Extract Of Garcinia Kola Research Articles

Effects of an ethanolic extract of Garcinia kola on glucose and lipid levels in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats

The effect of Garcinia kola on glucose and lipid levels in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats was investigated. Ethanolic extract of G. kola was prepared and used for animal treatments. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg body weight). Acute effects of G. kola on glucose were investigated by giving a single dose of distilled water or 300 mg/kg G. kola extract or metformin 300 mg/kg. Glucose levels were measured 2, 4 and 6 h after treatment. To investigate the long term effects, animals were treated daily for four weeks with either distilled water (controls) or 300 mg/kg G. kola extract. At termination, serum glucose, low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels were measured. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in single dose glucose levels, long term HDL levels and body weights compared to the controls. However, in the four week treated rats, glucose (mmol/L) was significantly lower (16.2±2.9; P<0.05) than in the controls (21.6±3.6) and the LDL levels were significantly decreased by 66% in the treated group compared to controls (P<0.01; 86.8±18.2 versus 29.8±10.9). This confirms the hypoglycaemic and especially the hypolipidemic effects of G. kola in a diabetic rat model. Keywords: G. kola , ethanolic extract, hyperglycemia, low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), streptozotocin

Effects of ethanolic extract of Garcinia kola on sexual behaviour and sperm parameters in male Wistar rats

Erectile dysfunction is a common problem in men. Garcinia kola is claimed to possess aphrodisiac effects and as such is used traditionally in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. A 70% ethanolic extract of G. kola seeds was prepared and used for treating male Wistar rats (n=8 /group); two doses of G. kola (200 and 400 mg/kg body weight) were used for the treatment group, while distilled water was administered to the control group. All the treatments were orally administered daily for 28 days. On day 28, mounting frequency (MF), intromission frequency (IF) and ejaculation frequency (EF) were quantified during sexual behaviour tests. At termination, body and organ weights, gastric ulceration and cauda epididymal sperm counts were determined. Serum was collected for determination of testosterone levels. Both doses (200 and 400 mg/kg) showed marked aphrodisiac activity with significantly increased sexual behaviour parameters compared to controls. However lower dose of G. kola was more effective than the higher dose. Testosterone levels were higher in both treatment groups compared to controls. Sperm counts were similar to controls however testes weights were higher in G. kola treated rats compared to controls. Thus these results show that G. kola enhances sexual activity in normal male rats.

In vitro antibacterial activity of crude ethanol, acetone and aqueous Garcinia kola seed extracts on selected clinical isolates

The study was conducted to screen for in vitro antibacterial activity of crude ethanol, acetone and aqueous seeds extract of Garcinia kola at different treatment regimes against some selected clinical bacterial isolates comprising of Gram positive and negative organisms namely; Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginos a and the major chemical groups responsible for the activity were determined. The agar well diffusion method was employed to determine the inhibitory effects of the seeds extract on the test microorganisms. The minimum inhibitory concentration exerted by the extracts against the bacterial isolates ranged between 3.125 and 25 mg/ml. The zones of inhibition exhibited by the extracts against the tested bacterial isolates ranged between 4.0 and 10.5 mm. The crude ethanol extract was found to exhibit more significant (P<0.01) inhibitory action against all the bacterial isolates at the various treatment regime. Also, compared to crude acetone and aqueous extracts, it was also notably found to exhibit significant (P<0.05) effects against the bacterial isolates. The preliminary phytochemical test revealed the presence of flavonoids, tannins, saponins, sterols and terpenes as the major chemical groups in the plant extracts. The results of this study revealed that the in vitro antibacterial activity exhibited by the seeds extract may be attributed to the presence of these phytochemical compounds. Key words : In vitro antibacterial activity, phytochemical, Garcinia kola seeds, bacterial isolates.

Gastroprotective potentials of the methanolic extract of Garcinia kola in rats

Background : There is a claim in the folklore medicine of the use of Garcinia kola (GK) seeds in the management of gastritis and gastric ulcer. However, there has not been any scientific evidence in the literature that substantiated or refuted this with regards to the management of gastritis and gastric ulcerations in association with gastric morphological damage and cytoarchitectural changes. Aim : This study aims at evaluating the efficacy of the methanolic extract of GK (mGK) in the management of gastritis and gastric ulcerations in rat model. Methods : Adult albino rats with comparable weight were randomized into six groups. Group A was administered 1ml/kg bw of distilled water three times daily. Group B and C were administered ethanol (0.2ml/23g bw of 80% v/v) two hours prior termination of experiment and 150mg/kg bw of mGK daily for three weeks respectively. Group D was pre-treated with mGK and then ethanol as in groups B and C. Group E was administered ethanol as in group B and posttreated with mGK as in group C. Group F was concomitantly treated with mGk as in group C and ethanol as in group B. Results : Ethanol induced gastritis and gastric ulceration. Treatment with mGK abrogated ethanolinduced gastric damage: it reduced the morphological damage score, ulcer score, gastric wall thickness, and lipid peroxidation (p Conclusion : This study substantiated the gastroprotective potentials of mGK. The mechanism of action could be associated with the anti-oxidative activities of the flavonoid constituents. Keywords : Garcinia kola , flavonoids, gastritis, ulcer, lipid peroxidation

Histological Integrity of the Testis of Adult Wistar Rats (Rattus novergicus) Treated with Garcinia kola

Garcinia kola has been confirmed for spermatogenic and tissue enhancing effect of testis in male wistar rats. This study was carried out to investigate the histological effect of ethanolic extract of Garcinia kola on Lead II oxide induced testicular damage. Thirty five (35) adult male wistar rats were randomly selected into seven (7) groups n=5. Group A received 0.5 ml saline solution, Group B received 100 mg/kg of Garcinia kola extract only, Group C received 5 mg/kg of Lead II oxide only, Group D1 received 100 mg/kg of Garcinia kola extract and 5 mg/kg of Lead II oxide, Group D2 received 200 mg/kg of Garcinia kola extract and 5 mg/kg of Lead II oxide, Group E received 500 mg/kg of vitamin E only and Group F received 500 mg/kg of vitamin E and 5 mg/kg Lead II oxide. Administration was done orogastrically daily for 2 weeks, animals were sacrificed 24 hours after the last administration by cervical dislocation and the testes excised following abdominal incision for histological observation using H/E stain. Slight degeneration of the germinal epithelium of the seminiferous tubule and abnormal widening of the interstitial space involving loss of Leydig were observed following the administration of Lead II oxide. However, Improvements in the testicular architecture were noticed in the rats treated with the Garcinia kola and the Vitamin E respectively thus histological integrity maintained.

In VitroAntilisterial Properties of Crude Methanol Extracts ofGarcinia kola(Heckel) Seeds

Crude methanol extracts of Garcinia kola (Heckel) seeds were screened for their antilisterial activities against 42 Listeria bacteria isolated from wastewater effluents. The extract had activity against 45% of the test bacteria and achieved minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging between 0.157 and 0.625 mg/mL. The rate of kill of the extract was determined against four representative Listeria species in the study, and the results showed that the highest percentage of bacteria cells were killed after the maximum exposure time of 2 h at the highest concentration of 4 × MIC value, with the maximum number of bacteria cells killed being for L. ivanovii (LEL 30) 100%, L. monocytogenes (LAL 8) 94.686%, L. ivanovii (LEL 18) 60.330%, and L. grayi (LAL 15) 56.071% We therefore conclude that the nature of inhibition of the crude methanol extracts of Garcinia kola seeds can be either bactericidal or bacteriostatic depending on the target Listeria species and can also differ among same species as evidenced by L. ivanovii strains LEL 30 and LEL 18.

In-vitro anti-bacterial activities of crude n-hexane extracts of Garcinia kola (Heckel) seeds against some Vibrio bacteria isolated from wastewater effluents

Crude n-hexane extracts of the seed of Garcinia kola were screened for their in-vitro anti-Vibrio activities against 50 Vibrio bacteria isolated from wastewater final effluents in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The extract at a screening concentration of 10 mg/ml resulted in zones of inhibition ranging from 10 to 14 mm against the susceptible isolates and the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) varied between 0.313 and 0.625 mg/ml. The rate of kill assay was done against 3 representative isolates namely Vibrio vulnificus (AL042), Vibrio parahaemolyticus (AL049) and Vibrio fluvialis (AL040). The results showed appreciable biocidal activity after 2 h exposure time at 4 × MIC with V. vulnificus(AL042) having 91.6% bacteria cells killed; V. parahaemolyticus (AL049) had 92.6% cells killed and V. fluvialis (AL040) had 96.3% killed. We conclude that G. kola seeds are a potential source of compounds that could be useful in the treatment of infections caused by Vibrio bacteria. Key words: n-hexane extract, Garcinia kola, Vibrio species, minimum inhibitory concentrations, rate of kill.

Antithrombotic activities of methanolic extract of Garcinia kola in rats

The antithrombotic activities of methanolic extract of Garcinia kola was investigated in rats. Haematological parameters including bleeding time, whole blood clotting time, and platelets count were employed in this analysis. The rats were divided into four (4) groups (A-D). 0.5ml/day of normal saline was administered orally to group A rats serving as negative control group, 250Mg/kg/day of aspirin was administered orally to group B rats. Group C and D rats received 250mg/kg/day and 500mg/kg/day of the extract respectively, which lasted for two weeks before the haematological analysis. The results indicated that group A rats had a mean value of 4.20, 2.06, and 349 for bleeding time, whole blood clotting time, and platelets count respectively. Rats in group B were taken as positive control and showed mean value of 7.05, 2.04, and 64 for bleeding time, whole blood clotting and platelets count respectively. Group C and D indicated mean values of 6.12, 2.24, 88 and 7.67, 2.29, 80 respectively for bleeding time, whole blood clotting, and platelets count. This study indicates that the methanolic extract of Garcinia kola definitely exhibits an antithrombotic activity that is dose-dependent.Keywords: Garcinia kola, Antithrombotic activity; Rats.

In vitro anti-listerial activities of crude n-hexane and aqueous extracts of Garcinia kola (heckel) seeds.

We assessed the anti-Listerial activities of crude n-hexane and aqueous extracts of Garcinia kola seeds against a panel of 42 Listeria isolates previously isolated from wastewater effluents in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa and belonging to Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria grayi and Listeria ivanovii species. The n-hexane fraction was active against 45% of the test bacteria with zones of inhibition ranging between 8–17 mm, while the aqueous fraction was active against 29% with zones of inhibition ranging between 8–11 mm. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were within the ranges of 0.079–0.625 mg/mL for the n-hexane extract and 10 to >10 mg/mL for the aqueous extract. The rate of kill experiment carried out for the n-hexane extract only, revealed complete elimination of the initial bacterial population for L. grayi (LAL 15) at 3× and 4× MIC after 90 and 60 min; L. monocytogenes (LAL 8) at 3× and 4× MIC after 60 and 15 min; L. ivanovii (LEL 18) at 3× and 4× MIC after 120 and 15 min; L. ivanovii (LEL 30) at 2, 3 and 4× MIC values after 105, 90 and 15 min exposure time respectively. The rate of kill activities were time- and concentration-dependant and the extract proved to be bactericidal as it achieved a more than 3log10 decrease in viable cell counts after 2 h exposure time for all of the four test organisms at 3× and 4× MIC values. The results therefore show the potential presence of anti-Listerial compounds in Garcinia kola seeds that can be exploited in effective anti-Listerial chemotherapy.

In vitro Studies on the Trypanocidal activities of various Phytochemical fractions obtained from Garcinia kola seed

Background: There is an urgent need for the development of new, cheap, safe and highly effective drugs against African trypanosomiasis a fatal disease which affects both man and livestock in sub- Saharan Africa. Garcinia kola is a medicinal plant with anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antiviral properties. In this study, we have investigated the in vitro trypanocidal activity of the various solvent extracts of Garcinia kola seed. Methodology: The extraction of Garcinia kola seed was carried out using 70% ethanol followed by subsequent fractionation using different organic solvents. Assessment of the in vitro trypanocidal activity of each sample was performed in 5 test tubes, each of which contained 0.1ml of fraction and 0.3ml of infected blood and incubated at room temperature. 0.1ml of fraction was replaced with PSG in the control. The number of motile parasites in each sample was monitored by direct microscopic examination and the parasites in virtually 50 fields were counted under a light microscope at x40 magnification. Results: The crude extract of Garcinia kola seed and the four phytochemical fractions showed varying degrees of trypanocidal activity. The alkaloid fraction showed the highest trypanocidal activity as the parasites were found dead within 5 minutes at 5mg/ml. The saponin fraction, the crude extract and the cardiac glycoside fraction also reduced motility at 5mg/ml after 15, 25 and 55 minutes respectively. The flavonoid fraction showed the lowest activity since reduction in motility was observed at 25mg/ml after 55 minutes. Conclusion: Garcinia kola seed extract contains phytochemicals that exhibited in vitro trypanocidal activity, hence has potential of leading to the development of cheap, safe and effective drugs for the treatment or management of African trypanosomiasis. However it would be necessary to establish whether the in vitro activity may translate into therapeutic benefit in vivo.Key Words African trypanosomiasis, Garcinia kola, alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, cardiac glycosides

The microstructural effects of aqueous extract of Garcinia kola (Linn) on the hippocampus and cerebellum of malnourished mice

Objective To assess the neuroprotective effects of aqueous extract of Garcinia kola on neurotoxin administered malnourished mice adopting histological procedure. Methods The study was carried out using thirty-two adult malnourished mice which were randomly assigned into four groups ( n=8): A, B, C and D. Group A served as control, while the other groups served as the experimental groups. Animals in group A were fed malnourished diet ad libitum and given water liberally. Animals in group B were administered with 3-Nitropropionic acid (3-NP) (neurotoxin) only at 20 mg/kg body weight, group C were given only Garcinia kola extracts, and group D were pre-treated with Garcinia kola extracts at 200 mg/kg for seven days prior to administration of neurotoxin at 20 mg/kg body weight. After three days of neurotoxins administration in the relevant groups, the brains were excised and fixed in formal calcium for histological processing. Results The study showed that hippocampal and cerebellar neurons of animals in group B exhibited some cellular degeneration and blood vessel blockage, which were not seen in groups A, C and D. Cresyl violet staining was least intense in group B than in groups A, C and D. Despite the fact that animals in group D has equal administration of 3-Nitropropionic acid concentration, there were no traces of neural degeneration as it was evidenced in group B. Conclusions It is concluded that Garcinia kola has protective effects on the neurons of the hippocampus and cerebellum of malnourished mice.

Antibacterial Activity of &lt;i&gt;Garcinia kola&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;Cola nitida&lt;/i&gt; Seed Extracts

Antibacterial activity of Garcinia kola (Bitter Kola) and Cola nitida (Kola nut) against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae was studied. Results showed that alcohol extract of Garcinia kola was active against Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae at various concentrations, with the latter displaying the lowest sensitivity. Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi were completely resistant. Hot water extract of the same plant was however, active against Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The other organisms showed sensitivity to the alcohol extract of Cola nitida, but higher sensitivity was observed with the hot water extract of the plant. Some of the results provided scientific evidence for the use of the plants by traditional herbalists in the treatment of microbial infections. Key word: Garcinia kola, Bitter Kola, Cola nitida, Kola nut, Antibacterial, extracts.

In-vitro antagonistic characteristics of crude aqueous and methanolic extracts of Garcinia kola (Heckel) seeds against some Vibrio bacteria.

The methanolic and aqueous extracts of Garcinia kola seeds were screened for their anti-Vibrio activities against 50 Vibrio isolates obtained from wastewater final effluents in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The crude extracts at 10 mg/mL exhibited appreciable inhibitory activities against most of the test Vibrio isolates, with zones of inhibition ranging from 10–19 mm for methanol extract and 8–15 mm for the aqueous extracts. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the methanol extract varied from 0.313 to 2.5 mg/mL while that for the aqueous extract was 10 mg/mL for all the susceptible Vibrio isolates. Rate of kill assay of the methanolic extracts against three selected Vibrio species showed bacteriostatic activities against all of them achieving 58% and 60% (Vibrio vulnificus AL042); 68% and 69% (Vibrio parahaemolyticus AL049);and 70% and 78% (Vibrio fluvialis AL040) killing of the test bacteria at 3× and 4 ×MIC values, respectively, after 2 h exposure time. We conclude that Garcinia kola seeds hold promise as a potential source of therapeutic compounds of relevance in Vibrio infections management.

Utilization of bitter vegetable leaves (Gongronema latifolium, Vernonia amygdalina) and Garcinia kola extracts as substitutes for hops in sorghum beer production

Sorghum beer was brewed using extracts of ‘utasi’ leaf (Gongronema latifolium), bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) and bitter kola (Garcinia kola) to impact bitter taste and flavour as substitutes for hops used for beer production. The physicochemical and sensory characteristics of the beer samples were evaluated. The results showed that ‘utasi’ leaf, bitter leaf and bitter kola flavoured beer samples had alcohol values in the range of (12.50 - 12.55%), pH (3.37 - 4.44), specific gravity (1.0140 - 1.0400), titratable acidity (0.107 - 0.328%), volatile acidity (0.003 - 0.103%), soluble solids (0.12 - 0.97%), moisture content (95.71 - 98.37%), protein (0.17 - 0.85%), ash (0.20 - 0.29%) and fat (1.25 - 2.95%). Sensory evaluation of the beer by trained panelists (connoisseurs) showed that the utasi flavoured beer was preferred to the other beer samples and compared favourably with hopped beer in terms of flavour and taste. Key words: Beer production, ‘utasi’ leaf, bitter kola, bitter leaf, hops substitutes.a

Adsorption and inhibitive properties of ethanol extract of Garcinia kola and Cola nitida for the corrosion of mild steel in H2SO4

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study the inhibitive and adsorption characteristics of ethanol extract of Garcinia kola and Cola nitida for the corrosion of mild steel in H2SO4 solutions.Design/methodology/approachThe inhibition efficiencies were evaluated using weight loss and thermometric methods while the adsorption properties were studied using IR spectroscopy.FindingsThe inhibition efficiencies of ethanol extracts of Garcinia kola and Cola nitida were comparable and vary with concentration of the extract, period of immersion and with temperature. The extracts act as adsorption inhibitors because of its phytochemical composition. The extracts are adsorbed spontaneously on the surface of mild steel according to Langmuir adsorption isotherms. The mechanism of physical adsorption is proposed from the trend of the inhibition efficiency with temperature and the values of activation energy and some thermodynamic parameters obtained.Research limitations/implicationsThe study provides information on the use of ethanol extract of Garcinia kola and Cola nitida as corrosion inhibitors for mild steel. Electrochemical studies such as polarisation and AC impedance spectra will illuminate the mechanistic aspects of the extract.Practical implicationsEthanol extract of Garcinia kola and Cola nitida are environmentally friendly inhibitors for the corrosion of mild steel in H2SO4.Originality/valueThese environmentally friendly inhibitors may find possible applications in metal surface anodising and surface coatings.

Evaluation of Hypoglycemic and Antioxidative Properties of Aqueous Extract of Garcinia kola Seeds in Wistar Rats

The effects of aqueous extract of Garcinia kola seed on glucose, superoxide dismutase catalase and malondialdehyde of normal rats were investigated. Oral administration of aqueous seed extract of Garcinia kola at a concentration of 200 mg/kg body weight, over a period of 21 days, significantly (p 0.05) on the activity of catalase. The elicitation of these effects by the plant is a reflection of its hypoglycemic and antioxidative properties.

Evaluation of the &lt;i&gt;In-Vitro&lt;/i&gt; Combined Antimicrobial Activities of Garcinia kola Heckel and Honey

The antibacterial activities of Garcinia kola and honey were evaluated against pure cultures of Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using the agar diffusion method. The combined antibacterial effects of various combination ratios of Garcinia kola extract and honey were further evaluated using a modified checkerboard method. Results show that Garcinia kola had minimum inhibitory concentration values of 0.25 mg/ml, 0.06 mg/ml and 0.25 mg/ml against S. aureus, B. subtilis and P. aeruginosa respectively while honey had MIC values of 1.8 mg/ml, 1.8 mg/ml and 0.45 mg/ml respectively. The results also showed higher sensitivity of the test isolates to a combination of Garcinia kola and honey than the individual agents. These results, therefore, indicate that combination of the Garcinia kola extract and honey could have some superior therapeutic benefits over the materials used singly.Keywords: Garcinia kola, honey, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis

Antispasmodic and spasmolytic effects of methanolic extract from seeds of garcinia kola on isolated rat small intestine

The antispasmodic and spasmolytic effects of methanolic extract of seeds of Garcinia kola Heckel were studied on smooth muscle preparations in vitro. The influence of the extract on rat duodenum, jejunum and ileum was investigated using acetylcholine and barium chloride as agonists. The extract exhibited dose-dependent antispasmodic effects on contractions induced by acetylcholine, and dose-dependent spasmolytic effects on spasms induced by cumulatively increased concentrations of acetylcholine and barium chloride. The graded log concentration-response curves for acetylcholine were non-parallel but shifted to the right in the presence of the extract. It is concluded that the Garcinia kola extract inhibits smooth muscle activity via other mechanisms but not involving neither cholinergic nor adrenergic receptor interaction.

Garcinia kola (Bitter Kola) as an Antimicrobial Agent: Effects on the normal flora of the mouth.

This work investigated the effects of Garcinia kola (bitter kola) on the normal flora of the mouth. Two methods were adopted in this work. In the first method, the bacterial load of saliva samples collected after chewing Garcinia kola for days 1-5 decreased drastically when compared to bacterial load from saliva samples collected without chewing G. kola. ln method two, Garcinia kola extract was obtained and impregnated on filter paper discs. These were used for sensitivity testing on samples collected from early morning mouth swabs of the volunteers. Various sizes of zones of inhibition were obtained and measured. The various results obtained from this research work, methods, 1and 2, showed that bitter kola possesses properties that reduces the bacterial load (normal flora: Streptococcus spp, Staphylococcus spp, Morexelle spp and Neisseria spp) of the mouth.

Biocidal activity of partially purified fractions from methanolic extract of Garcinia kola (Heckel) seeds on bacterial isolates.

The in vitro antibacterial activity of crude methanolic extract of the seeds of Garcinia kola was investigated. The extracts exhibited antibacterial activities with zones of inhibition ranging from 10 mm to 25 mm. The minimum inhibitory concentration of the diethyl ether fraction was between 0.313 and 5.0 mg/ml, while that of butanol fraction varied from 0.157 to 5.0 mg/ml. The butanol fraction killed about 77% of Bacillus anthracis and 79% of Escherichia coli cells within 120 min at a concentration of 5.0 mg/ml. Protein leakage from the B. anthracis and E. coli cells when exposed to the butanol and diethyl ether fractions was observed. We conclude that Garcinia kola seed extract has a broad spectrum antibacterial activity, with the butanol and diethyl ether fractions being bactericidal as exemplified by the killing rate and protein leakage regimes, which suggest cell membrane disruption as a mechanism of action of the extract.