Due to the environmental problems caused by the use of fossil fuels, considerable attention has been given to biodiesel production as an alternative to petrol diesel. Biodiesel is ecofriendly, alternative diesel fuel prepared from domestic renewable sources that is, from vegetable oils and animal fats. It is a renewable source of energy which seems to be an ideal solution for global energy demand. In this study, the biodiesel production from kapok (Ceiba pentandra) seed oil with methanol has been considered in the presence of catalyst that is, CaO derived from snail shell. Optimum yield conditions were determined experimentally by changing certain parameters such as reaction time and temperature, at the end of the experiment, the maximum yield of 56.7 % was obtained at 60°C and reaction time of 60 minutes. The physicochemical properties of the produced biodiesel were determined by ASTM procedures and were found to be comparable to ASTM standards for diesel fuel except for acid value which was above the recommended standard. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) demonstrated the presence of hydrocarbons.

Malignant cancer cells exhibit uncontrollable high proliferation similarly to meristematic cells of seeds, this led to the establishment that agents capable of producing antiproliferative effects are potential anticancer agents. The experimental plant used for this research was Sorghum bicolor seeds. The sole aim of this research work is to unveil the antiproliferative potential of Detarium senegalense and to evaluate the antiproliferative activity of leaf extract of Cymbopogon citratus on radicle length of Sorghum bicolor seeds. The three extracts were prepared at concentrations of 10, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 mg/cm 3 as well as methotrexate (reference standard) at concentration of 0.05 mg/cm 3. The growth lengths were measured at 24, 48 and 72 hours of the experiment and expressed as percentage inhibition and percentage growth. The extracts produced considerable amount of antiproliferative effect on the radicle length of the seeds. The antiproliferative activity of the three extracts were concentration (dose) dependent, as the concentration of the extracts of leaves of D. senegalense increases, the percentage inhibition also increases, with a percentage of 89.47 % at an optimum concentration of 100 mg/cm 3. Similarly, D. senegalense stem bark and C. citratus leaves showed percentage inhibition which corresponds to 73.68 % at optimum concentration of 100 mg/cm 3 and 86.84 % at an optimum concentration of 80 mg/cm 3 after the 72 hours of the incubation period. This research work however, has unveiled the use of D. senegalense as potential therapeutics for cancer treatment especially in developing countries, and has added a new-found knowledge to science.

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