Advancement in Medicinal Plant Research

20-23

Authors: Eugenio Torres Rodríguez, Rogelio Moreno Santisteban, Mijalil Bullaín Galardis, Robinson Hermosilla Espinosa and Aylén Ladrón de Guevara

Curcuma longa L. exists in wild state in the mountain of eastern region from Cuba, curcumin was isolated starting from the rhizomes of the plant trough extraction assisted by ultrasound, purification of curcumin was achieved trough crystallization, the product this way obtained it was subjected to a prenylation reaction which allowed to obtain a semisynthetic derivative which shown higher lipophility than curcumin. Products isolated or synthesized were characterized by modern techniques of chemical analysis. Keywords: Curcuma longa, curcumin, prenylation, lipophility.

27-33

Authors: E. F. Asawalam and L. Onu

Studies were conducted at the Agronomy laboratory of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria in 2013. Plastic vials containing 1.5 g powder each of Curcuma longa L. (Turmeric) rhizomes, Zingiber officinale Rosc. (Ginger) rhizomes, Allium sativum L. (Garlic) bulb, Ficus exasperata P. Beauv (sand paper leaf) leaves, Garcinia kola Heckel (Bitter kola) seeds and 0.5 ml petroleum ether extract of Z. officinale were evaluated for their efficacy against Trogoderma granarium Everts (Khapra beetle) in stored groundnut. The experiment was laid in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four replicates. Adult mortality, progeny emergence, percentage grain damage, percentage weight loss and germination percentage were assessed. The results obtained from adult mortality counts revealed that all the botanicals exhibited significant (P < 0.05) protection of groundnut seeds from T. granarium infestation compared with the control, which recorded 10.6% mortality. A. sativum recorded the highest percentage of mortality of 96.2% at 49 days after treatment. Progeny emergence and weight loss was reduced in the treated seeds. Significantly (P < 0.05) higher germination percentage was recorded in the various botanicals when compared with the control, which recorded 10%. The botanicals which are readily available and cheap can be used as alternative to synthetic insecticides for the control of T. granarium in stored groundnut. Keywords: Botanicals, efficacy, groundnut, Trogoderma granarium.

41-46

Authors: E. F. Asawalam and C. G. Anaeto

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) is an important legume grown primarily in the tropics. Cowpea bruchid Callosobruchus maculatus is a major pest of stored cowpea in Nigeria. A laboratory study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of some indigenous botanical powders and one essential oil extract as grain protectants against C. maculatus at Agronomy Laboratory, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike in 2013. The treatments applied were 1.5 g powder each of tumeric rhizomes, garlic bulb, sand paper leaves, bitter kola seeds, ginger rhizomes, 0.5 ml of ginger rhizome essential oil and a control. The experiment was laid out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four replicates. Adult mortality, progeny emergence, percentage grain damage, percentage weight loss and germination percentage were assessed. The result obtained showed that all the botanicals gave protection to the stored cowpea seeds compared with the control. Botanical extracts did not affect percentage stored cowpea weight loss (P > 0.05). All the botanicals significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the grain damage of cowpea seeds by C. maculatus and F1 progeny emergence. The total number of C. maculatus adults that emerged from untreated control progressively increased with time of exposure compared to the other treatments. Significantly higher germination percentage was recorded in the various treatments with botanicals compared with the control which recorded 35%. Keywords: Botanicals, Callosobruchus maculatus, control, damage, mortality.