The search for novel drugs and alternative medicine has led to increased research in medicinal plants. Among such plants is the orange fruit. Its peels have been utilized for long as an active ingredient in most traditional medicines. This study aims at investigating the chemical properties of the hexane and dichloromethane (DCM) extracts of orange peel as well as their biological potentials. Blended peels were extracted with n-hexane and n-dichloromethane, respectively. The resulting extracts were subjected to gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS) characterization. The extracts were also assayed for free radical scavenging ability against 1,1 -diphenyl -2 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), antioxidative burst via measuring luminol -amplified chemiluminescence response in human blood, and phytotoxicity against lemna minor. GCMS analysis revealed a predominance of fatty acid methyl esters in the hexane extract, while the DCM extract had more ketone metabolites. The DCM extract had significant (p < .05) higher free radical scavenging and antioxidative burst activities compared to the hexane. Both extracts revealed a significantly (p < .05) high phytotoxicity activity. Results from this study indicated that solvent type played a vital a role in the extraction of secondary metabolites, which are responsible for the observed biological activities. The higher activities by the DCM extract can be attributed to its constituents as revealed by GCMS analysis. There is great need to explore the phytotoxicity potentials of both extracts as natural herbicides.

Medicinal Plants from various parts of the world have been tested for their hypoglycaemic properties and other related ailments. These have resulted into the isolation and purification of novel compounds which have been made into drugs and commercialized. The MeOH sub-fraction of Anisopus mannii N. E. Br.yielded 'Manosrin' (3, 23, 28 Trihydroxy-12oleanen-3-O-(β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1,6)-β-D-glucopyranosyl(1,6)-β-D-xylopyranosyl)-28-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1,6)-β-D-glucopyranoside) as a novel compound. To understand the mechanism of the drug action using ICR mice and other possible effect of the drug as hypoglycaemic compound. Manosrin was subjected to evaluations, such as oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), standard toxicity studies, pathological investigations and route of efficiency, by intraperitoneal injection and oral administration using ICR mice, and the drug mechanism of action by co-treatment with isosorbide dinitrate and nifedipine as Ca + and K + ion channel regulators. Oral administration of the methanol sub-fraction (250 mg/kg bw) inhibited blood glucose increase, but stimulated blood glucose lowering in post prandial ICR mice. Significant body weight gains were observed both in the 2,000 and 5,000 mg/kg bw treated groups at day 3 to 14.All of the treated groups showed significant (P < 0.05) decrease in organ weights compared to the control group (kidney and liver). The BUN and creatinine levels decreased in Manosrin treated groups in the 2,000 and 5,000 mg/kg bw treated groups. However, a dose dependent elevation was observed for AST, ALT and Total bilirubin levels. The oral and intraperitoneal administration of Manosrin showed higher efficiency than Glibenclamide but lower than insulin. The co-treatment of ICR mice with ion channel regulators, showed that Manosrin was not dependent on the closure of K + and opening of the Ca 2+ channels. It could therefore be speculated that Manosrin may have enhanced insulin activity as a way of FBG reduction in the diabetic mice. Manosrin has exhibited a Thiazolidinedione-like action as its modus operandi. The hypoglycaemic effect observed prompts further investigation on other possible potentials of this compound in the management of Diabetes mellitus and related diseases.