Agricultural and industrial activities contribute most to the pollutants found globally; therefore, bioremediation of these pollutants is intensely sought. This research isolated a molybdenum-reducing bacterium from agricultural soil. The bacterium grown in low phosphate media (LPM) reduces molybadate to Mo-blue optimally at pH between 6.5 and 7.0, temperature between 35 and 40 °C, glucose at 5 g/L and glycine at 3 g/L were the best electron donor and nitrogen sources, respectively. The optimum molybdate concentration is between 80 and 100 mM, and phosphate concentration was between 5.0 and 7.5 mM. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA partial sequencing identified the bacterium as Enterobacter cloacae. The capacity of this bacterium to reduce toxic molybdenum to less toxic colloidal molybdenum blue is novel and form the basis for its use in future bioremediation of this pollutant.

This study evaluated the effects of aqueous homogenates of avocado pear (Persea americana) seeds and fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) leaves co-administered with anti-tuberculosis drug on liver enzymes of albino rats. Twenty (20) albino rats were divided into five (5) groups (of four rats each) designated as I, II, III, IV and V (which is the normal control). A dose of 5.14mg/kg body weight of a first line anti-tuberculosis drug (a combination of isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide and ethambutol) was administered orally to two (2) rats in group I, II, III, and IV for seven (7) days and the remaining two rats in each group for fourteen (14) days. The homogenates of avocado pear seeds (at a dose of 250mg/kg body weight), fluted pumpkin leaves (at a dose of 250mg/kg BW) and a mixture of avocado pear seeds and fluted pumpkin leaves (at a dose of 250mg/kg BW, and 125mg/kg BW respectively) were co-administered with the anti-TB drug to groups II, III and IV respectively. Group I rats served as the positive control (i.e. treated with only 5.14mg/kg BW of anti-TB drug). The results indicated that the activities of serum AST, ALT and ALP were significantly higher (P<0.05) in rats administered with 5.14 mg/kg BW first line anti-TB drugs only when compared with that of the rats co-administered with the same anti-TB drug and 250mg/kg BW plant homogenates (avocado pear seeds, fluted pumpkin leave, and a combination of the two homogenates). The mean serum AST, ALT and ALP activities were found to have decrease (P<0.05) in groups II, III, and IV rats from the beginning to the end of the treatment periods. Similarly, mean serum activities of AST, ALT and ALP in group III rats decreased (P<0.05) significantly when compared with that of group II rats. Moreover, the serum activities of these enzymes were significantly lower (P<0.05) in group V rats compared to that of groups II and III rats. The rise in the mean serum activities of liver enzymes in group I rats when compared to that of group V rats indicated that the anti-TB drug is hepatotoxic. The findings of this research work predicts that the aqueous homogenates of both avocado pear seeds and fluted pumpkin leaves have hepatoprotective abilities but, the combination of these plant parts shows more hepatoprotective function (i. e. exhibits synergy).

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Acute toxicity and effect of aqueous leaf extract of Jatropha curcas (ALEOJC) on carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4) induced hepatotoxicity in albino rats was evaluated. The rats (60) were divided into five groups designated as; I, II, III, IV and Vof which groups I and II has 15 rats each while, group III, IV and V have 10 rats each. Groups II to V were induced with hepato-toxicity using 150mg/kg body weight CCl 4 intramuscularly. Serum liver marker enzymes were assayed 48hrs after induction of liver injury followed by 2 nd and 4 th weeksof treatment with ALEOJC and Livolin. Oral LD 50 of ALEOJCwas found to be 2,792.85 mg/kg. Serum levels of alanine amino transferase (ALT), Aspartate amino transferase (AST), Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) and bilirubin level were significantly (P< 0.05) increased in group II (untreated rats) compared to group I (normal control). Following treatment with ALEOJC {10 mg/kg (Group III) and 1000mg/kg (Group IV)} orally, once daily for 4 weeks, a significant hepatocurative effect was observed as evident by decreased level of the serum liver marker enzymes, total bilirubin and direct bilirubin and increase in serum albumin. The hepatocurative effect of ALEOJC is comparable to the standard drug livolin (Group V receiving livolin at 10mg/kg/day orally for 4 weeks). This finding suggested that ALEOJC may possess hepatocurative effect against CCl 4-Galley Pr oof induced liver damage in rats. The curative effects may be associated with the phytochemical content of the plant.

Intensive agriculture and industrial activities have significantly increased the global burden of pollutants; thus, bioremediation of these pollutants is intensely sought. A bacterium with potential of reducing toxic soluble molybdenum to precipitable molybdenum blue (Mo-blue) was isolated from agricultural soil in Darmanawa, Kano state. The bacterium grown on low phosphate media (LPM) reduces molybadate to Mo-blue optimally at pH between 6.0 and 7.5, temperature of 35 °C, glucose was the best electron donor source at 5 g/L and ammonium sulphate was the best nitrogen source. The optimum molybdate concentration supporting the reduction process was 40 mM at 3.5 mM phosphate. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA partial sequence identified the bacterium as Morganella sp. The ability of this isolate to reduce toxic soluble molybdenum to colloidal less toxic form is novel and makes the bacterium an important instrument for bioremediation of this pollutant.