Reduction in the quality of fruits during storage has been a concern to the consumers and the effect can be felt on the economy of developing countries. Leaves of plants such as Canna indica, Megaphrynium macrostachyum and Thaumatococcus daniellii have been documented as food packaging materials in West Africa. Based on this, the quality of stored sweet orange juice was investigated using ethanolic extracts of leaves of C. indica, M. macrostachyum and T. daniellii to enhance the shelf life of the juice. The extracts were used to assess the quality of juice for 30 days using quantitative parameters such as total soluble solid, browning potential, pH, microbial analysis and turbidity at 4 oC and at room temperature (27-31 oC). The qualitative and quantitative phytochemical constituents of the extracts were determined. The extracts’ toxicity was determined using Brine shrimp. The quality assessment evidently revealed that the freshly squeezed orange juice with the extracts possess tolerable activity to enhance the shelf life of orange juice. The leaf extract of M. macrostachyum had the highest preservation rate on the juice after 30 days. The qualitative phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloid, tannin, saponins, flavonoids, steroids and terpenoids in the three plants tested. The quantitative phytochemical analysis of the most active extracts in the three plants revealed that M. macrostachum had the highest contents of alkaloids (107.48 mg/g) and flavonoids (56.92 mg/g).The study showed that the extracts were non-lethal on Brine shrimp. This study ascertained the potential preservative qualities of the test plants for enhancing the shelf-life of orange juice.

This study aimed to examine the preservative potential of Megaphrynium macrostachyum on fungi responsible for the deterioration of orange juice and corn Jell-O. The phytochemicals from plants' leaves were extracted with four solvents: acetone, aqueous, ethanol and hexane. The solvents were differently and tested against fungi isolated from orange juice and corn Jell-O using disc diffusion method. Phytochemical screening of the extracts from the leaves was carried out, and the most active extract was tested via GC-MS for the essential oils and HPLC fingerprinting. The toxicity test of the extracts against brine shrimp was carried out after exposure for 24 hours. The toxicity test showed that the extracts were non-toxic on the Brine Shrimps at LC 50 (379.21μg/ml and 107.21μg/ml for aqueous and ethanol extracts). The qualitative phytochemical test reported the presence of alkaloids, tannins, saponins, flavonoids, steroids and terpenoids in different extracts of the plant' leaves. The quantitative phytochemical determination of the most active extract revealed alkaloids with the highest contents of 107.48 mg/100 g. The GC-MS analyses of the fresh leaves of the plants revealed the presence of isodecane with the highest percentage at 15.56%. The GC-MS analyses of the dried leaves revealed isodecane with the highest percentage at 10.43%. The HPLC analysis revealed the presence of various phytochemical constituents in the dried leaves. This study has been able to establish the potency of Megaphrynium macrostachyum leaves on fungi associated with the spoilage of Citrus sinensis (orange) juice and Corn Jell-O ('Eko') which contribute to tremendous research towards the use and acknowledgment of natural antimicrobials for the preservation of food.

Mushrooms have bioactive compounds that have antimicrobial, anti-cancer and antioxidant activities among other medicinal benefits. In the present study, we examined the anti-cell proliferation activities of mushrooms from eight genera obtained from the wild in Nigeria. Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used as a model organism to screen mushroom extracts for anti-cell proliferation activity. Polyphenols, high molecular weight polysaccharides and low molecular weight compounds from aqueous extracts were obtained from the test mushrooms using methanol and water respectively. The extracts were screened in vitro at different concentrations of extracts with the CyQuant cell proliferation assay. The high molecular weight polysaccharides from tested mushrooms reduced cell proliferation (96.79% inhibition in Ganoderma multipileum Ding Hou to 66.71% inhibition in Coltricia perennis (L.) Murrill at 10.00mg/ml). Percentage inhibition caused by low molecular weight compounds varied from 94.22% (Ganoderma multipileum) to 76.19% (Coltricia perennis) at 10mg/ml. Percentage of inhibition with the polyphenols varied from 94.12% (Microporus xanthopus Fr) Kuntze) to 79.82% (Coltricia perennis) at high doses. High molecular polysaccharides, low molecular weight compounds and polyphenols from mushrooms have anti-cancer properties. The CyQUANT assay proliferation kit was a very efficient tool for screening extracts from wild mushrooms for anti-cell proliferation activities. Medicinal mushrooms in Nigeria show a lot of promise as a reservoir for drug discovery particularly in the area of cancer research.

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Cultivation of Ganoderma lucidum (Curtis) P. Karst, a medicinal mushroom known for antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory activities is not practiced in Nigeria. Tree species used for cultivation in Asia, America and Europe are not available in Nigeria. The present study investigated indigenous hardwoods and their supplementation with rice and wheat bran as substrates for its cultivation. Six hardwoods (Mansonia altissima (A Chev.) A Chev., Avecennia germinans (L.) L, Lophira alata Banks ex Gaertn., Triplochiton scleoxylon K. Schum, Uapaca guineensis Mull. Arg, Nauclea diderrichii (De Wild. & Th. Dur.) Merrill) were investigated as potential growth substrates and potentially improve biological efficiency. The mushroom was collected from the wild and identification confirmed by amplifying the ribosomal DNA-ITS fragment with ITS1 and ITS4 primers. Tissue culture of the mushroom collected from the wild was initiated successfully with modified malt extract agar and grain spawn developed from it. The substrates were incubated after inoculation with grain spawn at room temperature for 30-60 days. Substrates were given cold treatment for 7days to induce fructification which was achieved with 9-10h/day regime and daily watering. There was full mycelial ramification of all substrates by the mushroom. Fruit bodies were harvested from all substrates but Lophira alata. The highest yield (308.76±5.81g/kg) was recorded with Mansonia altissima (Biological Efficiency-31.42±4.55%) and the least yield (31.45±5.44g/kg) was recorded in Nauclea diderrichii (B.E- 5.25±0.58%). The substrates with wheat bran performed significantly better than rice bran supplemented substrates. Commercial cultivation of native G. lucidum in Nigeria is possible with local agricultural wastes.