Propolis is an attractive natural ingredient to design health products due to its pharmacological effects. Our chemical investigation of a polar extract of Nigerian propolis (NP) led the isolation and identification of five isoflavonoids (1-4, 6), one diarylpropane (5) and one prenylated flavanone (7) by the combination of chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. Compounds 1, 4 and 7 were found to be the main markers in NP (8.0, 5.0 and 4.0 mg/g of dry extract, respectively). Moreover, NP and its phenolic constituents exhibited in vitro free radical scavenging activity together with a promising antidiabetic effect against -amylase and -glucosidase enzymes. Finally, NP showed also a moderate inhibition of Helicobacter pylori growth. These results suggested that NP could be a good candidate in nutraceuticals and food products

Ficus congensis (Moraceae) is used traditionally in the treatment of various diseases including infectious diseases, infertility, and gastrointestinal disorders. Investigation of hexane extract of the stem bark using chromatographic techniques led to isolation of a xanthone, 1-hydroxy-3,7,8-trimethoxyxanthone (Decussatin). The compound was elucidated based on spectroscopic methods such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), UV, IR, and mass spectrometry (MS). Decussatin and the hexane extract were screened in vitro for antibacterial and antifungal activities using broth microdilution (MHB) and disc Agar diffusion (DAD) techniques against Escheichia coli, Bacilus substilis, Klebsiela pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Trichophyton rubrum and Candida albicans. Hexane extracts showed potent antibacterial activity against E. coli and B. subtilis with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 8 mg/mL and 5 mg/mL, respectively, while Decussatin OPEN ACCESSInt. J. Mol. Sci. 2011, 12 2751 of the highest concentration (8 mg/mL) used in this study showed no appreciable antimicrobial activity. Only hexane extract was active against C. albicans with a MIC of 1 mg/mL.

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Due to their phytochemical diversity, plants may exhibit various biological activities. They may be medicinal as well as toxic. As a result, investigating their toxicities is as important as investigating their medicinal properties. This study investigated the chemical, genotoxic and haematological properties of the n-hexane extract of Olax subscorpioidea leaves. The chemical investigation of the extract was done by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Genotoxic and haematological investigation were done using in vivo models in mice. Genotoxic effects were estimated by evaluating DNA fragmentation with agarose gel electrophoresis and diphenylamine (DPA) assays. Haematological indices were measured on an Auto Haematology Analyzer. With GC-MS analysis, eight compounds were identified in the extract. The major compounds were 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z, Z)-(18.00%), n-hexadecanoic acid (17.60%), and squalene (4.12%), which are of reported medicinal properties. Genotoxicity results indicated that the extract markedly and significantly reduced DNA fragmentation in testicular and hepatic cells in mice. Haematological analysis showed that the extract significantly increased white blood cells (WBC), lymphocytes (LYMP), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and significantly reduced packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin concentration (HB), and red blood cell (RBC) count. These results indicate that the n-hexane extract of Olax subscorpioidea leaves contain compounds that possess useful pharmacologic properties, and may reduce DNA damages as well as alter haematological indices.

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