The aim of this study was to evaluate plant extracts for antifungal activities against Phythopthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary, an important pathogen of potato which causes late blight disease. Acetone, ethyl acetate and water extracts of garlic (Allium sativum L.), Pawpaw (Carica papaya), Neem (Azadirachta indica), Mexican marigold (Tagetes minuta) and peri –winkle (Vinca rosea) were screened i...

Composted and fresh beef cattle manure samples were extracted with distilled water, acetone, methanol, 2 N sodium hydroxide, 2 N hydrochloric acid, and ether. Bioassay techniques, using the extracts, showed that composted manure extracts had limited effect on seed germination and seeding development of wheat and sorghum. All the extracts of fresh manure, other than distilled water, retarded ger...

In vitro antioxidant properties of 3 different extracts of black mulberry (Morus nigra L.) were investigated. Acidified methanol, acidified water, and non-acidified methanol/water solutions were used to prepare extracts. Different solvents caused different protonation on black mulberry anthocyanin structures, which were predicted according to their UV-VIS spectrum. Extracts indicated 2 main pea...

BACKGROUND Six Nigerian medicinal plants Terminalia avicennioides, Phylantus discoideus, Bridella ferruginea, Ageratum conyzoides, Ocimum gratissimum and Acalypha wilkesiana used by traditional medical practitioners for the treatment of several ailments of microbial and non-microbial origins were investigated for in vitro anti-methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) activity. METHO...

BACKGROUND Athrixia phylicoides DC. (Asteraceae) is used medicinally in South Africa to treat a plethora of ailments, including heart problems, diabetes, diarrhoea, sores and infected wounds. It is also prepared in the form of a tea (hot decoction) taken as a refreshing, pleasant-tasting beverage with commercialization potential. METHODS Extracts of the dried ground aerial parts were prepared...

Velvetbean (Mucuna spp.) is a summer annual that has been used as a cover crop to reduce erosion, fix nitrogen and suppress weeds and plant-parasitic nematodes. Crude aqueous extracts (1:15 dry weight plant/volume water) were made from velvetbean plant parts, and various concentrations of the extracts were evaluated in vitro for toxicities to different stages of Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid an...

BACKGROUND Gonorrhea is a major sexually transmitted disease worldwide and for its control, effective treatment is essential. However as more strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae continuously develop resistance to several drugs, this strategy obliges scientists to discover newer effective drugs. OBJECTIVES To ascertain whether crude leaf and root extracts of Cassia alata (Caesalpiniaceae) have an...

BACKGROUND The leaves of Leea indica (Vitaceae), commonly known as 'Huo Tong Shu' in Malaysia, have been traditionally used as natural remedy in folk medicine by the locals. The current study reports the outcome of antioxidant and cytotoxic investigation of L. indica leaves. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of L. indica leaf crude ethanol and its fractionated extracts (hex...

The principal objective of this study was to determine the in vitro antibacterial activity of the water-soluble protein enzymatic hydrolysates and the ethanol (EtOH)-extracted fraction obtained from fly-maggots (Musca domestica L.) against MRSA (methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus) strains and VRE (Vancomycin-resistant enterococci) 5117 strain. The water soluble protein enzymatic hydroly...

ANY simple test, by means of which we can detect small amounts of free choline and distinguish between it and its water-soluble esters in tissue extracts, is of interest. It has been known for a long time that periodide solutions are very delicate precipitants for choline. In 1897 Florence used the periodide reagent in testing for semen. In 1901 Bocarius showed that the test was due to the pres...