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BackgroundOldenlandia affinis, commonly called ‘kalata-kalata’, a versatile plant used locally to treat malaria fever in some parts of sub-Saharan Africa was investigated for anti-plasmodial and anti-inflammatory activities.ObjectiveThe study was designed to evaluate the antiplasmodial as well as anti-inflammatory activities of whole extract and cyclotide-rich fraction of Oldenlandia affinisMethodThe dichloromethane-methanol extract (ODE) of the plant, O. affinis was investigated for suppressive and curative antiplasmodial activities against Plasmodium berghei in mice. ODE and the cyclotide-rich fraction (CRF) was investigated for chronic and acute anti-inflammatory activities in rat models of inflammation. Inhibition of pro-inflammatory mediators was studied in RAW264.7 macrophages.ResultsODE exhibited significant (p<0.05) reduction in mean parasitaemia in both the suppressive and curative models of Plasmodium berghei infection in mice.Administration of ODE(100, 200, or 400 mg/kg) and CRF (100, 200, or 400 mg/kg) produced significant inhibition of rodent models of acute and chronic inflammation . This observation is supported by the significant (P<0.05) inhibition of pro-inflammatory mediators, inducible nitric oxide (iNO) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and the reactive radical scavenging activities in RAW264.7 macrophages.ConclusionThese findings could explain, at least in part, the successes reported in the use of the herb, Oldenlandia affinis in the traditional treatment of malaria fever

The mucoprotein slime coat often found on fish bodies act as defense against invasion by microbes and other environmental dangers. There is an increase in the incidence and emergence of multidrug resistant microbial strains, which has necessitated the need for newer antimicrobial agents. With this background, the aim of this study is therefore, to assess the antimicrobial effects as well as wound healing properties of mucin isolated from a catfish slime coat.   Collection, precipitation with 96% absolute acetone, isolation and preparation of the mucilage from the slime coat of a live catfish was performed to obtain the powdered mucilage or catfish mucin (CM). The antimicrobial effect of the CM was evaluated using the agar dilution technique, and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) were determined against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomona aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Klebsiella pneumonia, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger. The wound healing effect of CM was also studied using wound healing excision model in rats. In addition quantitative biochemical analysis of the constituents of the catfish mucin was also performed using standard procedures.  The CM exhibited antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella pneumonia, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli with an MIC value of 3.0, 3.0, 5.0, 6.0 and 6.0 (all in mg/ml) respectively, with no appreciable activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger. Biochemical analysis of CM showed the presence of carbohydrates (76.31%), moisture content (10.86%), proteins (7.38%), ash (2.34%), fibre (2.06%) and fats (1.06%) per 100 mg of the mucin. While wound healing study showed that CM reduced wound diameter and increased the rate of epithelialization in the increasing order of 40%, 10% and 20% preparations compared to penicillin G, a standard agent. In conclusion, the catfish mucin, a glycoprotein from the slime coat, exhibited antibacterial activity with bactericidal potentials and possesses wound healing properties.

In Nigerian ethnomedicine, Stemonocoleus micranthus Harms (Fabaceae) is used in the management of heart related diseases. This study investigated the effect of sub-chronic administration of methanol-dichloromethane stem bark extract of S. micranthus (SME) on lipid profile and histology of liver and kidney of rats. Adult albino rats of both sexes were randomly divided into four groups (n=5) and received daily administration of SME (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg) and 2 ml/kg distilled water (control) respectively for 28 days per oral. Biochemical tests were performed pretreatment and subsequently fortnightly as the treatment commenced. The results showed that the extract increased the serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration while low density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations were reduced compared with the baseline values. However, the histopathological examination of the liver and kidney of the rats that received extract and solvent revealed normal portal area with bile ducts and hepatic artery as well as normal glomerulus and renal tubules without observable changes suggesting zero tendency of causing toxic effects. The preliminary phytochemical analysis showed that SME contained alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, reducing sugars, terpenoids, saponins, proteins and, fats oils. SME exhibited an oral LD 50 >5 g/kg in mice. These findings suggest that the stem bark extract of S. micranthus contains constituents that possess hypolipidemic activity in rats.

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