Cc Monago

Chemical composition of essential oil from the fiddleheads of Pteridium aquilinum L. Kuhn found in Ogoni.

The present study was designed to determine the chemical composition of the essential oil from the fiddleheads of Pteridium aquilinum L. Kuhn, so as to enable more effective utilization of such bioactive ingredients. Gas chromatography analysis of the essential oil distillate revealed the presence of 40 compounds that consisted mainly of alkanes (86.60%), monoterpenes (3.20%) and sesquiterpenes (2.40%). The most representative alkanes were tetratriacontane (12.40%), hexatriacontane (8.10%) and heptacosane (8.10%). Predominant monoterpenes were γ-terpinene (0.44%) and 1, 8-cineole (0.40%), and sesquiterpenes were sesquisabinene (0.39%) and β-panasinsene (0.36%). This study when compared with the works of other authors suggested that the essential oil from the fiddleheads of P. aquilinum could play a significant role in perfumery, cosmetic, medicinal, pharmaceutical, and biodiesel industries. Key words: Essential oil, gas chromatography (GC) analysis, medicinal, Pteridium aquilinum.

Effect of combined therapy of diabinese and nicotinic acid on liver enzymes in rabbits with dithizone-induced diabetes

The effects of diabinese, a known antidiabetic drug, and the combined effects of diabinese and nicotinic acid, a vitamin and antilipidemic drug, were studied in rabbits with dithizone-induced diabetes. Side effects of diabinese include hypoglycemia and liver toxicity. Dithizone was used to induce partial experimental diabetes and to increase blood glucose significantly (P < 0.05) by 31.3%, 23.5%, 19.5, 24.7%, and 23.9% in groups A (single therapy of diabinese 10 mg/kg body weight), B (10 mg of diabinese and nicotinic acid 150 mg/kg), C (10 mg diabinese and nicotinic acid 200 mg/kg), D (10 mg diabinese and nicotinic acid 250 mg/kg) and E control (distilled water 5 mL), respectively. Dithizone administration also increased bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels by 28.9%–35.6%, 41.2%–54.8%, 40.1%–46.1%, and 60.9%–68.4%, respectively. Diabinese monotherapy reduced bilirubin levels, while combined therapy reduced glucose, ALP, AST, and ALT levels more than single therapy. Reduction from the hyperglycemic level 48 hours after drug administration was 20.0%, 24.6%, 41.0%, and 42.0% for groups A, B, C, and D, respectively, and was concentration-dependent. Also, combined therapy produced a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in AST and ALT levels, especially at 72 hours after drug administration, but did not affect ALP levels. No significant changes in glucose, bilirubin, ALP, AST, and ALT levels were observed in Group E (control). This study shows that liver toxicity and the hypoglycemic side effects of diabinese could be managed by the concomitant administration of nicotinic acid.

Short Communication: Erythrocyte Glutathione S-transferase Activity of Non-Malarious Male Human Volunteers Administered with Five Antimalarial Drugs

Investigation to ascertain the potencies of five antimalarial drugs (Fansidar, Halfan, Quinine, Coartem and Chloroquine phosphate) to alter/distort non-parasitized human erythrocyte (HbAA genotype) glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity was carried out. Apparently healthy and clinically confirmed non-malarious male human volunteers enrolled for this study. The incubation of human erythrocytes with 1-chloro-2, 4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) resulted in almost quantitative conjugation of glutathione (GSH) to form S-(2, 4-dinitrophenyl) glutathione. The reaction formed the basis for the spectrophotometric determination of GST activity. Determination of GST activity was carried out before and after the five (5) drug treatments.The control values ranged between 3.27+0.13 iu/gHb and 3.40+0.05 iu/gHb. Generally, the erythrocyte GST activity was time dependent of the five antimalarial drugs showing biphase profile. The first phase showed decrease levels of relative GST activity within approximate time range: (0 results of these findings suggested the capability of these drugs to bind to the human erythrocyte GST, accompanied with raised oxidant stress of the erythrocytes. Keywords: Glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity, erythrocytes, antimalarial drugs, humans, 1-chloro-2, 4- dinitrobenzene (CDNB).