Blair Research Institute, P.O. Box CY573, Harare, Zimbabwe; ¹Royal Danish School of Pharmacy, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Universitetsparken 2, DK 2100, Copenhagen O, Denmark, ² Danish Bilharziasis Laboratory, Jaegersborg Alle^’ ID, Charlottenlund Denmark

Keywords: Malaria, Zimbabwe, Antimalarial plants

An ethnobotanical survey was conducted in Mola, Kariba district, in order to collect information on some common herbal remedies used by traditional healers and rural folk in the treatment and prevention of malaria. Structured questionnaires were administered to 220 respondents in Mola, Kariba. Two hundred and twenty questionnaires were administered to respondents who were between the ages of 14 andd 80 years. There were 88 (40%) males and 132 (60%) females with mean ages of 41.0682+17.4572 and 41.5000 + 18.7028 for males and females respectively. A total of 192 (87.3%) of the respondents mentioned mosquitoes as transmitting malaria, one (0.3%) mentioned dirty water and 27 (12.4%) did not know. Fifty-four (24.5%) respondents did not know signs and symptoms of malaria. High body temperature, headache and shivering (23.2%) were major signs used in diagnosing malaria. A total of 155 (70.5%) respondents would go to the clinic if they suspect that they have malaria and 36 (16.4%) will visit a Traditional Healer. The following plants were mentioned as being used as anti—malarials: Carica papaya L. (Caricaceae), Zea mays L. (Sapindaceae), Amblygonocarpus andongenis (Olvi.) Exell and Torre (Leguminosae), Zanha africana (Radlk.) Exell (Sapindaceae), Solanum incanum L. (Solananceae), Solanum indicum L. (Solanaceae), Solanum panduriforme E. May (Solanaceae), Diplorhynchus condylocarpon (Muell. Arg.) Pick. (Apocynaceae), Harungana madagascariensis Poir (Guittiferae), Pterocarpus angolensis DC (Leguminosae), Euclea divinorum Hiern (Ebenaceae), Sclerocarya caffra Sond (Anacardiaceae), Terminalia sericea DC (Combretaceae), Aloe chabaudii Schonl. (Liliaceae), Aloe excelsa Berg. (Liliaceae), Aloe greatheardii Schoni (Liliaceae), Colophospermum mopane (Benth.) J. Leonard (Leguminosae) and Garcinia huillensis Oliv. (Guttiferae). In clonclusion, several plants used as anti-malarials were identified and their acivity will be determined.

Drug Research and Production Unit, Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria; ¹Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Durban-Westville, Private Bag X54001 Durban 4000, South Africa.

Keywords: Terapleura tetraptera, molluscicide; pharmacopieal values, ecotoxicity.

Total, acid-insoluble, water-soluble ash, as well as water-soluble extractive values of Tetraleura tetraptera has been examined. The values were highest in the savanna zone samples. Values of the numerical standards were found to vary as follows: Savanna transitional forest (rainforest frontier) >rainforest. The rank orderof the water-soluble extractive according to location was found to be: Ilora (savanna, 14.64+0.05%), Omuo-Oke (derived savanna, 4,64+0.05%)> Owena (rainforest 5.72+0.15%). The alcohol-soluble extractive was highest (6.63+0.20%) at derived savanna zone (Omuo-Oke). The rank order of the alcoholic extractive was also found to be: Omuo-Oke (savanna, 6.63+0.20%)> Ilugun/Olokemeji (derived savanna 6.46+0.12%)>Abata Egba (rainforest, 4.45+0.06%). T. tetraptera was found to be less toxic to Thermocyclops oblongatus; earthworms and Paramecium spp. than Biomphalaria glabrata snails, but more toxic to cyprids, Clarias spp. and Epiplatys spp.

Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria-Nigeria. ¹Department of Pharmacognosy and Drug Development, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria- Nigeria.

Keywords: Vernonia amygdalina Del., Asteraceae, leaves, elements, wistar rats, tissues.

Elemental analysis of the leaves of Vernonia amygdalina Del., revealed adequate concentrations of some elements, such as iron (1500+111 ppm) and calcium 10100+895 ppm) that are believed to be essential for normal growth. The plant was evaluated in relation to tissue damage, in sixteen male rats (Wistar strains) with average weight of 39.71g and aged 4 to 6 weeks. They were fed orally for 65 days with amended diets containing 25% (w/w), 50% (w/w) and 75%(w/w) powdered V. amygdalina leaves mixed with standard ECWA grower mash. The control rats were fed only with the standard diet. At the end of the experimental period, it was found to grossly, turn the skin of the treated rats lighter than that of the control group. However, microscopical examinations showed that all the various tissues are of normal architecture with good cellular morphology. On this basis V. amygdalina could be regarded as relatively safe to consume, and at the doses tested might be of nutritional importance for both animals and human beings.

Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology and ¹College of Health Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.

Keywords: Rhaptopetalum coriaceum, Seytopetalaceae, blood pressure, vascular responses, Endothelium, rats.

Salt loading for six weeks was used to induce hypetension in rats and treatment with Rhaptopetalum coriaceum Oliv (RCO) extract reduced significantly (P<0.05) the blood pressure similarly, treatment with RCO extract decreased the sensitivity of the aortic rings to noraddrenaline (NA) and potassium chloride (KCl) in salt loaded rats, resulting in decreased contractile responses of the rings to both of these agents. Acetylcholine (ACh) also caused relaxation of the NA induced precontraction and relation response to ACh was higher with salt-RCO treated rings compared to those of control while salt loaded rings attenuated the relaxation response to ACh. The results suggest that salt induced hypertension is associated with impairment of vascular responses to vasoactive agents and endothelim dependent relaxation to ACh and these were corrected by treatment with RCO extract.

Department of Pharmacology; Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Durban-Westville, Private Bag X54001, Durban 4000. South Africa and ¹Drug Research and Production Unit, Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

Keywords: Securidaca longipedunculata; Polygalaceae, Root Bark; Vascular and Extra-vascular Smooth Muscles; Inhibitory Effects; Non-specific Action.

Methanolic Extract of the root-bark of Securidaca longipedunculata was tested for pharmacological activity on isolated vascular and extra-vascular smooth muscle preparations. The root barks extract (50-800mg/ml) inhibited and/or abolished, in a concentration-dependent manner, the myogenic, spontaneous contractions as well as standard agonist drug-induced contractions of the smooth muscles preparations used. The rat isolated portal vein, rat isolated aortic ring, and guinea pig isolated ileum and guinea pig isolated uterus were employed in the in-vitro experiments. Since the plant extract inhibitory effects of the plant extract are unlikely to be mediated thorugh a specific receptor system, but rather, through a non-specific spasmolytic action.

Keywords: Volatile oils, Ocimum gratissimum, Lamiaceae, Cymbopogon citratus, Poaceae, Ageratum conyzoides, Asteraceae, larvicidal activity, Aedes aegypti L.

Volatile oils of three Nigerian plants Ocimum gratissimum L., [Lamiaceae] Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf [poaceae] and Ageratum conyzoides L. [Asteraceae] were screened for larvicidal activity against laboratory reared larvae of the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti L. Twenty (20) fourth instar larvae per 100 ml solution of each concentration were used and the toxicity of the oils compared with endosulfan, a commercial insecticide. Mortality was observed after 24 hours exposure. All the oils demonstrated complete larvicidal action at varying concentrations but were less potent than endosulfan. The oil from A. conyzoides was the most potent, giving 100% mortality at 120 ppm while oils from C. citratus and O. gratissiumum resulted in complete mortality at 200 and 300 ppm respectively. The study gave an insight into the possibility of formulating suitable preparations from the essential oils of these plants for use in mosquito control programme.

Drug Research and Production Unit, Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. ¹Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Ibadan. Ibadan, Nigeria

Keywords: Draceana fragrans, Agavaceae, antimalaria.

Department of Biochemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.

Keywords: Coumarin, scopoletin, ion motive ATPases: Na-K-ATPase, Ca-ATPase

Drug Research and Production Unit, Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile — Ife, Nigeria.

Keywords: Cocos nucifera, Palmae, Elaeis guineensis, Acalypha wilkesiana, Euphorbiaceae, Tetrapleura tetraptera, Mimossaceae, Ficus exasperata, Moraceae, Harugana madagascariensis, Hyperaceae, soap, organolepsis

Dried powdered herbs were formulated in soap bases using palm kernel oil (PKO), shea butter (SB) and mixtures of the two bases. Soaps were prepared by the cold saponification technique using caustic alkali, poured into moulds of appropriate shapes and left to solidify at room temperature. The prepared soaps were evaluated for organoleptic properties and foaming ability. It was observed that soaps prepared with the mixtures of the two bases possessed higher qualities than those with the individual bases. Incorporation of powdered herbs into soaps influenced both their hardness and foaming ability. Except for the Tetrapleura tetraptera fruit powder, which improved the foaming ability of soaps, other herbs studied i.e. Acalypha wilkesiana; Harungana madagascariensis and Ficus exasperata generally dressed the foaming ability of soaps. The results suggest the need for care when formulating powdered herbs into soap bases as these may adversely influence other desirable qualities of medicated soaps.

Department of Pharmacognosy and Drug Development, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. ¹Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.

Keywords: Moringa oleifera Lam, Horseradis tree, Moringaceae, Macro/micro morphology, Pharmacognostic constants.

Moringa oleifera Lam. (Syn.M. pterygosperma Gaertn.) is a small graceful tree used for food and medicinal purposes in many countries. It is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases including fertility control and as an arbortifacient. M. oleifera Lam. has been reported to exhibit antitumour, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer and anti-convulsant activities. Macro- and micromorphology, and some pharmacognositic constant for the leaves and powder of M. oleifera, which could be used to prepare a monograph for the identification of the plant, were determined.

Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile —Ife, Nigeria.

Keywords: Trichilia heudelotti, leaves, Meliaceae, microscopy.

This paper reports the macroscopical and microscopical characters of Trichilia heudelotti Planch ex Oliver leaf, which may be useful in the identification of the plant.

Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.

Keywords:Rhaptopetalum coriaceum, Scyptopatelaecea, natriuresis, diuresis, rats.

Ethanolic extract of Rhaptopetalum coriaceum induced a dose dependent natriuresis and diruesis in normotensive rats suggesting a possible diuretic activity.

Department of Physiology and Pharmacology and ¹Department of Public Health and Animal Production, Usman dan Fodiyo University, Sokoto.

Keywords: Hibiscus sabdariffa, Malvaceae, root stem bark, red and white calyx, antibacterial activity.

Water extract of the red, white calyces, stem bark and root of Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS) were tested for their antibacterial activities. The root of the plant exhibited marked antibacterial activity against gram positive and gram negative organisms of Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherichia coli, Proteus spp., Pseudomonas aureginosa, Staphylococus sp., Streptococus faecalis and Corynebacterium spp while the red calyx is effective against gram negative organism of Klebssiella, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aureginosa. These actions are comparable to that exhibited by gentamicin.

Drug Research and Production Unit. ²Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria and ¹Department of Pharmacology, University of Durban-West-Ville, 4000 Durban South Africa.

Keywords: Barringtonia racemosa, Leeythidaceae, Aedes aegypti, Dengue, Biomphalaria glabrata, mollusicides, schistosomiasis, piscicides

The aqueous, methanol, chloroform, ethyl acetate, petroleum ether extracts of Barringtonia racemosa Blume pericarp and seed were evaluated for molluscicidal, larvicial and pisicidal activity against Biomphalaria glabrata, larvae of Aedes aegypti and fish (Clarias lazera and Tilapia nilotica) respectively. The mollusciicidal, larvicidal and piscicidal assays involved incubation of B. glabrata snails, larvae of A. aegypti and fish with extracts of the fruit and seed of B. racemosa compared with niclosamide and T. tetraptera. The pericarp extracts contain more potent molluscicidal components (LC₅₀ =367.3 — 625.0 ppm) than the seed extracts of the fruit (LC₅₀= 530.53 - 704.27 ppm). The rank order of toxicity for the pericarp extracts tested was for the snails: CHCl₃ extract 367.3 ppm >Ethyl acetate extract 390.3 ppm. > methanol extract 530.4 ppm > petroleum ether extract 704.27 ppm. The larvicidal active agents are higher in the seed extracts (LC₅₀ = 588.44 — 1,604.2 ppm) than in the pericarp extracts of the fruit (LC ₅₀ = 1,507.0 — 4,000.0 ppm). The rank order of toxicity of the seed extract for the larvae of A. aegypti was: CHCl₃ extract 588.44 ppm > MeOH extract 762.5 ppm > petroleum ether extract 1,244.2 ppm > Ethyl acetate extract 1,604.2 ppm. The C. lazera was more resistant to Niclosamide, aqueous extracts of the pericarp and Tetrapleura tetraptera than T. nilotica. These biological activities suggest possible role for B. racemosa in the control of snail intermediate hosts of schistosomiasis and dengue fever.

Department of Microbiology University of Nigeria, Nsukka, ¹Department of Biochemistry University of Nigeria, Nsukka

Keeeyword: Baphia nitida, Cassia alata, Gossypium arboreum, Ficus exasperata, Trichophyton rubrum; Epidermophyton floccosum, Basidiobolus hapatosporus and Candida albicans.

Ethanolic extracts of the leaves of Baphia nitida, Cassia alata, Ficus exasperata and Gossypium arboreum were analyzed for their antifungal activities against four pathogenic fungi namely: Trichophyton rubrum; Epidermophyton floccosum, Basidiobolus haptosporus and Candida albicans. None of the extracts from the four plants showed any inhibitory effect on the growth of C. albicans. B. nitida, C. alata and G. arboreum extracts inhibited the growth of the other three fungal pathogens more than did F. exasperata.