No abstract

Cataract is the leading cause of blindness worldwide accounting for 50% of all cases. 1 The prevalence of cataract in the tropics rises more due to extreme temperatures and exposure to UV-light. 2 A 5th of adult 40 years and above in Nigeria is reported to have some degree of lens opacity 3. Data from The ophthalmological Society of Nigeria (2005) indicates that about 1.2 million people in Nigeria are blind due to cataract and about 4.08 million people have low vision. The report also estimated that the number of blind and low-vision people would almost double by the year 2020 unless concerted action is taken. 4 Currently, the only clinically accepted approach for the treatment of cataract is surgery 5. The cost of the surgery hinders many individuals access to treatment in different parts of the world and has increased the need for less expensive, non surgical approach to cataract treatment 6. Thus, a pharmaceutical intervention, a non surgical approach, that is likely to be cheaper and effective are intensively sought after. In an attempt to provide alternative approach toward treatment of cataract, several plant species were investigated. Plant extracts, such as extract of Ocinum sanctum, aqueous garlic extract, onion juice, as well

with semi-prostrate to ascending branches, up to 1.25 m. Stems somewhat angular with harsh stellate hairs. Leaves suborbicular in outline, angular to shallowly lobed; lower surface densely stellatehairy. Stipules up to 10 mm, filiform. Flowers solitary in the leaf axils, up to 8 cm in diameter sulphur-yellow with a maroon centre. Epicalyx bracts 12-16, narrowly linear, usually shorter than the calyx lobes. 5 The roots are put into cold water to draw and the infusion is taken as a remedy for diarrhoea in South and East Africa 6. The powdered seed is taken with milk and used as a contraceptive in Sokoto Northwest Nigeria. 7 The infusion of the roots is used in antenatal care for general wellbeing in Katsina Northwest Nigeria. 8 The water-extract of the leaf is used in Zaria Northwest Nigeria to treat wounds and bone infections. 9 In Botswana cold-water infusion of the dry roots is taken to induce labour, particularly if the onset has been delayed. 4 Due to the importance of toxicity studies of medicines and standardized herbal remedy discovery and development, the aqueous ethanol leaf extract of P. senegalensis was investigated in this study for its acute and sub-chronic toxicological effects.

Commiphora africana is a famous medicinal plant used traditionally in the treatment of various ailments such as inflammation, stomach disorders, diabetes, malaria, tumours, skin infections and as antidotes for venomous bites and stings in Nigeria and other parts of Africa. The present study aims to evaluate the molecular and chemical properties that could be of value in the standardization and quality assessment of the medicinal values of C. africana. The randomly amplified polymorphic deoxyribonucleic acidpolymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR) analysis was carried out on the leaf sample. The high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was carried out on the leaf and barks of stem and root extracts. The RAPD-PCR amplified products generated fingerprint patterns ranging from 250 to 1600 base pairs. The oligoprimers (A, B and E) produced distinct banding patterns for C. africana, the number of well-defined and major bands for a single primer ranged from 2 to 7 with maximum number of well-defined bands observed with primer "a" (7 bands) and the minimum number with primer "e" (2 bands). The HPLC chromatograms of the extracts of leaf and barks of stem and root of C. africana showed some similarities and differences in the type, number and concentration of the compounds in the various morphological parts of the plant. The DNA and HPLC fingerprints obtained from this research can be useful in the identification and authentication of C. Africana and thus may be useful in the standardization of this plant.