Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical screening of six plants used in ethnomedicine in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria was carried out to identify and quantify the bioactive compounds present in these highly medicinal plants. The plants studied were Phyllanthus amarus Schum and Thonn, Euphorbia heterophylla Linn., Senna occidentalis L., Piper nigrum L., Ageratum conyzoides L. and Gongronema latifolium Benth. Ethanolic and aqueous extracts of leaves of the plant species were screened for the presence of alkaloid, anthraquinone, coumarin, flavonoid, phenol, quinone, saponin, tannin, sugar and glycoside and quantitative study was also carried out using Standard method. Qualitative study indicated the presence of all the phytochemicals in the ethanolic extracts of P. amarus and E. heterophylla, and absence of anthraquinone in S. occidentalis, P. nigrum, A. conyzoides and G. latifolium. Also, absence of coumarin in S. occidentalis, and phenol in G. latifolium. The aqueous extract indicated the presence of all the phytochemicals in A. conyzoides and presence of alkaloid, tannin, sugar and glycoside in other plant species studied. Quantitative analysis showed variable amounts of pharmacologically important secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, tannins, flavonoid, saponins and phenol in all the plants investigated. The different phytochemicals are shown to perform different biological activities in humans and animals. These compounds can be harnessed for industrial and pharmaceutical utilization.

Studies on the effect of non-hypertensive and hypertensive type 2 diabetes on lipid profile was performed to determine whether these biochemical parameters were affected in individuals associated with these disease conditions. A total of one hundred and thirty-three (133) individuals were used for these studies. Of these thirty-five (35) were established hypertensive diabetics and thirty (30) are established non-hypertensive diabetics. The established hypertensive non-diabetics were thirty-three (33) while thirty-five (35) were normal healthy individuals. The results showed that there was no significant differences (P>0.05) in the mean concentrations of cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, LDLcholesterol and glucose between hypertensive diabetics and non-hypertensive diabetics studied. The study also showed that there were no significance differences (P>0.05) in the mean levels of all the parameters measured between hypertensive diabetics and hypertensive non-diabetics subjects studied, except for serum glucose that significantly higher (P<0.05) in hypertensive diabetics. It was observed that mean concentrations of cholesterol, triglycerides, LDC-cholesterol, as well as systolic blood pressure were significantly higher (P<0.05) in hypertensive diabetics compared with normal healthy individuals. The results also show that the mean HDL-cholesterol level was significantly lower (P>0.05) in hypertensive diabetics compared with normal healthy individuals. It was also observed that the concentrations of cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol systolic and diastolic blood pressure were significantly higher (P>0.05) in hypertensive non diabetics individuals compared with normal healthy individuals studied. However, the glucose and pulse rate mean levels showed no significant difference (P>0.05) between hypertensive non-diabetics and normal healthy individuals.