the protective, ameliorative and preventive effects of aqueous Date fruit extract on paracetamol induced nephrotoxicity in wistar rats. A total of 30 male albino wistar rats were used for this study. Rats were randomly divided into five groups containing 6 animals each. Treatments were given daily for fourteen days. The animals in the control group (Group I) did not receive any...
GC-MS/FT-IR screening of Xylopia aethiopica (Dunal) A. Rich Fruit
March 2017
The present study was aimed at identifying the functional groups and phyto-constituents present in Xylopia aethiopica (Dunal) A Rich fruit using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry (FTIR) and Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS), spectroscopy. FTIR method was performed using Perkin Elmer Spectrophotometer and the characteristic peaks were detected. The phytochemical constituents were screened by GC-MS method...
Antioxidative activity of Tamarindus indica L. extract and chemical fractions
February 2017
Tamarindus indica L is a tropical plant that is used around the world mainly for medicinal purposes. Yet few scientific studies of its biological potential have been undertaken. The aim of this study was to assess the antioxidative potential of T. indica L leaves. The plant material was harvested and then dried in the absence of direct sunlight. The extraction was done by alcoholic decoction, and the fractions were...
Effects of Xylopia aethiopica fruit extract on isolated rabbit ileum
January 2017
In this study, pharmacological reactivity of rabbit ileum to crude extract of fruits of Xylopia aethiopica in the presence of other agonist and antagonist agents was evaluated. The contractility of the isolated rabbit ileum was recorded using kymograph. The effects of the crude extract of X. aethiopica on rabbit ileum were independently determined using a dose range of 10-8 to 10-4 mg/ml. However, to determine the...
Effect of pre-harvest chitosan foliar application on growth, yield and chemical composition of Washington navel orange trees grown in two different regions
November 2016
The present study was carried out during 2012 and 2013 seasons to study the effect of pre-harvest foliar application of chitosan (a natural beta-1-4-linked glucosamine polymer) at two concentrations 250 and 500 ppm on vegetative tree growth, fruit yield and quality as well as leaves chemical composition of Washington navel orange trees grown under two locations. As for growth parameters (shoot length, leaves...
Extraction, optimization and characterization of crude polysaccharides from Artemesia Mongolica
November 2016
In this study, the extraction conditions of polysaccharides of Artemisia mongolia (PAM) were optimized and their molecular weight, weight distribution, composition and antioxidant activities of the polysaccharides investigated. The degree of polymerization of fructan-oligosaccharides 2-8 was separated by thin layer chromatography (TLC) with good results. Polysaccharides were extracted from the leaves of A. mongolia and...
Protease inhibition in cowpea pod-sucking bug species (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) using cereal and legume grain extracts
October 2016
Selected grain extracts were assayed against digestive proteases of Anoplocnemis curvipes, Clavigralla tomentosicollis and Mirperus jaculus with a view to identifying suitable sources of protease inhibitors against the cowpea pests. Laboratory bioassays showed that grains of a local soybean variety Kìshí and a cowpea landrace NG/SA/07/0098 contain potent inhibitors although the former produced a...
Protective effects of extract and fraction of root- bark of Garcinia kola (Heckel) on the renal biochemical parameters of gentamicin-induced nephrotoxic rats
September 2016
The study evaluated the nephroprotective potentials of methanolic extract (ME) and dichloromethane fraction (DCMF) of root-bark of Garcinia kola on gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats with a view to utilize the extracts of the root of G. Kola in the amelioration of antibiotic-induced kidney damage. The study involved preparation of the extract, fractionation, phytochemical screening and evaluation of phenolics and...
Oil palm fruit calyx as a resource for phospholipids extraction
May 2016
Oil palm calyx is a solid waste in the oil palm industry which is yet to find economic usage. This study aimed to determine the feasibility of recovering phospholipids from the oil palm calyx. Preliminary functional property of calyx phospholipids was determined using emulsion stability. Results indicated that oil palm calyx had 14% total lipids when extracted with methanol and 62.3% of lipids were acetone insoluble...
Antihyperlipidaemic and anti-atherosclerotic activities of aqueous leaf extract of L. africana in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats
March 2016
Hyperlipidaemia is a usual and life threatening complication of diabetes mellitus. Consequently, a good anti-diabetic agent should reduce the progression of this complication. In view of this, the anti-hyperlipidaemic and anti-atherogenic activities of aqueous extract of Lasianthera africana was studied in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Extract treatment was administered at a dose of 1ml of 180 mg/ml of extract...
Bio-enrichment of phenolics and free radicals scavenging activity of wheat (WH-711) fractions by solid state fermentation with Aspergillus oryzae
February 2016
This study was conducted to determine the total phenol content (TPC) and free radicals scavenging activity of methanolic and ethanolic extracts of wheat (WH-711) fractions (grain, bran and flour) fermented with Aspergillus oryzae (MTCC 3107). Maximum TPC (1469.35 ± 4.5, 1426.44 ± 5.5 and 1268.91 ± 5.3) was obtained in methanolic extracts as compared to ethanolic extracts (1368.65 ± 3.5,...
Effect of kidney bean consumption on some lipid and haematological parameters of albino rats
January 2016
This study investigated changes in cholesterol levels and haematological parameters of rats subjected to diets supplemented with kidney bean seeds. The seeds were processed in three parts; the first part was milled raw; the second part was boiled, dried and milled; third part was germinated, dried and milled. The kidney bean seed flour was incorporated into the diet of different groups of rats at 10% inclusion. Thirty...
Modulation in membrane lipids of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus in response to varying NaCl concentrations
January 2016
The effect of varying NaCl concentrations on membrane lipids of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus cultivated at 37°C was studied. Lipid profiles of the membrane extracts were resolved by thin layer chromatography (TLC) using polar and neutral lipids solvent systems, with their fatty acid constituents determined via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Polar lipids identified were cardiolipin,...
Production and antioxidant activity of alcoholic beverages made from various colored rice and wild rice
December 2015
In order to develop a new type of alcoholic beverage with antioxidant activity, the authors carried out this research. In this study, alcoholic beverages were made from unpolished black rice, unpolished red rice, unpolished green rice, polished white rice and unpolished wild rice using conventional cooked fermentation and economical uncooked fermentation system. The resulting alcoholic beverages made from cooked and...
Nitrate contents in some vegetable leaves in Sokoto Metropolis, Nigeria
November 2015
Popular Nigerian vegetables namely, cabbage, spinach, bitter leaf, water leaf, ewedu, roselle and lettuce obtained from Sokoto metropolis, Nigeria were analysed for nitrate contents by ultra-violet (UV)-spectrophotometric method. The fresh leaves of the samples were chopped and ground using mortar and pestle for the analysis. Absorbance of each sample was obtained in three replicate and the calibration graph of...
Extraction, fractionation and assessment of antioxidant activities of active components of Aframomum sceptrum seeds
November 2015
A simple procedure of extraction, fractionation and assessment of organoleptic and antioxidant properties of Aframomum sceptrum seeds was carried out, and the results were compared with a currently used synthetic antioxidant, butylated hydroxy toluene (BHT). Extraction was carried out using Soxhlet extractor and fractionation of the ethanolic extract was accomplished using vacuum liquid chromatography (VLC). Various...
Comparative effects of peel extract from Nigerian grown citrus on body weight, liver weight and serum lipids in rats fed a high-fat diet
October 2015
The effects of ethanolic extracts of five different citrus peels on mean body and liver weight and serum lipid content were investigated in albino rats. Six groups (n=8 each) were fed with a high fat diet for seven days ad libitum before oral daily administration of the peel extracts of orange (OR), lemon (LE), lime (LI), tangerine (TA), grapefruit (GR) and synergistic combination of equal ratios (w/w), that is, (SY),...
Production of bacterial amylases and cellulases using sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas. (L.) Lam.) peels
October 2015
Peels of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) were buried in the soil for 14 days and the isolates associated with the degradation of the peels were obtained using standard microbiological procedures. The bacterial isolates obtained were screened for amylolytic and cellulolytic activities under different pH and temperatures as parameters and optimized for enzyme production. Sixteen (16) bacterial isolates were obtained and...
Association of single nucleotide polymorphism of Hsp90ab1 gene with thermotolerance and milk yield in Sahiwal cows
September 2015
Heat shock proteins play a critical role in the development of thermotolerance and protection from cellular damage associated with heat stresses. The study was undertaken to investigate the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of Hsp90ab1 gene with thermo-physiological parameters viz, respiration rate (RR), rectal temperature (RT), heat tolerance coefficient (HTC) and total milk yield in Sahiwal cows....
Effect of fermentation methods on the mineral, amino and fatty acids composition of Cyperus esculentus
August 2015
Tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus) was subjected to different fermentation methods such as traditional, back slope and control. The raw and fermented samples were analyzed for mineral, amino and fatty acids. The results of mineral analysis revealed potassium and sodium as the most abundant mineral element with their value ranging from 546 to 91.6 mg/100 g and 64.00 to 3383.33 mg/100 g, respectively while copper was found in...
The effect of aqueous leaf extract of fluted pumpkin on some hematological parameters and liver enzymes in 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine- induced anemic rats
August 2015
Anemia constitutes a serious health problem in many tropical countries including Nigeria because of the prevalence of malaria and other parasitic infections which possibly leads to decrease of hemoglobin. Fluted pumpkin has been reported to be very good in building the constituents of the blood and also replacing them. This study was designed to investigate the effects of the aqueous leaf extract of fluted pumpkin on...
Diastatic enzymes malting process optimisation of African finger millet for biotechnological uses
July 2015
This study sought to understand the importance of variation of steeping and germination conditions (temperature, pH and salts) on the quality of African finger millet malt in terms of diastic power (a-amylase and β-amylase), endo- (1,3) (1,4)-β-D-glucanase, b-glycan content and protein profile. The results show that the physiological responses of African finger millet malted seeds are correlated to pH (acidity...
Purification and biochemical properties of lipase from raphia palm fruit mesocarp
May 2015
Lipases hydrolyze lipids to yield fatty acids and glycerol which are used as raw materials in industries. The lipase from raphia mesocarp was extracted, purified and characterized. Assay was carried out using p- nitrophenyl palmitate as substrate. The lipase was subjected to 80% ammonium sulphate precipitation, purified on ion exchange and gel filtration chromatography. Native and subunit molecular weights were...
Biochemical changes in blood and tissues of Wistar rats following administration of anti-tuberculosis drugs
April 2015
Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health problem worldwide especially in resource-limited countries of Africa and Asia. The disease is curable with drugs but information on biochemical changes and oxidative indices due to anti-TB drugs is not readily available. This study was designed to investigate in vivo effects of anti-TB drugs in male Wistar rats. Fourteen adult male rats were randomly divided into two...
Detection of DNA damage in lead (Pb) exposed city traffic wardens in Pakistan
April 2015
Lead (Pb) is one of the toxic metals and is commonly used in industries. It affects multiple systems and has role in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The objective of the present study was to determine Pb levels and to detect DNA damage in traffic wardens of Lahore, Pakistan. A total of 90 subjects were selected including 60 traffic wardens working in field and 30 working in administrative zones. The...
Effect of some traditional edible oils on sex hormones of albino Wistar rats
March 2015
The effect of some traditionally extracted edible seed oils (sesame, peanut and melon oils) on some sex hormones - prolactin, progesterone, testosterone, estradiol, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) of albino Wistar rats was studied. Sixty (30 - 50 g) weanling rats (20 males and 40 females) were purchased and housed separately until they weighed 120 to 150 g. Afterwards, the rats were...
Plasma lipid profile including the high density lipoprotein (HDL) subclasses in hypertensive patients in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
March 2015
The study was undertaken to evaluate the interest of cholesterol subclasses in the management of hypertensive patients recruited at University Hospital Yalgado Ouedraogo of Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso, West Africa). The distribution of hypertensive was reported as 45 (35.4%) without complications, 42 (33%) with cardiovascular complications and 40 (31.4%) with diabetes. Any difference in lipids profile was observed when...
Diabetes and pre-diabetes in adult Nigerians: Prevalence, and correlations of blood glucose concentrations with measures of obesity
March 2015
The quantification of the number of people with diabetes is an important factor that allows for effective planning and distribution of scarce resources for the management of diabetes. This study therefore investigated the prevalence of diabetes and impaired fasting glucose in a convenient population of adults in Umudike, a semi-urban town in South-East Nigeria. The relationship between measures of obesity and blood...
Characterization of partially purified cysteine protease inhibitor from Tetracarpidium conophorum (African walnut)
February 2015
Cysteine protease inhibitors (CPIs) have been known to be present in a variety of seeds of plants, and have been intensively studied as useful tools for potential utilization in pharmacology. This study reports the isolation of CPI from Tetracarpidium conophorum by 65% ammonium sulphate saturation, followed by ion exchange chromatography; further purification was by gel filtration chromatography. The molecular weight of...
Glycated proteins: Clinical utility and analytical approaches
February 2015
The binding of glucose to serum proteins in a non-enzymatic reaction occurs proportionately to the prevailing serum glucose concentration during the lifespan of each protein. The non-enzymatic reaction of proteins with reducing sugars results in the formation of glycated proteins that are indicative of the relative amount of reducing sugars present. Hemoglobin, albumin, lipoproteins and other tissue proteins can be...
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