Journal of Pharmaceutical and Allied Sciences

Comparative yield analysis of biodiesel from kernel oils of Jatropha curcas and Azadirachta Indica sourced from Zaria Nigeria

M Joshua — 2024-08-19

Comparative analysis of biodiesel from kernel oils of Jatropha curcas and Azadiracta IndicaIndica (Neem) was carried out The seeds of the two plants were collected in August- October 2009 for the study. Biodiesel has attracted immense attention in recent times due to its environmental benefits and the fact that it is made from renewable resources such as vegetable oil of plant origin. The crude oil contents of the two plant seeds, as well as the physicochemical properties of biodiesels extracted from them, were evaluated. results showed that Jatropha curcas seeds contain 52.70±2.91% (dry w/w) and Azadirachta indica seeds, 32.50±2.60% (dry w/w). crude oil respectively. The physicochemical properties of the biodiesel produced from these oils showed that Jatropha biodiesel has low FFA (0.21±0.02%), acid value (0.41±0.02%), specific gravity (0.8867±0.01 g/cm3), viscosity (3.73±0.21mm2/s), saponification value (45.85±0.29 mg/g), iodine value (53.33±4.62 mg/g) and peroxide value (0.32±0.04 meq/l) while Neem biodiesel has FFA (0.28±0.03 %), acid value (0.56±0.05%), specific gravity (0.8831±0.04 g/cm3), viscosity (4.40±0.20 mm2/s), saponification value (53.54±2.95 mg/g), iodine value (47.18±1.17 mg/g) and peroxide value (0.43±0.07 meq/l). When both biodiesels were compared with ASTM and EN standard values, Jatropha biodiesel proved to be of superior quality.

Assessment of combined antimicrobial activity of Azadirachta indica herbal leaf preparation and selected antibiotics against a clinical isolate of Escherichia coli: A susceptibility pattern analysis

M.I. Ngwu — 2024-08-19

The aim of this study is to investigate the in vitro antimicrobial interaction between Azadirachta indica crude water extract and standard antibiotics (tetracycline, doxycycline, ampicillin, cefuroxime, streptomycin, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, and erythromycin). In vitro interactions were evaluated via agar diffusion and Checkerboard techniques against E. coli as the test microorganism. Synergistic interactions were observed between crude extract (0.1 mg/ml or 0.25 mg/ml) and all antibiotics used (p < 0.05). Checkerboard technique revealed fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) index indicating synergy with tetracycline (1:9). Co-administration of tetracycline, doxycycline, gentamicin, streptomycin, erythromycin, cefuroxime, ciprofloxacin, or norfloxacin with A. indica crude extract may offer clinical benefits in treating E. coli infections.

Microbial quality and antibacterial activity of water-processed herbal concoctions sold within Kaduna metropolis against urinary tract infection isolates

SK Parom — 2024-08-19

The use of herbal concoction in the treatment of diseases has been in existence from time immemorial. Many of these herbal mixtures are not produced under hygienic conditions and safety issues associated with them may have an exacerbated impact in immunocompromised and elderly individuals. This study assessed the microbial loads of locally- prepared water-processed herbal concoctions sold within Kaduna metropolis and their activity on urinary tract clinical isolates. In triplicates, eight (8) water - processed herbal concoctions sold in Kaduna metropolis, Nigeria purchased randomly from different locations were evaluated for the presence of microorganisms. The mean total viable bacterial count was determined by the plate count method. Bacteria were identified upon growth on culture media and using conventional biochemical tests. The antibiotics susceptibility profile of the isolates from the herbal concoctions as well as the susceptibility of urinary tract infection isolates to the herbal formulations were determined using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion technique and analyzed using chi-square statistic. Bacteria isolated from the herbal samples had mean bacterial load that exceeded the safety limit set by the World Health Organization (WHO). They include Staphylococcus aureus (25%), Bacillus specie (16.67%), S. typhi (16.67%), Pseudomonas specie (12.50%), E. coli (8.33%), Enterococcus specie (8.33%), Streptococcus specie (8.33%) and Klebsiella specie (4.17%). The water- processed herbal concoctions showed poor antibacterial activity against the clinical isolates. The isolates from the herbal concoctions showed more resistance to standard antibiotics than the clinical isolates. The study thus shows the presence of microbial contaminants, which exceeded the safety limits of 105 CFU/ml or g according to World Health Organization for herbal preparation. The use of locally prepared water- processed herbal medicine sold in Kaduna could thus, pose a major health risk due to lack of microbial quality control.

Evaluation of the anti-asthmatic properties of some medicinal plants using computational studies

U.M Ogbeide — 2024-08-19

Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition which poses a significant global health burden, affecting millions of individuals worldwide. There's growing interest in exploring alternative methods, like medicinal plants, which are crucial for novel drug development opportunities. The aim of the study is to conduct an in-silico investigation on the bioactive compounds present in some medicinal plants traditionally used for treating asthma. The research employed computational software like Maestro 12.8 running on the Windows 10 operating system. Ligand preparation consisted of acquiring SDF format files from the PubChem database and employing the ligprep panel within Maestro 12.8. For protein preparation, protein structures were downloaded from the RCSB directory, and the protein preparation wizard was utilized, followed by receptor grid generation to delineate active sites for docking. Molecular docking procedures were carried out using HTVS, while ADMET predictions were conducted using integrated, in-silico models such as the Swiss ADME online server to evaluate the pharmacokinetic and toxicity properties of the test compounds.A phytoconstituent from Adansonia digitata had higher binding affinity than standard salbutamol against beta-2 receptor, 5 surpassed isobutyl lmethyxanthine (IBMX) against phosphodiesterase (PDE) protein target, while 6 neared fluticasone furoate against glucocorticoid receptor (GR) protein target. 8 phytoconstituents from Allium sativum showed similar affinity to salbutamol against beta-2 receptor, 13 surpassed IBMX against PDE, and 20 approached fluticasone furoate against GR. 10 phytoconstituents from Cynodon dactylon had comparable affinity to salbutamol against beta-2 receptor, 7 to IBMX against PDE, and 7 to fluticasone furoate against GR. 11 phytoconstituents from Casuarina equisetifolia had comparable affinity to salbutamol against beta-2 receptor, 7 surpassed IBMX against PDE, and 12 approached fluticasone furoate against GR. Five phytoconstituents from Euphorbia hirta had similar affinity to salbutamol against beta-2 receptor, 21 surpassed IBMX against PDE, and 11 approached fluticasone furoate against GR, all selected for further screening. ADMET analysis showed favorable pharmacokinetics and toxicity, with post-docking analysis revealing ligand-receptor interactions. These findings underscore the potential of plantderived compounds as candidates for asthma management, warranting further investigation and development.

Antimicrobial and wound healing properties of ointment formulations of Moringa oleifera aqueous leaf extract

E.C. Ibezim — 2024-08-19

Better, safe, and effective alternative antimicrobial agents are needed in the light of the growing interest in antimicrobial resistance. The Indian subcontinent is home to the fast-growing, drought-resistant Moringa oleifera tree, which is widely utilized in South and Southeast Asia. It is a member of the Moringaceae family. The leaves of Moringa oleifera were collected, identified, pulverized and extracted with the aid of the Soxhlet apparatus, utilizing water as the extraction solvent. Standard protocol was followed in the phytochemical evaluation of the extract. Agar plate diffusion technique was used in the antimicrobial assay to determine the Inhibition Zone Diameter (IZD) of the aqueous extract (600 mg/ml & 800 mg/ml) and ointment formulations of Moringa oleifera aqueous leaf extract against the test organisms: A. niger, C. albicans, B. subtilis, S. aureus, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa. Wound healing activities of the ointment formulations of Moringa oleifera aqueous leaf extract were studied using five groups of adult albino rats weighing above 120g each. Groups 1, 2 and 3 received 1, 2 and 5 % ointment formulations respectively while groups 4 and 5 received Cicatrin ointment formulation and blank ointment as the positive and negative controls respectively. The aqueous extract and ointment formulations of Moringa oleifera aqueous leaf extract were found to possess antimicrobial effect with the 5% ointment formulation having an IZD of 5mm against C. albicans. The ointment formulations had a very significant wound healing activity with the 5 % ointment formulation of Moringa oleifera aqueous leaf extract having the percentage wound contractions of 97.14, 99.04 & 100.00 % in the last three days (Day 16, 18 and 20) respectively which was higher than that of the standard Cicatrin ointment used which gave 90.69, 96.27 & 98.60 % respectively. The antimicrobial and wound healing properties of the ointment formulations of Moringa oleifera aqueous leaf extract were thus, established. This study, therefore, contributes a nuanced understanding of both the antimicrobial and wound healing properties of ointment formulations of Moringa oleifera aqueous leaf extract, shedding light on its potential therapeutic applications. It is recommended that further exploration on its potential therapeutic properties be done to increase its broad application in pharmaceuticals.