Microsporium, Trichophyton, and Epidermophyton are asexual fungi usually called dermatophytes. They are known to cause a kind of skin diseases called dermatophytosis. There have been reported cases of resistance by the dermatophytes with prolonged usage of synthetic antifungals on the skin. The aim of this study was to formulate herbal antifungal cream containing extract of Mitracarpus villosus as an anti-dermatophytic preparation and evaluate its physicochemical properties, stability and efficacy of the product. The formulated creams containing 0.5, 1 and 2% w/w of extract were subjected to stability tests using temperature variation method at -10, 4, 30, 37 and 45oC. Freeze-thaw test, Centrifuge test, pH and exposure to UV light test were also carried out using standard method. Efficacy of the cream formulations were determined using Wistar rats as experimental animals. The percentage yield of the extract was (2.1%). Percentage ethanol phytochemical composition indicated that for alkaloid it is 1.06±0.04%, saponins (0.96±0.07%), flavonoids (0.06±0.02%) and tannins (0.04±0.01%). The emulsion produced was an oil-in-water emulsion and had a white colour with pH of 7.02, spread of emulsion, rubbing-in effect and stability to centrifugation was very high. The antifungal results showed the activity against the dermatophytes to be in the increasing order Epidermophyton floccosum (9 mm) <Microsporum audounii (12 mm) <Trichophyton mentagrophtes (13 mm) <M. furfur (12 mm).Temperature stability and Centrifuge testing indicated that the formulations were stable. Light testing indicated no change in the colour of the products. Animal studies evaluation of the formulations of the cream indicated that their efficacy against the dermatophytes is concentration dependent and is in the increasing order M. audounii (34 µm) = E. floccosum (34 µm) <T. mentagrophyte (35 µm) <M. furfur (45 µm) which shows that 2% Mitracarpus villosus cream was statistically significant (P<0.05) against all the test microorganisms.

Argemone mexicana L is one of the medicinal plants used traditionally for its curative properties. The observed activities could be due to the presence of phytochemicals present in the plant. The purpose of this study is to carry out the quantitative and qualitative analysis of the constituent phytochemicals of Ethanol and aqueous extracts of the leaves of the plant as well as determine its microbial activities against some selected bacteria and fungi. Results showed that alkaloid is present in both ethanol and aqueous samples. Terpenoid is present in aqueous sample but abundantly present in ethanol sample. Phenol is present in aqueous sample but abundantly present in ethanol sample. Steroids are present in ethanol sample but absent in aqueous sample.  While anthraquinones are present in the aqueous sample, the quantity is not much compared with what was obtained from the ethanol sample. Cardiac glycoside is absent in both samples but flavonoid is present in both samples. It was observed that saponins and tannins were abundantly present in the ethanol extract but not much in the aqueous extract. The results of the quantitative analysis showed that for aqueous extract, alkaloid is 9.5 % w/w, flavonoid (0.36% w/w), saponin (4.7%w/w), tannin (0.1% w/w) terpenoid (0.45 w/w) and total phenol (0.65% w/w). For ethanol extract it was alkaloid (9.7 %w/w), flavonoid (1.59% w/w), saponin (6.3% w/w), tannin (1.06% w/w), terpenoid (0.75% w/w) and total phenol (0.74% w/w). The MIC and MBC measured in µg/mL of ethanol and aqueous samples against Staphylococcus aureus were (3.125:6.25) and (12.5:12.5) respectively. Bacillus subtilis (25:25) and (25;25), Escherichia coil (6.25: 25) and (12.5: 50), Salmonella typhi (>50: 25) and (6.25: 12.5), Klebsiella pneumonia (12.5:25) and (1.56:6.25), Pseudomonas aeruginosal (50:50) and (3.125:6.25), Tricophytum rubrum (25:25) and (3.125: 3.125), Candida albican (25:25) and (6.25:12.5) respectively. All Our study showed that the plant has high potential as an antifungal and antibacterial agent.

There are scientific reports of medicinal plants having curative properties. These properties may be due to the presence of various phytochemicals in the plants. Cassia alata is a specie in the Fabaceae family. The purpose of this study is to determine the antidermatophyte activity of the extract, formulate a cream with the extract and determine the stability of the cream by measuring the pH, Free-thaw test, Centrifugation and sensitivity to light. We also subjected the formulated cream to temperature variation test at -10, 4, 30, 37 and 45o C.  The percentage yield was 8.5%. The extract contain alkaloid (4.24±0.24%), saponin(1.35±0.39%), tannin (0.45±0.29%) and flavonoid (2.42±0.32%) respectively. The antifungal test results showed the activity against  the dermatophytes to be in the increasing order M.furfur (12± 0.2 mm) < Microsporum audounii (12±0.4 mm) < Trichophyton mentagrophtes (14±0.2mm) < Epidermophyton floccosum     (16±0.2 mm).Temperature stability and Centrifuge testing indicated that the formulations were stable. Light testing indicated no change in the colour of the cream. Our study showed that the plant has high potential as an anti-dermatophyte when formulated as a cream for topical use. The stability of the cream formulations indicated that it can be used for the management of dermatophytosis.

Datura metel is commonly found locally and it is readily available to the people, consequently, it is abused and deliberately used as poison. The aim of this study is to ascertain the effect of Datural metel through blood parameters and lipid profile when consumed through food intake using albino rat model. The leaves were extracted with ethanol and the phytochemical parameters determined. Different concentration of the extract were mixed with rat food and the food were fed to albino rats placed in four groups of five. The blood and lipid profile of rats were picked from each group determined at the end of week 1,2 and 3. Rats from each group was sacrificed and the blood was collected through cardiac puncture which was later analyzed for blood parameters and lipid profile. The results obtained from the first set of rats did not show any significant effect on the blood parameters and lipid profile, but the results obtained from subsequent sacrificed rats showed gradual increase in the values of the rate of haemoglobin (HB) 6.7 – 10G/DL, Red blood cells (RBC) 3.82 – 4.43 x 106µl and mean cell volume (MCV) 52.36 – 69.98FL. The results obtained for mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) and high density lipoproteins (HDL) are irregular. There is gradual decrease in the results obtained for low density lipoproteins (LDL) 27.2 – 20.2 mg/dl and cholesterol 79 -71 mg/dl. This study suggests that the concentration of ethanolic extracts of Datura metel leaves have different active components that have diverse revamping effects on the blood parameters and lipid profile based on concentration of the extracts and duration of intake of the extract. This invariably portray that presence of Datura metel in food can enhance the quality of the food in the body and also maintain good cardiovascular wellbeing based on its concentration and timeline of consumption.