Sesamum radiatum (Schum and Thonn.) is a leafy vegetable belonging to the family Pedialiaceae, it is used traditionally in the treatment of conditions such as diarrhoea, dysentery and fungal infections.This study investigated the phytochemical constituents and the antimicrobial activity of Sesamum radiatum (Schum and Thonn.). The pulverized plant material was subjected to cold marceration using distilled water and methanol for the aqueous and methanolic extracts, respectively. The plant extracts were further subjected to phytochemical screening using standard procedures and in vitro antibacterial sensitivity tests using the disc diffusion method. Zones of inhibition, minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) were determined. Flavonoids, terpenoids, cardiac glycosides and cardenolides were found in both the aqueous and methanolic extracts. The results of the in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility test showed that the aqueous extract inhibited the growth of Candida albicans at the highest concentration of 600 mg/ml with a zone of inhibition of 8.00±0.00 mm while the remaining microorganisms were resistant at all the concentrations. The methanolic extract inhibited the growth of Salmonella typhi at concentrations of 200 mg/ml, 400 mg/ml and 600 mg/ml and Pseudomonas aeruginosa at concentrations of 400 mg/ml and 600 mg/ml. In conclusion, the aqueous extract of Sesamum radiatum showed antifungal activities which may justify its folkloric use and the methanolic extract inhibited the growth of S. typhi which also justifies its use traditionally, in the treatment of dysentery and diarrhea.

The present study investigated novelty-induced behavior, learning and memory enhancing activities of aqueous and ethanol fruit extracts of Solanum incanum Linn. using mice models. The mice were divided into sixteen (16) groups of five (5) mice each and treated with distilled water (10 ml/kg, i.p); 7.5, 15, 30 mg/kg (i.p) of both aqueous and ethanol fruit extracts; scopolamine (0.4 mg/kg) and scopolamine (0.4 mg/kg, i.p) plus pramiracetam (100 mg/kg, i.p), 7.5, 15, 30 mg/kg, (i.p) of both aqueous and ethanol fruit extracts. On the 8th day of the experiment, the animal's locomotor, rearing, grooming, percentage alternation, transfer latency and escape latency were measured. Intraperitoneal administration of S. incanum fruit extracts showed a significant decrease in locomotion, rearing and grooming when compared with distilled water. S. incanum fruit extracts at the tested doses significantly increased the percentage of spontaneous alternation and attenuated the learning and memory impairment induced by scopolamine as indicated in reduction of the transfer latency and escape latency. In conclusion, both aqueous and ethanol extracts of S. incanum fruit significantly improved learning and memory in mice and this could justify the ethnomedicinal use of this plant.

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