This study was aimed at extracting and purifying T. catappa seed oil with a view to investigating the effect of processing on the composition and antioxidant activity of the oil. Oil was extracted from the dried and roasted T. catappa seed and subjected to degumming and bleaching. The different processed oils were analysed for their fatty acid, phytosterols, and fat soluble vitamins composition. Antioxidant properties of the oils were also determined by measuring the Diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and inhibition of heat induced peroxidation. Roasting and processing caused a reduction in acid value, increased peroxide value, but had no effect on the iodine and saponification values of T. catappa oil. Palmitic acid was the most abundant saturated fatty acid (42.466%) while oleic acid was the most abundant unsaturated fatty acid (23.445%). Roasting significantly reduced fatty acid concentration of the oil, and bleaching of both unroasted and roasted oils increased the concentration of fatty acids except linoleic acid. Gamma-sitosterol and Betasitosterol were present in appreciable amounts only in the crude oils. Roasting increased Vitamins A and D concentrations but drastically reduced that of vitamin E. Degumming had no effect on the fat soluble vitamins of T. catappa oil, but bleaching significantly reduced the concentrations of all the vitamins. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of the seed oil was between 26.93 ± 15.42% and 65.47 ± 31.59%. Refining increased the free radical scavenging activity of the unroasted oil, but did not affect the antioxidant activity of roasted oil. The capacity of the oil in preventing heat induced peroxidation was comparable to that of Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Processing of the oil significantly increased its antioxidant activity. Loss of vitamin E did not affect the antioxidant activity of the oil. Thus, suggesting the presence of a heat stable antioxidant in the oil. This study indicated T. catappa seed oil to be potential pharmaceutical oil with good antioxidant characteristics

Folkloric claims has implicated the plant Tapinanthus bangwensis, indiginous to Nigeria as a possible adjuvant in the treatment of infertility in women. This study seeks to scientifically validate this claim. Hence, the effect of administration of aqueous extract of Tapinanthus bangwensis leaves for 52 days on reproductive hormones of female rats was investigated. 30 female sprague‐dawley rats were grouped into 5 groups of 6 rats each. Group 1 (control), 2,3,4 and 5 received 1ml‐distilled water, 250mg/kg and 500mg/kg, 0.714mg/kg clomiphene citrate and 11.43mg/kg folic acid respectively. Hormonal analysis using Eliza kits indicated increase In the serum FSH level (5.63± 0.1), LH (37.96± 0.13), progesterone (0.13± 0.20) and Estradiol (20.06±0.15) for grp 2, when compared with the control (4.64± 0.22), FSH,(2.12± 0.15) LH, (0.05±0.20) Progesterone, and (11.62±0.13) Estradiol respectively. Also reduction in the serum prolactin level 122.46±0.10 was observed in group 2, when compared to it's control 179.63±0.14. Again administration of the extract in group 3 produced a significant increase in FSH 26.74± 0.012, LH 41.74±0.01, Progesterone 1.61± 0.02 and Estradiol 30.70±0.02 at P<0.05, compared to control, and a significant reduction in Prolactin 98.46±0.02. Group 4 showed FSH (5.19±0.012), LH (83.18±0.014), Progesterone (0.09±0.021), Estradiol (18.50±0.025) and Prolactin (181.80±0.011), while FSH (5.45±0.023), LH (3.49±0.04), Progesterone (0.28±0.025), Estradiol (19.10±0.03) and. Prolactin (225.16±0.031) was for group 5. We conclude, that the hormonal effect of plant extract compares more favourably to folic acid and clomiphene citrate that are known fertility enhancers.

Mistletoe (Tapinanthus bangwensis) plant has been used traditionally in Nigeria and other parts of Africa for the treatment and management of ailments such as diabetics, female reproductive disorders, arthritis, rheumatism, hypertension, asthma, epilepsy and diabetes. In view of the traditional usage of Mistletoe, this has no detailed scientific data; we investigated the nutritional potentials of aqueous crude extract of Tapinanthus bangwensis (Mistletoe) and determination of in vitro antioxidant activity, qualitative and quantitative physiochemical properties.The proximate analysis revealed the crude protein to be 6.8 ± 0.4%, crude fat (9.65 ± 0.3%), total carbohydrate (12.72 ± 0.1%), moisture (67.2 ± 0.1%), ash (3.5 ± 0.1%), crude fibre (0.13±0.2%) and the energy value is 164.94KJ/mole. The mineral evaluation in mg/100g dry weight showed Potassium (147.3±0.01) >; Calcium (90.70±0.025) >; Phosphorus (62.9±0.025) >; Sodium (54.6±0.03) >; Magnesium (43.05±0.02) >; Manganese (34.00±0.01) >; Zinc (24.90±0.015) and Iodine (2.05±0.01). Further tests revealed that heavy metals such as lead, chromium and cadmium were not detected. The qualitative phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of tannins, steroidal glycosides, phenols, saponin, terpenoids and flavonoids while the quantitative (in mg/100g) phytochemical analysis revealed tannin (108.65±0.04 ) >;phenol (66.7±0.01)>; flavonoid (44.58±0.03)>; Cynogenic glycoside (24.53±0.02)>; saponin (2.40±0.02). Reducing sugar was revealed to be 33.07±0.05.

Background: African mistletoe (Tapinanthus bagwensis) is a parasitic plant commonly used in folk medicine. The bioconstituents and thus its nutritional and ethnomedicinal uses may be greatly affected by ecological interactions between the plant and host. Objectives: This study investigated the proximate and phytochemical compositions of aqueous leaf extract of Tapinanthus bangwensis grown on orange tree. Methods: Standard methods of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) was used to evaluate the proximate and mineral elements compositions of Tapinanthus bangwensis aqueous leaf extract. Vitamins content and presence of lectin was quantified using high performance liquid chromatography and via hemagglutinating activity respectively. Phytochemicals were determined using spot test and spectrophotometrically. Results: The proximate analysis revealed that T. bangwensis aqueous leaf extract contained total carbohydrate (12.72 ± 0.1 %), crude fat (9.65±0.3%), protein (6.8 ± 0.4%), ash (3.5 ± 0.1%), moisture (0.13 ± 0.2%) and crude fibre (67.2 ± 0.1%). The minerals (mg/ 100 g dry weight) present were K (147.3 ± 0.01) > Ca (90.70 ± 0.025) > P (62.9 ± 0.025) > Na (54.6 ± 0.03) > Mg (43.05 ± 0.02) > Mn (34.00 ± 0.01) > Zn (24.90 ± 0.015) > Iodine (2.05 ± 0.01). Vitamins A, D, B2, E, K, B12 and Folic acid were relatively abundant compared to other vitamins. The extract possessed lectin depicted by hemagglutination activity on different animal species’ blood samples. The phytochemicals (mg/100 g) concentration was tannin (108.65 ± 0.04), phenol (66.7 ± 0.01), flavonoid (44.58 ± 0.03), cyanogenic glycoside (24.53 ± 0.02) and saponin (2.40 ± 0.02). Conclusion: Given these nutritional, phytochemical constituents and their concentrations, T. bangwensis aqueous leaf extract could be a good nutrient source for consumers and might be beneficial in maintaining good health.

Mistletoe (Tapinanthus bangwensis spp.) is a semi ‐ parasitic evergreen plant that has been used traditionally in Nigeria for the treatment and management of ailments such as diabetes, disorders in infertility, cancer, arthritis, rheumatism, epithelial tumors, hypertension, asthma, nervousness and epilepsy. This study seeks to evaluate the toxicological property of the aqueous extract of T. bangwensis leaves.. Acute toxicity of the extract was evaluated in Swiss albino mice by oral administration of the animals with graded doses of the extract between 500 to 20,000 mg/kg body weight and observed continuously for the first 4 h, every hour for the next 24 h and at least once daily for 14days. The results indicated that the LD50 of the extract is >; 20,000 mg kg‐1 body weight. In the subchronic toxicity study, T. bangwensis extract was administered by gavage at doses of 100, 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg daily for 4 weeks to Swiss albino rats. Results showed no significant differences in behavior, food intake, body and organ (liver, heart and renal, ovary and uterus) weights of the experimental animals.. Also, measured indices revealed no statistically significant changes in hematological and biochemical indices of the test animals relative to the control group (p>;0.05). Necropsy and histopathological examination, did not reveal any remarkable changes. These preliminary toxicological results being the first of its kind suggests that aqueous leaf extracts of Tapinanthus bangwensis have no adverse toxicological consequences and also safe for various medicinal purposes.