The study determined if administration of Vernonia amygdalina and Carica papaya plants provides synergistic effects in ameliorating plasmodium infection in mice. Thirty mice (17.88–25.3 g) were divided into 6 groups of 5 mice each. Group 1 was normal control, while groups 2–6 were intraperitoneally inoculated 2.5 × 107 Plasmodium berghei parasitized red blood cell, followed by daily administration of 350 mg/kg aqueous leaf extracts after establishment of infection. Group 2 was disease control, while group 6 was treated with standard drug for four consecutive days. The results showed significant (P < 0.05) reduction in percentage of parasite load between the infected treatment groups and disease control group at day 3 after infection, which remained consistent until the end of the experiment. All infected treated groups showed significant (P < 0.05) increases in RBC and PCV recovery compared to the disease control, with the exception of WBC. There was insignificant (P > 0.05) change in mean body weight of all treated groups except in disease control group. Histological studies of the infected mice indicate recovery of hepatic cells from congested black pigmentation. The reduction in parasite load and recovery of hepatic cell damage/hematological parameters were induced by these plant extracts. This highlighted the important usage of the plant in traditional remedy of malaria infection.

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Using phosphate fertilizer (particularly at high levels) to improve the phosphorus (P) level of soils during the cultivation of legumes and other cereals unfortunately has negative effect on the levels of micronutrients like zinc (Zn) in grains. This study and cowpea is also at the heart of the fight against micronutrient deficiency due to its ability to accumulate Fe and Zn in both grains and leaves (Mamiro, Mbwaga, Mamiro, Mwanri, & Kinabo, 2011).However, micronutrient-deficient soils are widespread; many millions of hectares of arable land worldwide are deficient in one or more micronutrient elements (Rengel, 2015). Further compounding this is the low phosphorus (P) utilization efficiency of the cowpea (Emechebe, Singh, Leleji, Atokple, & Adu, 1991). In addition, legumes store P as phytate (PA) which, together with inositol penta phosphate, is one of the main inhibitors of Zn absorption (Kaya, Küçükyumuk, & Erdal, 2009). For diffusion-supplied micronutrients, the uptake rate is governed by the soil nutrient supply, and fertilization with micronutrients (more so in case of Zn than Fe) can be effective in increasing the concentration of micronutrients at the soil-root interface (Rengel, 2015). There are growing concerns, however, that the emphasis on increasing cereal yields by the application of macronutrients alone may lead to deficiencies of micronutrients, mainly Fe and Zn, and also vitamins, in diets of the poor who rely on a cereal-based food supply (Graham & Welch, 1996). It is common practice to use P fertilizer to improve the P level of the soil during the cultivation of legumes. Unfortunately, high level of phosphate fertilization of soil has been reported to have negative effect on the levels of Zn in sorghum (Buerkert, Haake, & Ruckwied, 1998) and other cereals. Earlier reports (Zhu, Smith, & Smith, 2001;Gianquinto, Abu-Rayyan, Tola, Piccotino, & Pezzarossa, 2000;Mandal & Mandal, 1990;Haldar & Mandal, 1981;Orabi, Mashadi, Abdallah, & Morsy, 1981;Takkar, Mann, Bansal, Randhawa, & Singh, 1975), and more recently Ova, Kutman, Ozturk, and Cakmak (2015) and Drissi, AïtHoussa, Bamouh, Coquant, and Benbella (2015) have all drawn negative correlations between P fertilization and Zn levels in various cereal (wheat and maize) and leguminous plants. Benvindo, Prado, Nóbrega, and Flores (2014) even reported a corresponding decrease in foliar Zn levels with increase in P levels.There is also the well-documented issue of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) that greatly enhance P uptake in low P soil. Although, P application reportedly and significantly increases grain and fodder yields, it decreases AMF colonization of cowpea roots (Saidou, Singh, Abaidoo, Iwuafor, & Sanginga, 2012). This inverse relationship between P fertilization and levels of micronutrients in crops is a source of concern, and as noted by Graham and Welch (1996), may lead to deficiencies of micronutrients, mainly Fe and Zn, and also vitamins, in diets of the poor who rely on a cereal-based food supply of these micronutrients. Also, as ...