DEPARTMENT OF BIOCHEMISTRY

Energy drinks are popular for their energy-boosting effects, yet concerns about their composition and safety persist. This study aimed to evaluate the mineral, sugar, and heavy metal content of Blue Bullet energy drink, focusing on its impact on energy metabolism, mineral homeostasis, and toxicological risks. Triplicate samples of the drink was prepared for the qualitative analyses were conducted to detect the presence of carbohydrates, phosphates, and acidity and quantitative tests which included Benedict’s and Fehling’s solutions for sugar content, spectrophotometric analysis for minerals, and toxicological screening for heavy metals. Qualitative analyses confirmed significant carbohydrate presence, trace phosphates, and an acidic pH typical of energy drinks. Quantitative screening revealed carbohydrates (12 ± 3 μg/L), alcohol (16 ± 2 μg/L), phosphate (368 ± 1 μg/L), and CO2 (78 ± 11 μg/L). Mineral analysis identified calcium (24.47 ± 0.15 mg/kg), iron (0.93 ± 0.03 mg/kg), potassium (0.30 ± 0.00 mg/kg), magnesium (1.17 ± 0.03 mg/kg), and phosphorus (1.667 ± 0.002 mg/kg), all within FDA and WHO safety limits. Trace metals such as chromium (0.047 ± 0.004 mg/kg), manganese (0.047 ± 0.012 mg/kg), and zinc (0.083 ± 0.003 mg/kg) were present at safe levels. Toxicological screening showed arsenic (0.955 ± 0.004 μg/kg) and mercury (0.070 ± 0.001 μg/kg) below safety thresholds, with no detectable lead, cadmium, or copper. These findings highlight that Blue Bullet provides essential nutrients and adheres to safety standards, though regular quality control is recommended for consumer safety..

Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) is a widely utilized medicinal plant globally, that
holds significant recognition in traditional medicine systems. This plant has been
studiedfor its wide range of pharmacological properties including, anti-hepatotoxic, anti-microbial, antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-immunosuppressive properties anti-inflammatory, antimalarial, antipyretic, antiretroviral, antivenom, cardioprotective, and immunomodulatory effects. In this research, the aqueous and ethanol extract of the leaves and stem bark of Andrographis paniculata was qualitatively and quantitively analysed, to determine its phytochemical composition. The qualitative analysis carried out between the aqueous and ethanol extract of Andrographis paniculata showed positive for saponin, tannin, phenol, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, proanthocyanidin and terpenoids which are phytochemicals responsible for the plant’s ethnomedicinal uses. Although these phytochemicals are present in both extracts, Flavonoids (66 QE/g), Phenol (78 GAE/g), Tannin (54 TAE/g) and Proanthocyanidin (174 mgAAE/g) were found in higher concentration in the aqueous extract of Andrographis paniculata than the ethanol extract. This clearly indicates that the aqueous extract of Andrographis paniculata is more advantageous for herbal medicine practice. Upon statistical analysis it was concluded that though the level of flavonoids, proanthocyanidin, tannins and phenol were more higher in the aqueous extract than ethanol extract though, there was no significant difference (p ≥ 0.05) between these extracts, suggesting that the solvent ethanol was just as effective in the extraction of these phytochemicals when compared with the aqueous solvent.

Cyanide poisoning poses a significant threat to cardiovascular health, leading to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors such as dyslipidemia, oxidative stress, and endothelial dysfunction. Ocimum gratissimum (OG), commonly known as scent leaf, is a medicinal plant with potential cardioprotective properties. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the ethanol extract of OG on CVD risk factors in cyanide-induced rabbits. Fifteen rabbits were randomly divided into five groups: group one(drug), group two(ethanol extract), group three(ethanol extract), group four(cyanide), group five(control). Cyanide-induced rabbits were orally administered OG extract and drug (Sylimarin) for 21 days. Blood samples and organs(heart) were collected for biochemical analysis of CVD risk factors, including total protein profile, cholesterol levels, arterogenic coefficient, cardiac risk ratio, vitamin, and nitric oxides concentration. Certain experimental groups displayed promising changes, such as elevated HDL- C levels, improved endothelial function, and enhanced cardiac muscle function, others exhibited adverse alterations in lipid profile and endothelial function. These findings underscore the complex nature of herbal remedies and emphasize the importance of empirical validation to ensure their safety and efficacy in treating cardiovascular diseases.

Cyanide poisoning poses a significant threat to cardiovascular health, leading to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors such as dyslipidemia, oxidative stress, and endothelial dysfunction. Ocimum gratissimum (OG), commonly known as scent leaf, is a medicinal plant with potential cardioprotective properties. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the ethanol extract of OG on CVD risk factors in cyanide-induced rabbits. Fifteen rabbits were randomly divided into five groups: group one(drug), group two(ethanol extract), group three(ethanol extract), group four (cyanide), group five(control). Cyanide-induced rabbits were orally administered OG extract and drug (Sylimarin) for 21 days. Blood samples and organs(heart) were collected for biochemical analysis of CVD risk factors, including total protein profile, cholesterol levels, arterogenic coefficient, cardiac risk ratio, vitamin, and nitric oxides concentration. Certain experimental groups displayed promising changes, such as elevated HDL- C levels, improved endothelial function, and enhanced cardiac muscle function, others exhibited adverse alterations in lipid profile and endothelial function. These findings underscore the complex nature of herbal remedies and emphasize the importance of empirical validation to ensure their safety and efficacy in treating cardiovascular diseases.

Justicia carnea is a medicinal plant with varied pharmacological effects. The present study evaluated the antioxidant properties of methanol extract of the leaves of Justicia carnea in Wistar rats. Mature Wistar albino rats (n = 36) were assigned to six groups of 6 rats each: group 1 (normal control), group 2 (diabetic control), group 3 (diabetic rats treated with standard anti-diabetic drug,
metformin), group 4 (diabetic rats + 100mg/kg bwt of methanol extract of Justicia carnea), group 5 (diabetic rats + 200mg/kg bwt extract) and group 6 (diabetic rats + 500mg/kg extract). The plant leaves were extracted with absolute methanol. Diabetes mellitus was induced in the rats via intraperitoneal injection of 120 mg/kg body weight STZ. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), body
weight, acute toxicity and oxidative stress markers were measured. Acute toxicity study showed that at the highest dose of 5000 mg/kg bwt, methanol extract of J. carnea did not produce any mortality in the rats. Graded doses of methanol extract of J. carnea leaves significantly reduced the blood glucose concentration of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats (p < 0.05). The greatest
weight increase was observed in the control group when compared to the other groups (p < 0.05). The plant extract significantly increased the activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), but it reduced the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) significantly when compared with the diabetic control group (p < 0.05). This study has provided
evidence to support the claim that methanol extract of J. carnea is effective in ameliorating oxidative stress induced by STZ in diabetic Wistar rats.

The presence of petroleum-derived compounds in the soil constitutes a significant threat to soil health and agricultural productivity. In the search for the environmentally friendly approach in the bioremediation strategies for restoration of soil health, cassava mill effluent (CME) provides an accessible, available and affordable nutrient-rich organic biowaste of cassava processing for the application of organic amendment and a sustainable biostimulant for restoration of soil health. This study investigated the efficiency of CME as a source of organic nutrients in the biorestoration of hydrocarbon degraded soil for a sustainable bioremediation strategy. This was achieved by polluting clean soil, collected and weighed into containers, with spent lubricating oil (SLO) as the source of petroleum hydrocarbon at 10% (w/w), amended with CME at 2.5% (v/w) at different frequency of daily, weekly, monthly and once for a period of six months but the control soil was not treated. The percentage changes in the quality of the amended soil were monitored at 3 and 6 months periods. Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) were grown on the amended soils at the end of the treatment to evaluate recovery of soil quality and function. Baseline data were collected at the start of the study, and others at 3 and 6 months. For physicochemical changes in the soil, the following parameters were analysed: Soil texture, pH, cation exchange capacity (K+, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Al3+), electrical conductivity (EC), total petroleum hydrocarbon (THC), and metals (Fe, Zn, Pb). Nitrogen (N2) and Phosphorus (P) contents, total organic carbon (TOC) and organic matter (OM) were also analysed. The biological activities assessed include the activities of soil enzymes (urease, phosphatase, dehydrogenase, fluorescein diacetate hydrolase and glucosidase), and microbial load

This study investigated the alterations in the activities of antioxidative enzymes on the leaves of maize (zea mays) planted in crude oil contaminated soil. Maize was grown on soil contaminated with 5ml, 10ml and 15ml of crude oil. The experiment lasted for 4 weeks. Data obtained were analysed using ANOVA and least significant difference (LSD) at p<0.05. The number of leaves, leaf area and leaf weight were determined at the start of every assay, the percentage germination was evaluated at the end of every week. Results showed that the mean leaf area and percentage germination of maize plant (zea mays) decreased with increasing level of contamination with crude oil. Antioxidants like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, malonyldialdehyde (MDA), glutathioneperoxidase (GPx) in zea mays differed significantly (P<0.05) at 5ml levels from those planted in 10ml and 15ml levels of the crude oil contaminated soils. The reductions in these growth characteristics measured were crude oil concentration dependent and elevated activity of antioxidative enzymes can assist as important components of antioxidative defense mechanism against oxidative damage. The results of this study could be beneficial in the understanding of the role of defense system beside these parameters, also significant reduction in lipase activity of the plant was recorded and yellowish leaf coloration due t reduction in chlorophyll content were observed among the plants grown in the crude oil contaminated soils. This study thus revealed that crude oil had pronounced effects on the germination and growth of maize plant. This means that maize plant should not be grown near or on soil contaminated with crude oil.

Kigelia africana, commonly known as the sausage tree, is a plant widely recognized for its medicinal properties in various traditional medicine systems across Africa. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of total flavonoid Rich Extract (FRE) on membrane stabilization and the hematological property of the rat. The study was carried out in Wister rats exposed to Carrageenan for 24 hours. The membrane stabilizing effect of the Flavonoid Rich Extract was evaluated using the Human Red Blood Cell (HRBC) membrane stabilizing method. The Flavonoids Rich Extract fraction in heated induced hemolysis and hypotonic solution of HRBC as against the standard (aspirin) in wastar rats. The total Flavonoids Rich Extract has shown protection against hemolysis of human red blood cells either through heatinduced or hypertonicity, that is it can be used for the management of in-vitro inflammation. The in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of the total flavonoids extract from the plant Kigelia africana was assessed using the in vivo hypoglycemic (anticancer) and antineoplastic (antitumor) activities of the extracts. The results showed a significant decrease (p > 0.05) in the White Blood Cells (WBC) of carrageenans only treated rat, carrageeenans and sodium diclofenac treated rats, and a significantly increase in it WBC of rats treated with Carrageenenan and Quercetin, Carrageenans and Flavonoids Rich Extract (100 mg/kg body wt.), and Carrageenans and Flavonoids Rich Extract (200 mg/kg body wt.), when compared to the control group

Colon cancer is the second most common cancer for women and the third most common for men. Its morbidity and mortality are increasing as it is the second largest cause of death related to cancer in the developing countries. In this study, the effects of Arachis hypogaea seeds on 1, 2 dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced colon carcinogenesis was examined. Four (4) groups of wistar albino mice were used. While the other groups were induced with DMH, group one (1) acted as the positive control group and was fed a normal diet. Group two (2) was induced with DMH only, across a 12 week period. Over the course of a 12-week period, group three (3) was induced with DMH and fed Arachis hypogaea diet. Group four (4) underwent a six-weeks DMH induction procedure before being administered Arachis
hypogaea diet following the induction. The outcome revealed that twelve weeks of subcutaneous induction of DMH in group 2 significantly increased the total protein and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration levels in colon, liver and kidney when compared to the control (Group 1). However, the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as super oxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in the colon, liver and kidney was significantly reduced following the induction of DMH for twelve weeks when compared to the control. Conversely, the antioxidant parameters showed a significant increase in group 3 and and group 4 that were fed Arachis hypogaea diet when compared to group 2. Histological studies revealed normal colon architecture in group 1 but presence of many neoplastic crypts and glands irregular in shape in group 2. In group 3 and group 4 that received Arachis hypogaea diet, histology revealed pronounced inhibition of crypts and hyperchromasia. Overall, the Arachis hypogaea diet was able to reduce the negative effects of DMH on the colon, liver and kidney

Vernonia amygdalina (bitter leaf) has been reported to possess different biological effects which is why it is perceived as a wonder herb by locals. 1, 2-Dimethylhydrazine (DMH), a potent carcinogen is renowned for its toxicity. The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effect of Vernonia amygdalina (VA) on DMH-induced toxicity in rats. Forty (40) male Wistar albino rats weighing 150 – 200 g were randomly assigned to eight (8) groups (5 rats per group): control, DMH, silymarin, VA only, pretreatment [200 mg/kg body weight (bwt)], pretreatment (400 mg/kg bwt), post-treatment (200 mg/kg bwt), and post-treatment (400mg/kg bwt) groups. With the exception of control and VA only groups, the rats were exposed to DMH before or after treatment with VA via intraperitoneal route at a single dose of 40 mg/kg bwt. Rats in the silymarin group were treated with the standard hepato-/cardio-protective drug, silymarin (100 mg/kg bwt). The treatment lasted for 21 days. At the end of the treatment period the rats were euthanized and blood/tissue samples collected for biochemical analyses. Oxidative stress markers were measured in rat organs (liver, kidney, heart, pancreas and colon). Portions of excised organs were subjected to histopathological examination.
The results showed that exposure of adult male Wistar albino rats to DMH resulted in significant increases (p<0.05) in the relative organ weights, total protein (TP), activities/levels of liver, kidney and cardiac function parameters, lipid peroxidation index [malondialdehyde (MDA)], lipid profile [total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TG), very-low density lipoprotein cholesterol VLDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)], and cardiovascular disease risk factors [atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), atherogenic coefficient (AC) and cardiac risk ratio (CRR)], but it reduced the activities/levels of antioxidant enzymes/molecules (p<0.05). However, treatment of the rats with ethanol extract of V. amygdalina leaves significantly reduced the activities/levels of the indices of liver, kidney and cardiac function, MDA, TP, TC, TG, VLDL-C, LDL-C and cardiovascular disease risk factors, while enhancing the activities/levels of antioxidant enzymes/molecules (p<0.05). The plant extract also significantly ameliorated the structural alterations/distortions caused by DMH to rat organs (p < 0.05).
These results indicate that ethanol extract of the medicinal plant leaves can effectively ameliorate DMH-induced systemic toxicity in Wistar rats