Background: Hemolysis is common in malaria infection and during the course of treatment. Previous studies have reported delayed post-artemisinin hemolysis occurring in naïve and immune individuals treated with parenteral or oral artemisinin-derivatives. This study aims to understand if delayed hemolysis occurs in the absence of malaria parasites and the underlying mechanisms for the hemolytic effects after administration of two antimalarial drugs to malaria-free Wistar rats. Methods: Forty animals were randomized into 5 groups of eight animals each; they received 4 mg/kg artesunate for 7 days (AS), 4 mg/kg artesunate plus 10mg/kg amodiaquine for 3 days (ASQ), 10mg/kg amodiaquine for 3 days (AQ), distilled water [normal control], (Control) and 1mg/kg phenylhydrazine for 1 day to induce hemolysis (PHZ) groups respectively. Packed cell volume (PCV), white blood cell differential count and serum haptoglobin (Hpt) levels were determined in all groups on day 4 and 18 to detect hemolysis. Mean values were compared using t-test and ANOVA with p values <0.05 taken to be significantly different. Results: Post-treatment mean PCV on day 4 was significantly lower than day 18 in all groups except AS group which had similar PCV all through evaluation. Although AQ had lowest mean PCV on day 4, by day 18, mean PCV returned to normal and hpt levels was significantly higher than AS and ASQ groups (p<0.001). Hpt level (mean ± sem) for AS, ASQ, AQ, and control on day 18 were: 18.67 ± 0.004, 50.66 ± 0.014, 73.06 ± 0.003, and 74.13 ± 0.032 mg/dl respectively (p < 0.0001). On day 18, AS and ASQ had significantly lower Hpt level compared to day 4 (p <0.001). No neutropenia was observed during the study. Conclusion: Artesunate induces delayed hemolysis in malaria-free animals possibly through an oxidative toxic effect on the red blood cell membrane. Delayed post-treatment hemolysis was not observed with artesunateamodiaquine or amodiaquine alone.

Objective: This work assessed the antimicrobial activity and toxicological consequence of the ethanolic extract of Ricinodendron heudelotii (Baill). Methods:The antimicrobial potential of the leaf extract was investigated against 9 different microorganisms using the agar well diffusion method while the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was ascertained. Toxicity evaluations were carried out on five groups of seven albino rats each for 28 days. Rats in Group A received normal saline, while those in Groups B, C, D, and E received 250, 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) of the extract. After treatment, they were anesthetized, blood samples collected for biochemical assays; organs isolated, weighed, and processed for histopathological studies. Results:The phytochemical screening showed the presence of glycosides, tannins, polyphenols, terpenoids, and alkaloids while saponin was absent. Antimicrobial effect was observed against 7 of the 9 microorganisms tested with inhibition zone and MIC ranging from 18 to 36 mm and 31.25 to 62.5 mg/mL, respectively. Liver function tests were significantly (p<0.05) increased, whereas no significant change in total protein and creatinine levels was observed. Histology showed a sinusoidal congestion and vacuolar degeneration of hepatocytes in groups administered higher doses, and a dose-dependent reduction was observed in some hematological parameters. Conclusion:The results obtained suggest that the R. heudelotii may not induce significant toxic effect below 3600 mg/kg b.w. and could serve as an effective antibiotic.

The effects of some processing and extraction techniques on the tannin content and antioxidant activities of Sorghum bicolor (Linn) were evaluated. The ethanolic, methanolic and water extracts from the sorghum seeds were assessed after being fermented, or oven-dried for 0 (OVD-0), 30 (OVD-30) and 60 (OVD-60) mins, along with those of the chaff collected after fermentation, and the unprocessed sorghum (control). Tannin, total flavonoids, total phenol, polyphenol contents and 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging analysis were determined. All the processing techniques combined with the extraction methods significantly reduced (p<0.05) the tannins. OVD-30 combined with methanol extraction, and all the oven-drying techniques combined with aqueous extraction significantly increased (p<0.05) the flavonoids contents. Flavonoids levels in other methanol extracts and the ethanol extracts of sorghum seeds subjected to oven-drying methods were reduced significantly (p<0.05). The amount of phenolic extracted with both ethanol and methanol significantly increased (p>0.05) during the period of oven-drying. The phenolic contents in the seeds were reduced significantly (p<0.05) when extracted with an aqueous solution. The amount of polyphenols was increased significantly (p<0.05) by ethanol extraction when treated with air-drying (OVD-0). The DPPH scavenging activity was increased significantly (p<0.05) by the processing methods when subjected to either aqueous or methanolic extraction. Fermentation and oven-drying are a highly effective method of reducing the anti-nutritional factors of sorghum. Therefore, the therapeutic values of the processed sorghum seeds may be improved during consumption.

Objective: This work assessed the antimicrobial activity and toxicological consequence of the ethanolic extract of Ricinodendron heudelotii (Baill). Methods:The antimicrobial potential of the leaf extract was investigated against 9 different microorganisms using the agar well diffusion method while the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was ascertained. Toxicity evaluations were carried out on five groups of seven albino rats each for 28 days. Rats in Group A received normal saline, while those in Groups B, C, D, and E received 250, 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) of the extract. After treatment, they were anesthetized, blood samples collected for biochemical assays; organs isolated, weighed, and processed for histopathological studies. Results:The phytochemical screening showed the presence of glycosides, tannins, polyphenols, terpenoids, and alkaloids while saponin was absent. Antimicrobial effect was observed against 7 of the 9 microorganisms tested with inhibition zone and MIC ranging from 18 to 36 mm and 31.25 to 62.5 mg/mL, respectively. Liver function tests were significantly (p<0.05) increased, whereas no significant change in total protein and creatinine levels was observed. Histology showed a sinusoidal congestion and vacuolar degeneration of hepatocytes in groups administered higher doses, and a dose-dependent reduction was observed in some hematological parameters. Conclusion:The results obtained suggest that the R. heudelotii may not induce significant toxic effect below 3600 mg/kg b.w. and could serve as an effective antibiotic.

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