Kigelia Research Articles

Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth leaf extract inhibits rat brain and liver mitochondrial membrane permeability transition pore opening

The effect of Kigelia africana on mitochondrial membrane permeability transition has not been explored. In this study, the effect of a solvent fraction of Kigelia africana leaf extract on mitochondrial membrane permeability transition of rat brain and liver was evaluated. A methanol extract of K. africana leaves was fractionated into different solvents by vacuum liquid chromatography and following preliminary screening, the dichloromethane:ethylacetate (1:1) fraction was selected for further assays. Constituent phytochemicals in the fraction were revealed by thin-layer chromatography and further purification was carried out to characterize the compounds. Brain and liver mitochondria were isolated and used for mitochondrial membrane permeability transition and adenosine triphosphatase assays. Exogenous Ca2+ and Al3+ were used to trigger the mitochondrial membrane permeability transition opening. Physicochemical properties revealed by thin-layer chromatography showed that the isolated compounds were flavonoids. The extract inhibited mitochondrial membrane permeability transition opening in the presence and absence of triggering agents in brain and liver mitochondria. It also inhibited mitochondrial lipid peroxidation and adenosine triphosphatase activity. These results suggest that the extract can limit the rate of apoptosis via inhibition of mitochondrial membrane permeability transition which is pivotal to the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and is an important therapeutic target in some pathological conditions.

Metabolome modulatory effects of Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. fruit extracts on oxidative stress, hyperlipidaemic biomarkers in STZ-induced diabetic rats and antidiabetic effects in 3T3 L1 adipocytes.

The management of diabetes is considered a global problem, and a cure is yet to be discovered. This study investigated the modulatory effect of Kigelia africana fruit on oxidative stress and hyperlipidaemic biomarkers in STZ-induced diabetic rats, profiled phytoconstituents using GC-TOF-MS and evaluated antidiabetic effects on 3T3 L1 adipocytes. Thirty male Wistar rats (120-150g) were divided into six groups (n=5). Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ (60mg/kg) and treated with 100, 200 and 400 of hexane fraction of KA for 28days. Immunohistochemical evaluation was carried out using avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase (ABI) method. Catalase and SOD activities as well as the levels of total protein, albumin, bilirubin, triglyceride, cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein were measured. The expressions of oxidative stress and hyperlipidaemic biomarkers alongside fasting blood glucose concentrations were remarkedly decreased in KA-treated diabetic rats. Moreover, there was a significant increase in endocrine cell distribution, area covered with increase in β-cell mass, composition and morphology of KA-treated animals. Additionally, there was constant up-regulation in 3T3 L1 adipocytes due to the presence of phytoconstituents. Kigelia africana fruit can act as a modulatory agent due to its ameliorative effects against oxidative stress.

Cytotoxicity of Lapachol and Derivatized Analogues from Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. on Cancer Cell Lines

Lapachol, a naphthoquinone, was obtained from the methanol extract of the root of Kigelia africana (sausage tree) (Lam.) Benth. and structurally modified to improve anticancer specificity. The structures of the lapachol and derivatives were elucidated following the consideration of spectra data which included mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques. The in vitro cytotoxic activities of the lapachol and its derivatives were evaluated on healthy human prostate (PC-3), human cervical cancer (Hela) and mouse fibroblast (3T3) cell lines using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Lapachol exhibited higher cytotoxicity on the Hela cells (IC50 = 6.15 μg mL−1) compared to the derivative molecules. The lapachol was cytotoxic to both cancer and normal cell, while the derivatized conjugates lost the cytotoxic potency to cancer cell. This work provides evidence that supports lapachol as one of the major cytotoxic compounds present in the root of K. africana of Nigerian origin and it is recommended that the extract of the plant should be consumed with caution owing to general cellular toxicity of the major phytoconstituent.

Correction to: Biochemical applications of Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. fruit extracts in diabetes mellitus

Correction to: Biochemical applications of Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. fruit extracts in diabetes mellitus

Antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of endophytic fungi associated with four medicinal plants from Sudan

In this study four medicinal plants, used in Sudan to cure different types of health problems, were selected for isolation of endophytic fungi, fungi reside within the plant host tissues without causing disease symptoms. A total of 20 distinct endophytic fungi species were isolated from surface- sterilized parts of the plants, Kigelia africana, Cymbopogon proximus, Balanites egyptiaca and Solenostemma argel. Nine of the isolated fungi were identified according to their microscopic and macroscopic characteristics. The remaining strains which did not have spores or have sterile mycelium were given codes as unidentified species (UID). The ethyl acetate extracts of the pure isolated endophytic fungi were prepared from fungal material and culture media. Antimicrobial activity using agar diffusion well against different pathogenic microbes at 500 µg/ml concentration and MTT cytotoxicity bioassay using African green monkey kidney normal cell line (vero cell line) were performed for all extracts. The extracts were then screened for the presence of Taxol, a diterpene anticancer drug, using different chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. The antimicrobial activity against the most common pathogenic bacteria and fungi revealed significant activity with inhibition zone range between 14- 37 mm compare to antimicrobial controls 17- 26 mm at 40µg/ml. The cytotoxicity assay results showed that the IC50 values were quite diverse, ranging from 3.5 μg/ml to more than 1000 μg/ml, whereas that of the positive control podophyllotoxin, a wellknown cytotoxic lignan, was 2.72 μg/ml. Taxol was detected in reference to standard one from the extract of unidentified fungi No. 10 of Kigelia africana,. Future work will focus on the bioassay guidedfractionation of potent bioactive extracts to isolate the active compounds responsible for their activities. Improvement of culture techniques and the application of genetic engineering to increase taxol production will be carried out, followed by isolation of pure Taxol from the active crude extract.

EVALUATION OF IN-VITRO VASORELAXANT EFFECT (POTENTIAL ANTIHYPERTENSIVE) OF KIGELIA AFRICANA FRUIT METHANOL EXTRACT ON POTASSIUM CHLORIDE AND PHENYLEPHRINE INDUCED TENSION IN WISTAR RAT AORTA

This research on Kigelia africana was conducted in order to ascertain its ability to relax excited vascular smooth muscle in rat aorta. Preliminary investigation on whether the plant exhibits antihypertensive property was done before the evaluation of in vitro vasorelaxant effect. The vasorelaxant activity was determined using in vitro method on rat aorta with the aid of perfusion apparatus with a detachable organ bath. The administration of potassium chloride (KCl) raised the tension from 1.0 to 1.31 indicating that the aorta got to its peak of contraction. At 10 and 20mg/kg, the tension dropped significantly, showing relaxation of the smooth muscle while at 5mg/kg, drop in tension was insignificant at p˂0.05. However, at some of the doses, towards the end of experiment, there was steady resurge in tension showing that the aorta resumed contraction. On the application of phenylephrine (PE), the tension rose to 1.18g. On administration of the extract, the tension dropped slightly showing mild vascular smooth muscle relaxation. From the results obtained, there was seeming similarity in the action of the K. africana compared to amlodipine/Ramipril in KCl and PE induced tension in aorta respectively. However, at 10 and 20mg/kg, a substantial decrease in tension was noted indicating that the extract action is dose dependent. Thus, from this in-vitro smooth muscle relaxation study in rats, the methanol extract of K. africana has depressant property that was likely expressed by enhancing the closing of voltage operated calcium channel and ACE inhibiting activity in KCl and Phenylephrine induced tension respectively.

UHPLC/GC-TOF-MS metabolomics, MTT assay, and molecular docking studies reveal physostigmine as a new anticancer agent from the ethyl acetate and butanol fractions of Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. fruit extracts.

Kigelia africana plant is widely used as a herbal remedy in preventing the onset and the treatment of cancer-related infections. With the increase in the research interest of the plant, the specific chemical compound or metabolite that confers its anticancer properties has not been adequately investigated. The ethyl acetate and butanol fractions of the fruit extracts were evaluated by 2-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-3,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide assay against four different cell lines, with the ethyl acetate fraction having inhibition concentration values of 0.53 and 0.42 μM against Hep G2 and HeLa cells, respectively. More than 235 phytoconstituents were profiled using UHPLC-TOF-MS, while more than 15 chemical compounds were identified using GC-MS from the fractions. Molecular docking studies revealed that physostigmine, fluazifop, dexamethasone, sulfisomidine, and desmethylmirtazapine could favorably bind at higher binding energies of -8.3, -8.6, -8.2, and -8.1 kcal/mol, respectively, better than camptothecin with a binding energy of -7.9 kcal/mol. The results of this study showed that physostigmine interacted well with topoisomerase IIα and had a high score of pharmacokinetic prediction using absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity profiles, thereby suggesting that drug design using physostigmine as a base structure could serve as an alternative against the toxic side effects of doxorubicin and camptothecin.

Screening of Aerial Parts of Kigelia Pinnata for its Antioxidant, Wound Healing and Antimicrobial Activity

The antioxidant activity was performed by DPPH Scavenging activity method and Hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity method. Ascorbic acid was taken as standard in both methods. DPPH and Hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity methods of 100µg/ml extracts shows better % inhibition as compared to control and 50 µg/ml extracts. In DPPH Scavenging activity % inhibition of 100µg/ml methanolic extracts was 60.72% and in Hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity it was found to be 26%. Wound healing activity was performed by Incision wound model and Excision wound model. In incision wound healing model, the tensile strength of the 4% test group and the Neosporin ointment treated group were comparable to each other. Tensile strength of 2% extract ointment showed lesser 3.38 gm/mm2 but significant increase in tensile strength compared to the control group 2.91 gm/mm2. The tensile strength of 4% test group was found to be 3.44 gm/mm2. Thus both concentrations of the extract as well as the standard drug showed a significant increase in tensile strength on the 9th day. In excision models the animals treated with the 4% w/w KPME ointment were shown to healed completely as compared to 2%w/w which was also at the complete healing stage as compared to control treated and the standard drug (Neosporin) treated group. The epithelization period of standard group and treated group was less in comparison with that of simple ointment base treated groups. The percentage of wound contraction was much more with the 4% w/w extract was similar to that of Neosporin treated group. 2%w/w treated group of animals showed significant wound contraction. In antimicrobial activity, both antibacterial and antifungal potentiality was evaluated. In mic of antibacterial methanolic extract of Kigelia pinnta inhibit strains of E.coli and strain of Shigella boyelii, Salmonella aureus and Baccilus subtitis were found to be completely resistant. In mic of antifugal activity, all the fungal strain were inhibited by methanolic extract of Kigelia pinnata. These findings may provide a lead for further investigation of the overall pharmacological aciotns of Kigelia pinnata methanolic extract in more appropriate model.
 Keywords: Kigelia pinnata, DPPH, Anti-oxidant, DMSO, ANOVA

Ethnobotanical Survey of Plants Used as Amulets Among the Banen Ethnic Group in Ndiki Sub-Division (Centre Region of Cameroon)

An ethnobotanical survey was carried in Ndiki sub-division of the Central Region of Cameroon to collect information on the use of plants in the manufacture of amulets among the Banen ethnic group. Focus group discussions and interviews were carried out from 2004 to 2010 and from 2013 to 2015 with a total of 50 respondents (34 men and 16 female) to gather information about local names of plants used, type of management (wild/cultivated), availability (common, sporadic, rare), existing threats, part(s) used, preparation methods, effects of amulets, associated taboos/beliefs, etc. A total of 11 plant species were recorded as used as amulet. They include Aframomum melegueta (Zingiberaceae), Cissus aralioides (Rubiaceae), Costus afer (Zingiberaceae), Euphorbia kamerunica (Euphorbiaceae), Imperata cylindrica (Poaceae), Kigelia Africana (Bignoniaceae), Morinda morindoides (Bak) Milne-Redh (Rubiaceae), Ornithogalum sp. (Amaryllidaceae), Pentaclethra macrophylla (Mimosaceae), Platycerium angolense (Polypodiaceae), Trachyphrynium braunianum (Maranthaceae). The amulets are used to protect people and their property, inflict sentiments of respect and fear. In case of violation, the perpetrator faces diverse punishments including suddenly seeing a big snake, hearing of a deafening scream in their ears, various evil and skin diseases. He can be healed upon confession of his wrongdoing to the owner of the amulet. This study shows that the traditional knowledge on amulets is an important part of the living habits and culture of Banen people who still have a strong belief in their efficacy.

Cleaner functional dyeing of wool using Kigelia Africana natural dye and Terminalia chebula bio-mordant

The cleaner methods for functional colouration of textiles are in huge demand. The use of toxic metallic mordants for achieving such an objective makes the entire process unsustainable. The biomolecules present in various green extracts can be utilized for achieving functional colouration. Kigelia Africana (KA) and Terminalia chebula (TC) are known as a rich source of biomolecules possessing antioxidant and antibacterial activities. In the present work, a bio-mordant Terminalia chebula was utilized as a mordant for natural dyeing of wool using Kigelia Africana natural dye. The colouration and functional properties were assessed using standard methods. The dyed wool fabric with satisfactory colour values and fastness properties was obtained. The dyed wool displayed antioxidant activity up to 99.41%, antibacterial activity up to 97.8% and excellent UPF. The novel sustainable option for functional colouration of wool was thus explored.

Evaluation of the Knowledge, Attitudes and Prevention Practices with Regard to Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Caused by Leishmania aethiopica in Mount Elgon Focus, Kenya

Leishmaniasis has spread beyond the traditional areas of the Rift Valley and North Eastern provinces. There is more evidence of emergence and spread of leishmaniasis in Western Kenya. However, there is currently no comprehensive study on knowledge, attitude and prevention practices on leishmaniasis among the risk populations in the endemic Mount Elgon region of western Kenya. This has hindered the protocol for understanding the epidemiology of leishmaniasis. The descriptive survey design study was carried out from April to June, 2019 and it sought for information on KAP related to cutaneous leishmaniasis (C.L) in Mount Elgon region. Using stratified simple random sampling technique, a total of 340 household participants were selected in the study area. Structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Regarding the responses given to knowledge, attitude and practice, a score of 1 was given for each right response and 0 for unsure responses. Data analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS version 23 statistical software. Descriptive statistics that include frequency and percentage were used to analyze the results. Out of 340 individuals were participated in our study 214 (62.9%) of the participants were males and 126 (37.1%) were females. The result of the present study in terms of knowledge showed that most of the respondents scored less than four items out of six correctly, hence described as having poor knowledge of CL. With regard to attitude respondents believed that CL was a problem in their area and had positive attitude towards the treatment of the disease. The study also found out that majority of the respondents practiced well, as indicated by scoring positively in more than three items. In terms of plants used in the treatment of the disease, Olea europaea, Kigelia Africana, Terminial mollis, Croton macrostachyus, Tylosema fassoglense and Bridella micrantha were mentioned. It was concluded that, people were less knowledgeable, had positive attitude towards the treatment especially using plant extracts could act as the basis for future research on alternative drugs against the disease.

Preliminary Phytochemical Screening of Five Plants as Possible Antileishmaniasis Control Agent

Leishmaniasis is a major public health problem globally and manifests in three clinical forms including visceral cutaneous and mucocutaneous. Visceral leishmaniasis is fatal if left untreated for a period of 2 years, while cutaneous leishmaniasis cause crusted papules or ulcers on exposed skin. Plant families containing active compounds against other protozoan diseases may be suitable against leishmania parasites. This study report the compounds extracted from five plants (Olea europaea, Kigelia Africana, Terminalia mollis, Croton macrostachyus and Bridella micrantha extracts). The plants were collected from Baringo County in Kenya and authenticated at the National Museums of Kenya (Department of Botany). The plant samples were dried, pulverized into fine powders and extracted using methanol at the Center for Traditional Medicine and Drugs Research, KEMRI. The plant extracts contained varying amounts of phytochemical compounds such as tannins, phenols, flavonoids, steroids, alkaloids, saponins, anthraquinone, cardiac glycoside, polyphenols, cumarins, anthocyanins, trepenoids, glycosides and triterpenoids. The presence of tannins, flavanoids, alkaloids and saponins with known biological activities offer opportunity to test these compounds against leishmania parasites.

In vitro anti-cancer efficacy and phyto-chemical screening of solvent extracts of Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth

Background and objectivesKigelia africana is a medicinal plant growing naturally in many parts of Africa. In Kenya, a water concoction of the plant is used to treat breast and prostate cancers. Laboratory data on its anti-cancer activity and active principles is limited, hence no scientific rationale for its medicinal use. This study reports on in-vitro toxic activities of dichloromethane and methanol extracts of the plant against human breast cancer cells and phytochemical screening of the two extracts. MethodologyPlant extracts were obtained by sequential solvent extraction of dry plant material (stem bark) using analytical grade dichloromethane: methanol (1:1) and methanol (Sigma Aldrich). In-vitro anti-cancer activities of the extracts were determined using the suphorhodamine (SRB) assay against a human breast cancer cell line (HCC 1937). Preliminary Thin layer chromatography of plant extracts was done using POLYGRAM® SIL G/UV254 plates (Merck) to establish presence of different classes of secondary metabolites. ResultsIn-vitro cytotoxic activities of the two extracts were significantly different (P = 0.05). The methanol extract exhibited higher activity (IC50 = 26.02 μg/ml) compared to that of dichloromethane: methanol (1:1) (IC50 = 55.01 μg/ml). Phyto-chemical screening of the two extracts revealed the presence of terpenoids, phenols, steroids and flavonoids. ConclusionThe high in-vitro anti-cancer activities of solvent extracts of Kigelia africana justify its use in traditional medicine to manage breast cancer. Phytochemical analysis of the extracts reveal similar profiles hence the differences in their anti-cancer activities can be attributed to quantitative variations of various classes of secondary metabolites.

Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Activity of Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. (Bignoniaceae).

Kigelia africana has been used in the management of human ailments since time immemorial. Ethnobotanists have documented the traditional uses of K. africana, which include treatment of skin disorders, cancer and gynecological complaints, among others. This has interested scientists, who have examined K. africana plant parts for their bioactivity. This review provides an insightful understanding on the ethnobotany, phytochemistry and pharmacology of K. africana. Web search engines Google and Google Scholar, as well as the databases of PubMed, Scopus, JSTOR, HINARI, SID, AJOL and Springer Link, were exhaustively searched using key words and phrases. Institutional reports and conference papers were also consulted. A total of 125 relevant international literature sources meeting the inclusion criteria were included. Kigelia africana has biologically active phytochemicals, many of which have been isolated. Whilst the fruits are most often cited in pharmacological studies, other plant parts are also used in herbal preparations. Commercially available products have been formulated from K. africana, though many have not been fully standardized. Despite many efforts by researchers to scientifically validate traditional uses of K. africana, many remain merely claims, thus the need to conduct more research, scientifically validate other traditional uses, isolate new bioactive phytochemicals and standardize K. africana products.

Study on a Novel natural cellulosic fiber from Kigelia africana fruit: Characterization and analysis

In recent days, there is an increasing use of green composites in composite manufacturing, where cellulosic natural fibers have been started using for this purpose. In line with this, a novel cellulose fiber was extracted from the Kigelia africana fruit and its physical, chemical and thermal properties, crystallography and surface morphology analysis were studied and reported in this investigative research paper. The physical analysis revealed the mean tensile strength as 50.31 ± 24.71 to 73.12 ± 32.48 MPa, diameter as 0.507 ± 0.162 to 0.629 ± 0.182 mm and density as 1.316 g/cm³ for the Kigelia africana fiber. The proximate chemical analysis estimated the cellulose percentage to be 61.5 % and the existence of different basic components like cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin are confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. Thermogravimetric analysis establishes the thermal stability of the fiber as 212 ⁰C. The crystallinity index, 57.38 % of the fiber was determined by X-ray diffraction. Surface morphology by field emission scanning electron microscopy reveals the presence of protrusions in fiber which aid in the better adhesion with the matrix in composite manufacturing.

Changes in the biochemical, hematological and histopathological parameters in STZ-Induced diabetic rats and the ameliorative effect of Kigelia africana fruit extract

BackgroundBiochemical, hematological and histological changes are major observable clinical and pathological factors associated with Diabetes mellitus. Derangement in the levels of these parameters increases the risk of the development of complications. In another hand, gastrointestinal intolerance due to the development of lactic acidosis on the gastrointestinal tract and the intestinal microbiome is the toxic side effect of various synthetic antidiabetic agents. The use of Kigelia africana fruit extract for the treatment of diabetes has been scientifically validated. This study therefore aimed at investigating changes in the biochemical, hematological and histological parameters as well as the determination of the functional groups present in the hexane fraction of the fruit. MethodsThe fruits were extracted with ethanol and partitioned with n-hexane to obtain the hexane fraction. Diabetic rats induced with streptozotocin (STZ) were divided into 5 groups of 5 animals each and treated with 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight (BW) hexane fraction alongside reference standard; glibenclamide. Fasting blood glucose levels and their body weights were monitored weekly. Animals were sacrificed at the end of 28-day treatment. Blood, liver, and kidney were collected for biochemical, hematological and histopathological analyses. Fourier transform infrared resonance (FTIR) spectroscopic analysis was carried out on the hexane fraction for functional group determination. ResultsThe hexane fraction of K. africana fruit extract decreased fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels significantly with ameliorative effects on the hematological parameters such as packed cell volume (PCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and red blood cells (RBC) etc. There were significant regenerative differences in the biochemical activities as well as the renal cortex and midzone sections of the rat's kidney and liver when compared with untreated diabetic rats. The presence of polyphenolic functional groups via FTIR analysis suggested high antioxidant activities of the fruit extract. ConclusionThe use of Kigelia africana fruit extracts protects against biochemical, hematological and histological changes that are injurious to diabetic patients. Therefore, Kigelia africana fruit is a good hepatic- and nephroprotective agent and has a hemato-protective ability.

Analysis of Similarities Between Five Indigenous Bio-Catalyst Extracts used by Several Communities in Kenya

Commercial fermentation additives are quite expensive leading to increased production costs. Several communities in Kenya have continuously enjoyed fast saccharification of biomass during cooking and fermentation of porridge and ethanol using bio-catalysts. Infusion of these bio-catalysts into modern-day science is crucial in optimization of yields and reduction of production costs in food, alcohol, pharmaceuticals and energy industries. This study aimed at characterizing five extracts (Terminalia b., Acanthaceae spp., Osyris lanceolata, Santaraseae spp. and Kigelia africana) for possible similarities in physical-chemical parameters, elemental composition and ionic stability. Water extracts were preferred as natively done by these communities. Wet chemistry was used for physical-chemistry parameters and elemental composition while spectroscopy was used to analyze presence of bio-metals, functional groups, conjugation and ligands present. Lab simulation studies were conducted to evaluate ionic stabilities. The results indicated the samples had similar pH, conductivity and volatile solids with slight variations in alkalinity and fatty acids. There were similarities in the functional group peaks and conjugation patterns. The ions of Cu(OH)2, Fe(OH) 2+ , ZnOH+ , Cr(OH) 2+ and Co 2+ were found to be dominant in all biocatalyst extracts. Terminalia b. and Osyris lanceolata were found to have relatively higher sulfate, phosphate levels while nitrate levels were similar in all the samples except for Terminalia b. biocatalysts. These compounds extracted from these herbs can be commercialized for industrial fermentation processes.

Exploration of Rapid Evaporative-Ionization Mass Spectrometry as a Shotgun Approach for the Comprehensive Characterization of Kigelia Africana (Lam) Benth. Fruit.

Rapid evaporative-ionization mass spectrometry (REIMS) coupled with an electroknife as a sampling device was recently employed in many application fields to obtain a rapid characterization of different samples without any need for extraction or cleanup procedures. In the present research, REIMS was used to obtain a metabolic profiling of the Kigelia africana fruit, thus extending the applicability of such a technique to the investigation of phytochemical constituents. In particular, the advantages of REIMS linked to a typical electrosurgical handpiece were applied for a comprehensive screening of this botanical species, by exploiting the mass accuracy and tandem MS capabilities of a quadrupole-time of flight analyzer. Then, 78 biomolecules were positively identified, including phenols, fatty acids and phospholipids. In the last decade, Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. fruit has attracted special interest for its drug-like properties, e.g., its use for infertility treatments and as anti-tumor agent, as well as against fungal and bacterial infections, diabetes, and inflammatory processes. Many of these properties are currently correlated to the presence of phenolic compounds, also detected in the present study, while the native lipid composition is here reported for the first time and could open new directions in the evaluation of therapeutic activity.

Extraction and characterisation of natural cellulose fibers from Kigelia africana

Kigelia africana also known as sausage plant, yields highly fibrous fruit with a hard shell. Many medicinal uses are reported for the extracts from the fruits, seeds and leaves of sausage trees. In this research, natural cellulose fibers were extracted from the fruit using NaOH and later bleached and characterized for their properties. Results revealed that significant amount of hemicellulose and lignin was lost after the alkali treatment and bleaching leading to a highly cellulosic fiber (up to 71 %). Morphologically, surface of the fibers varied from rough to smooth depending on the extent of treatment. The thermal stability, crystallinity and hydrophobicity increased after the treatment. Sausage fibers also possessed anti-microbial activity against common gram negative and gram positive bacteria. Overall, sausage fibers have properties similar to that of cotton and better than fibers obtained from many unconventional sources. With improved hydrophobicity and anti-bacterial properties, sausage fibers could be potentially applied in functional polymer composites.

Toxicity effect of <i>Kigelia africana</i> aqueous extract on the haematology and histopathology of juvenile Nile Tilapia (<i>Oreochromis niloticus</i>)

This study examined the toxicity effect of Kigelia africana on Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus ) juveniles. The corresponding effects of this plant extract on the health status of the O. niloticus were similarly studied using their haematological and histopathological profiles. The experiment was carried out at the Hatchery Unit of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta fish farm. Fish were acclimatized for one week and fed twice daily at the rate of 3% body weight. Water in the culture medium was replenished daily. A total of 150 juveniles of O. niloticus were exposed to concentrations of 0.00, 1.75, 2.50, 3.75 and 5.00 g L −1 aqueous extract of Kigelia africana set up in three replicates. This toxicity study showed that aqueous bark extract of K. africana caused significant behavioural changes in O. niloticus . Recorded values of the water quality parameters showed significant difference ( p < 0.05) across the treatments. The haematological indices of the fish were also observed to be affected with increasing extract concentration, compared to the control treatment (0.0 g L −1 ). Similarly, histology of the liver and gills showed variations in distortions and damages to the tissues; with observed severity increasing with increase in extract concentrations. This study suggested that the 96-h LC 50 of K. africana could be greater than 5 g L −1 . The study concluded that caution must be taken in the disposal of this plant in water bodies as extended exposure time and at higher concentrations could pose adverse effects on the stock of juvenile Orechromis niloticus . Keywords: toxicity, Kigelia africana , Oreochromis niloticus , haematology, histopathology