ASEFON O. ABASS

The present study was undertaken to investigate the phytochemical constituents of two Nigerian grown kolanut and their antimicrobial properties. Extract of the seed of Cola nitida and Cola acuminata were used to determine the phytochemical constituent of aqueous and methanol nut extract and their solubility in the two solvents. Aqueous and methanol used reveals the solubility of these exrtacts in different solvent and the presence of secondary metabolites in the kola nut. Qualitative screening of the extracts of C. acuminata and C. nitida for phytochemicals revealed the presence of alkaloid, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, glycoside, steroid, saponins glycoside, cardiac glycoside and the absence of anthraquinones in all the extracts. Quantitative analysis shows that the methanolic extracts C. acuminata and C. nitida have the highest percentage of Saponins: (>10%) than the aqueous extract of the preparations. The disc method was used to determine the inhibitory effect of kolanut on the test microorganisms. Sensitivity patterns of zones of inhibition exhibited by the crude methanol and aqueous extract of Cola nitida and Cola acuminata shows that the nut possess relative degree of inhibitory effects against the test microorganisms: Staphylococcus aureus, Esherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia and Lactobacillus respectively.. The zones of inhibition for K. pnemonia was the highest with 4mg/ml methanol extract of C. nitida and least for E.coli. As for C. acumunata, zones of inhibition for Lactobacillus was the highest with 4mg/ml methanol extract and least for P. aeruginosa. Highest zones of inhibition progressively increase from methanol to aqueous extract as their diameter of inhibition increases with increase in their concentration. The overall implication of the antimicrobial potentials of C.nitida and C. acuminata in the development of drugs against infectious diseases and subsequent health improvement was highlighted.

Inflammatory response is a form of immune response which could be caused by infectious agents and toxic chemicals. Cnidoscolus aconitifolius leaf extract contains phytonutrients such as protein, vitamins, calcium, and iron; and is also a rich source of antioxidants which could be attributed to the traditional and scientific claims in the treatment of anaemia. This work was designed to determine possible pro and anti-inflammatory responses in the traditional application of raw liquid extract of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius leaf (iyana ipaja-chaya) in the treatment of anaemia. Twenty three (23) out of Thirty one (31)anaemic patients aged 12-32 years (including 2 females aged 12/15 years and 21 males aged 17 – 32 years) with PCV ≤ 20% receiving treatment at 5 traditional homes in Saki-west Local Government of Oyo State-Nigeria. Age matched 50 apparently healthy volunteers (Female-25; Male-25) with a PCV of 42±3.0% were recruited as control subjects. Thirty one anaemic patients initially volunteered themselves for the work but only 23 were successfully monitored. The patients were recruited before the commencement of the treatment. Each of the test and control subjects was subjected to stool microscopy for intestinal parasite, Giemsa thick staining procedure for plasmodium and Serological test for anti HIV, anti-HCV and HBsAg. All subjects who were negative to the aforementioned laboratory procedures were selected as subjects. Freshly prepared sixty milliliters (60ml) of the liquid was administered to each of the 23 anaemic patients and the 50 normal control volunteers 3 times on daily basis for 14 days when the PCV was found to have increased appreciably. Plasma ALT, IL-4, IL-6 , TNF-α (before and after the administration of the extract), HIV-1 p24 Antigen ELISA, anti-HCV, HBsAg were determined in all subjects by ELISA technique while whole blood was used to determine PCV by microhaematocrit and the identification of Plasmodium infection using Geimsa thick staining techniques. The result obtained showed a significantly higher plasma value of TNF-α and ALT in Aneamic Patients After they were given Raw liquid Extract of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (iyana ipaja/chaya) leaf (Supplement) compared with the result obtained in the Control (before extract supplemention) and also with the same aneamic patients when they were not given Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (iyana ipaja/chaya) leaf (Supplement) with p <0.05. There was also a significantly higher PCV in both the anemic patients and normal controls following the supplementation with raw liquid extract of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (iyana ipaja) leaf than when they were not supplemented with the raw liquid extract with p<0.05. This work revealed increase in Packed Cell Volume, plasma ALT and TNF-α. Following the administration raw liquid extract of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (iyana ipaja/chaya) leaf which a possible indication of proinflammatory response and a potential natural supplement in the treatment of anaemia.

The aim of the study was to investigate the phytochemical properties and the relative antimicrobial activity of aqueous, ethanol and methanol seed extracts of Cola nitida, Cola acuminata and Garcinia kola respectively. The phytochemicals were screened by qualitative and quantitative methods. Three different solvents: aqueous, ethanol and methanol were used to extract the bioactive compounds from the three species of Kola Qualitatively analyzed phytochemical constituents in the seed extracts of the three Cola species included Alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, steroids, terpenoids and cardiac glycosides. The microorganisms assayed for antimicrobial activity using the agar diffusion method were: the gram positive Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus spp, the gram-negative Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae respectively. Studies on sensitivity patterns of zones of inhibition exhibited by the crude methanol, ethanol and aqueous extracts of Garcinia kola, Cola nitida and Cola acuminata nuts showed relative degree of inhibitory effects against the test microorganisms: Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Lactobacillus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumonia. The zones of inhibition for Escherichia coli was the highest with methanol extract of 36.0mm followed by Klebsiella pneumonia with 25.5mm followed by Staphylococcus aureus with 23.5mm, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with 18.5mm and Lactobacillus with 17.5mm respectively. Highest zones of inhibition started from methanol, ethanol and aqueous, their diameter of inhibition increases with increase in their concentrations. The methanol preparation of Garcinia cola nut was found to exhibit more significant inhibitory action (p<0.05) against the test organisms than the ethanol and aqueous preparations of Garcinia kola and those of C. nitida and C. acuminata. Escherichia coli in both preparations gave widest zones of inhibition than other microorganisms. Cola spp extracts with methanol can be explored in the development of drugs against infectious diseases.

The present study was undertaken to investigate the phytochemical constituents of two Nigerian grown kolanut and their antimicrobial properties. Extract of the seed of Cola nitida and Cola acuminata were used to determine the phytochemical constituent of aqueous and methanol nut extract and their solubility in the two solvents. Aqueous and methanol used reveals the solubility of these exrtacts in different solvent and the presence of secondary metabolites in the kola nut. Qualitative screening of the extracts of C. acuminata and C. nitida for phytochemicals revealed the presence of alkaloid, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, glycoside, steroid, saponins glycoside, cardiac glycoside and the absence of anthraquinones in all the extracts. Quantitative analysis shows that the methanolic extracts C. acuminata and C. nitida have the highest percentage of Saponins: (>10%) than the aqueous extract of the preparations. The disc method was used to determine the inhibitory effect of kolanut on the test microorganisms. Sensitivity patterns of zones of inhibition exhibited by the crude methanol and aqueous extract of Cola nitida and Cola acuminata shows that the nut possess relative degree of inhibitory effects against the test microorganisms: Staphylococcus aureus, Esherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia and Lactobacillus respectively.. The zones of inhibition for K. pnemonia was the highest with 4mg/ml methanol extract of C. nitida and least for E.coli. As for C. acumunata, zones of inhibition for Lactobacillus was the highest with 4mg/ml methanol extract and least for P. aeruginosa. Highest zones of inhibition progressively increase from methanol to aqueous extract as their diameter of inhibition increases with increase in their concentration. The overall implication of the antimicrobial potentials of C.nitida and C. acuminata in the development of drugs against infectious diseases and subsequent health improvement was highlighted.