A great number of production sectors in Africa that make use of maize, rice and wheat starches have carried out several experiments on cassava (Manihot esculenta) flour and starch, and found them to be potentially valuable substitutes. The benefits ranged from being a human staple food, constituent of animal feeds, and raw material in food processing, textile, pharmaceutical, detergent, alcohol and plastic industries to production of confectioneries like bread, spaghetti and chinchin. The vast availability of this "white gold" in most African countries can be explored in order to fully maximize its potential as an industrial base for interested entrepreneurs.

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This study examined the bioactive components of Eucalyptus camaldulensis aqueous leaf extracts and their protective effects on liver and renal function in a Plasmodium berghei-induced albino mouse model of malarial infection. The results showed that E. camaldulensis extracts are rich in phytochemicals, including flavonoids, phenols, saponin, terpenes, and tannin. Four days after infection with malaria, elevated parasitemia levels in untreated control mice dropped by 4.57%. Administration of E. camaldulensis extracts at doses of 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg significantly decreased parasitemia levels by 17.39, 61.88, and 60.53%, respectively (all P<0.05), relative to untreated control mice; however, standard antimalarial drugs were more efficacious and reduced parasitemia by 86.73%. Treatment with both E. camaldulensis extracts (100∼300 mg/kg) and standard antimalarial drugs significantly decreased malarial-induced physiological imbalances in liver and renal biomarkers, and serum electrolytes in malaria-infected mice compared with controls (P<0.05). The therapeutic effect of E. camaldulensis was greatest at a dose of 200 and 300 mg/kg. These findings indicate that E. camaldulensis aqueous leaf extracts could protect against malarial-induced aberrations in liver and renal function whilst exhibiting anti-malarial effects, and could explain its use as an antimalarial remedy in traditional medicine.

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Diabetes is one of the commonest global diseases affecting both sexes and phytomedicine is currently among the foremost replacements for orthodox drug; Polyalthia longifiola is among the locally used herbal remedies for various ailments. The onus of this research was to investigate the phytochemical constituents and potential of P. longifiola aqueous leaf extract against alterations in liver and kidney functions in rats injected with alloxan. Phytochemical evaluation of the aqueous plant leaf extract indicated that terpenes, non-reducing sugar, flavonoid, resin, phenol, gums and mucilage were present. The contents of total flavonoids and phenol in the plant leaf are 55.56 µg catechin equivalent/ g and 1.62 g/ 100g DW, respectively. The plant extract administered reduced the glucose concentration of the diabeticinduced animals in a dose dependent manner. This reducing potential of glucose by the plant is as a consequence of the availability of these phytochemicals in the extract of the plant. Alterations in liver function biomarkers (serum ALP, ALT, AST, GGT, TB and DB) caused by the hyperglycemic state of the test animals were reversed as the extract was given to the diabetic rats. Kidney function makers such as creatinine, urea and uric acid were also reduced upon administration of hypoglycemic drug and aqueous plant extract and improved as time progressed. Thus P. longifiola (mast tree) aqueous leaf extract has ameliorative effects on liver and kidney functions of rats induced with diabetes and could be used in management of type 2 diabetes even at a concentration of 100 mg/kg bwt.