October 2007

The role of medicinal plants in the provision of health care in Lao PDR

The Lao People’ Democratic Republic is one of the poorest countries in the world, with an income per capita of less than US$2 a day. The provision of health care is severely underfunded, and outside the largest cities often provided by poorly qualified health workers. Under these circumstances, most people – both in the capital and the rural areas – prefer to use traditional medicine rather than...

Author(s): Claudio O. Delang    

October 2007

Isolation and characterization of 3, 5, 6-trihydroxy-7-octyl-5, 6-dihydro-1-naphthalene carboxylic acid from the stem methanolic extract of Vitellaria paradox

The methanol extract of the stem bark of Vitellaria paradoxa used variously in ethno medicinal treatments in Southern and Northern parts of Nigeria was studied. A silica gel column chromatography of the methanol extract of the stem bark using chloroform eluted a whitish gummy substance which was identified purely by spectral analyses as 3, 5, 6-trihydroxy-7-octyl-5, 6-dihydro-1-naphthalene carboxylic...

Author(s): Ndukwe, I. G., Amupitan, J. O., Zhao, Y. and Isah, Y.    

October 2007

Phytochemical screening and in vitro bioactivity of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (Euphorbiaceae)

Eight principal bioactive compounds were investigated in the dry leaf water and ethanolic extracts of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius. In all, three active components were positive for both extracts. These include phenols, saponins and cardiac glycosides. Phlobatannin was detected in the water extract while alkaloids occurred in the ethanolic extract. Flavonoids, anthraquinones and combined anthraquinones were...

Author(s): Awoyinka, O. A., Balogun, I. O. and Ogunnowo, A. A.