Advancement in Medicinal Plant Research

49-55

Authors: Usama El-Sayed Mostafa and Louay Labban

Zizyphus jujuba is a thorny Rhamnaceous plant that is widely distributed in Europe and South-Eastern Asia. It is used in traditional medicine for its therapeutic properties. The aim of this study was to find out the possible anti-obesity and hypolipidemic activity of different doses (5, 15 and 30 g/day) of Z. jujuba powder and to evaluate its effect on liver function. A group of 83 persons (41 men and 42 women) aged 20 to 57 years (32 ± 13) participated in this study. They were divided into three groups according to their body mass index (BMI). Z. jujuba powder was prepared and a specific questionnaire was given to the participants. Blood specimens were collected and several tests were performed to determine lipid profile and serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). A group of anthropometric measurements were taken as well. This procedure was repeated after three months. The results indicated a significant reduction in total cholesterols (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), BMI, fat percentage and body weight after administration of doses (5, 15 and 30 g/day) of Z. jujuba powder in all groups. Triglycerides (TG) were reduced significantly after consumption 30 g/day of Z. jujuba powder. A slight increase in high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was observed. Z. jujuba impact on weight status was significant after consumption of 30 g/day of Z. jujuba powder, while the impact of other doses were not. It can be concluded that different doses of Z. jujuba powder possess hypolipidemic and anti-obesity properties, and did not show any negative impact on liver function as measured by ALT and AST. Keywords: Z. Jujuba, anthropometric measurement, lipid profile, obesity, diabetes.

66-71

Authors: Awurum A. N. and Uchegbu P. C.

The development of the wet rot disease of Amaranthus cruentus L. caused by Choanephora cucurbitarum (Berk. and Rav.) Thax. in response to treatment of the crop with leaf extracts of Dennettia tripetala (Baker f.), Spondias mombin, Bryophyllum pinnatum (Lam.) Oken, and methods of inoculation of the organism, were evaluated in the greenhouse of the Department of Plant Health Management of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. The experiment was a 3 × 5 factorial in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) replicated five times. The treatment comprised three methods of inoculation: un-inoculated seeds, inoculated seeds and inoculated plants at six weeks after planting and fungicide products. The fungicides were Benomyl (a synthetic fungicide, plant extracts) and untreated control using sterile water. The results indicated that the highest infection rate of the disease was obtained in the first six weeks of inoculation of the organism, with plants in the control pots having the highest disease severity (9.8). Among the plant extracts used, extracts of D. tripetala gave the best control with a severity of 5.8. Plants in pots where the seeds where inoculated with Choanephora cucurbitarum and those in pots of un-inoculated seeds had less damage, performed better and produced higher dry matter yield than plants in pots where the seedlings were inoculated with the pathogen. There was a significant (P < 0.05) difference in the growth and yield of plants treated with Benomyl and plant extracts, compared with those of the control. Keywords: Phytochemicals, Amaranthus cruentus, Choanephora cucurbitarum, severity score, incidence, disease.