School of Biosciences (Biosciences)

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Browsing School of Biosciences (Biosciences) by Author "Agaba, Amon Ganafa"
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    Analgesic, anti-inflammatory and oxytocic activities of Dracaena steudneri Engl. stem bark aqueous extract in Wistar rats
    (Academic journals, 2022) Katuura, Esther ; Tenywa, Mercy Gladys ; Agaba, Amon Ganafa ; Ajayi, Clement Olusoji ; Tolo, Casim Umba
    Dracaena steudneri Engl. (Dracaenaceae) is a medicinal plant that is used in labour by traditional birth attendants to induce labour, relieve pain and treat various diseases; albeit no documentation. This study determined the analgesic, anti-inflammatory and oxytocic effects of the D. steudneri stem bark aqueous extract. D. steudneri stem bark was collected, authenticated, oven-dried at 45ºC for 48 h, pulverized and extracted using the decoction method. The analgesic effect of the aqueous extract was determined using the acetic acid writhing test, anti-inflammatory activity was determined using paw oedema method while oxytocic activity was determined using abortion and other standard test procedures and were tested at 12.1 24.1 and 48.2 mg/kg. The results of the analgesic study showed that the extract reduced the number of abdominal writhing between 53.51 and 92.40% at 6.02 and 48.2 mg/kg dose, respectively while the standard drug showed a reduction of 36.58% at 10 mg/kg. The anti-inflammatory results showed percentage inhibition of 18.6% (2 h), 22% (2 h) and 18.9% (6 h) at 12.1, 24.1 and 48.2 mg/kg, respectively. The in vivo oxytocic activity showed average time taken for the rats to deliver was between 20.63 h at lowest dose (12.1 mg/kg) and 8.25 h at highest dose (48.0 mg/kg) while Oxytocin the reference drug exhibited, 22 h as the average time taken for delivery.
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    Evaluation of the adverse effects of Dracaena steudneri Engl. stem bark aqueous extract in Wistar rats
    (Academic Journals, 2021) Katuura, Esther ; Tenywa, Mercy Gladys ; Tolo, Casim Umba ; Ajayi, Clement Olusoji ; Agaba, Amon Ganafa
    Safety of medicinal plants/products is one of the major areas that require more attention because of the high rate at which consumers use medicinal plants/products due to their availability and accessibility. Dracaena steudneri Engl. is among the plants being used and recommended for the treatment of several diseases for decades among the traditional health practitioners. Despite its frequent use, there is little literature on its safety. This study investigated the acute and sub-acute effects of D. steudneri Engl. stem bark with a view to establishing its safe dose for drug development. The stem bark of D. steudneri Engl (Dracaenaceae) was collected, authenticated, dried, pulverized mechanically and extracted using decoction method. The extract was thereafter concentrated in vacuo at 50°C using rotary evaporator and lyophilised. The acute test was studied in Wistar rats using Lorke’s method at 10 to 5000 mg/kg to determine the lethal dose (LD50) and other adverse effects including weight loss, body scratching etc. In sub-acute test, 24 Wistar rats of both sexes were separately caged and orally administered with extract at 25 to 100 mg/kg. The administration was repeated for 28 days before the animals were humanely sacrificed. Blood of each animal was collected for hematological and biochemical examination, while the essential organs were harvested for histopathologic. The results showed that LD50 was greater than 5000 mg/kg. The extract did not exhibit any significant difference (p>0.05) on hematological parameters when compared with the negative control. There was no degenerative effect in the histology and pathology of all the organs examined but elevation in serum ALT and creatinine levels was observed. Although the aqueous extract of D. stuedneri stem bark did not show any significant hematological and histopathological effect on the organs tested, there was potential for renal and hepatic toxicity after repeated administration. Therefore caution must be taken with close monitoring during prolonged administration.