Aims: Physico-chemical, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and Cold saponification was carried out on Lannea microcarpa (Wild grape) seed oil with the aim of identifying the quality and quantity of the oil and its suitability in soap production. Study Design: Experimental and instrumental study was done to determine the physicochemical characteristics, fatty acids present in the seed oil and its suitability for soap production. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at the Biochemistry Laboratory, Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero, Nigeria from May to June, 2014. Methodology: The hexane extract of the sample was obtained by complete extraction using Soxhlet extractor, physicochemical analysis was carried out. A gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy detector (GC-MS) system was used for the qualitative fatty acid determination. Simple cold method saponification was used in producing the soap. Results: The powdered seed (50 g) yielded 59.21±0.01% of the oil. Results from the physicochemical analysis showed the seed oil to be dark purple in colour and partially soluble in water with the acid, iodine, saponification and peroxide values at  16± 0.01 mgKOH/g, 121.6±0.1 gI2/100 g, 231.25±0.02 mgKOH/g,  3.02±0.01 meq H2O2respectively. The relative density and refractive index of the oil are at 0.5983±0.0001 (g/cm3) and 1.43±0.01 respectively. Qualitative GC-MS revealed the following fatty acids; Decanoic acid, Palmitic acid, Stearic acid, Margaric acid, 1-octadecanoic  acid, Oleic and Erucic acid. The soap produced from the seed oil has pH and Foam height, 10.18±0.01 and 105.1±0.1 (cm³) respectively. Conclusion: The present study on seeds of wild grape revealed that the oil is a viable natural product that can be utilized in thefood and cosmetic industry.

Aneilema lanceolatum is a weed plant commonly found in farm lands and bushes around tropical African countries. The plant is utilized as livestock feeds and in traditional medicine in northern Nigeria for the treatment and management of pains, infectious diseases and as sexual stimulant. The present study was aimed at establishing microscopic, physicochemical and phytochemical constituents of the plant. The aerial parts of the plant was collected in May, 2021 from Kubanni, Sabon-gari local government area of Kaduna state and were identified and authenticated at the Herbarium unit of the Department of Botany, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria-Nigeria and a voucher number ABU0533 was assigned. The physicochemical parameters, microscopic evaluation and qualitative and quantitative screening of the plant were carried out using standard procedures. The stomatal index of the upper epidermis (18.60±1.91) is lower than the lower epidermis (22.10±2.03) with palisade ratio of 10.07±0.90. The microscopic of the stem and leaf revealed presence of epidermis, xylem and phloem. Moisture content of the powdered plants was 1.23±0.05% with water and alcohol extractives values of 20.40±0.03% and 12.40±0.05% respectively. The total ash, water-soluble and acid-insoluble ash values are 5.52±0.02, 2.05±0.02% and 2.62±0.01% respectively. The microscopic characters revealed presence of wavy and polygonal shapes of epidermal cells with anomocytic type of stomata and unicellular non-glandular trichomes. The qualitative and quantitative phytochemical studies revealed presence of saponins (10.61%), alkaloids (0.98%), terpenoids (0.10%) and flavonoids (4.08%). The pharmacognostic parameters of the aerial parts of A. lanceolatum were established.

Shea tree is an economic plant with factors such as genetic variations and environmental conditions responsible for its variations. The present study was aimed at establishing the physicochemical properties and genetic variation of shea tree from northern Nigeria. The plant materials were harvested from Bosso (A), Ngaski (B) and Yamaltu-Deba (C). The sheanut B had the highest potassium content while sodium and magnesium were higher in C, with no significant difference between the calcium and copper contents of A and C. The percentage yield of sheabutter B (37.20%) was higher than A and C. Iodine values ranged from 22.32 ± 0.12a mg/g to 58.67 ± 0.20c mg/g. Sheabutter B have the highest saponification value at 198.51 ± 0.21c mgKOH/g, with no significant difference in the peroxide values of B (0.72 ± 0.03ameqO2/g) and C (0.74 ± 0.03a meqO2/g). Stearic and oleic acid are the major fatty acids identified in the GC-MS profile of the sheabutters. The microsatellite markers used produced 71 % polymorphic and 19 % monomorphic bands with allele numbers ranging from two to four, with polymorphic information content range of 0.3092 to 0.5658 and genetic diversity ranging from 0.3378 to 0.6222. Fifteen shea tree varieties were divided into two clusters with cluster A made up of four subclusters and cluster B consisting of two subclusters. The Nei’s genetic distance within the population was between 0.00% and 0.982 %, an indication of diversity within the individual trees and not between the populations across different geographical distance.