AQUEOUS EXTRACT

The study investigated the effect of Acanthus montanus leaf's aqueous extract on male Wistar rats' haematological parameters. The research aimed to evaluate the ability of the plant extract to protect and restore normal haematological parameters following administration of the extract. Fifteen male Wistar rats were divided into control and experimental groups. The experimental groups received varying doses of the aqueous extract of Acanthus montanus orally for a specified period. Blood samples were analysed to determine haematological indices, including packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin concentration (HB), red blood cell count (RBC), white blood cell count (WBC), and differential leukocyte count. Results revealed that administration of Acanthus montanus extract significantly (p < 0.05) improved haematological parameters in a dose- dependent manner compared to the untreated group. The extract normalised the levels of packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb), and red blood cell (RBC) count, while also stabilising white blood cell (WBC) and lymphocyte counts. The study indicates that Acanthus montanus possesses potent haematoprotective activity, likely due to its phytoconstituents such as flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, and saponins, which help mitigateoxidative damage to blood cells. Therefore, the aqueous leaf extract of Acanthus montanus may serve as a potential natural therapeutic agent for managing haematological disorders and conditions associated with blood toxicity. Further studies are recommended to isolate and characterise the active compounds responsible for its protective effects.

Male infertility remains a major global health concern, often associated with oxidative stress, hormonal imbalance, and exposure to pharmacological agents such as paroxetine (Agarwal et al., 2022). This study investigated the curative effects of aqueous Hibiscus sabdariffa extract on paroxetine-induced infertility in male Wistar albino rats, focusing on serum levels of testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH), as well as histological findings. The extract was prepared by soaking 385g of dried Hibiscus sabdariffacalyces in 5000 ml of distilled water for 48 hours, followed by filtration and concentration to obtain a powdered form (Salami & Afolayan, 2021). Twemty five healthy male Wistar rats were divided into five groups of five rats each: normal control, negative control, positive control, and two treatment groups administered 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg of Hibiscus sabdariffa extract, respectively. Hormonal assays were conducted using ELISA methods ). Treatment with Hibiscus sabdariffa at 250 mg/kg restored testosterone levels close to normal, while LH showed no significant changes, suggesting preserved pituitary function. Histological observations further confirmed the protective and restorative effects of the extract on testicular morphology (Okasha et al., 2024). These findings indicate that Hibiscus sabdariffa contains bioactive antioxidants capable of mitigating oxidative and hormonal disturbances caused by paroxetine. The study concludes that moderate doses of Hibiscus sabdariffa can enhance hormonal balance and protect testicular health, supporting its traditional use as a fertility-enhancing medicinal plant (Adetuyi et al., 2023; Mohd Luqman et al., 2024).

This study explores the antimicrobial and phytochemical properties of four medicinal plants Vernonia amygdalina (bitter leaf), Zingiber officinale (ginger), Citrus aurantiifolia (lime), and Curcuma longa (turmeric)—to assess their potential in treating throat infections. The research aims to determine their antimicrobial effectiveness, identify bioactive compounds, establish optimal dosages, and scientifically validate traditional medicinal use. Aqueous and ethanol extracts of the plants were tested against bacterial strains, including Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus acdophilus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentrations (MBCs) were evaluated, showing that the extracts demonstrated significant antimicrobial effects, especially against Gram-positive bacteria. The inhibition zones increased with higher concentrations, though the extracts were less potent than ciprofloxacin, the control antibiotic. Phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of phenolics, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, and alkaloids, with phenolics being the most abundant. Elemental analysis identified essential macro- and microelements such as potassium, sodium, calcium, and iron, which may contribute to the therapeutic potential of these plants. The study concludes that these plant extracts exhibit notable antimicrobial properties, likely due to their rich phytochemical composition, and could serve as complimentary or alternative treatments for throat infections. However, further studies are necessary to refine formulations, elucidate mechanisms of action, and assess clinical applications. This research highlights the relevance of medicinal plants in combating antibiotic resistance and underscores their potential role in natural healthcare.

For centuries natural products have played a very crucial role in health care and prevention of diseases.Extracts of G. kola have been demonstrated to possess antimicrobial effects and has also been shown to possess hepatoprotective activities. The seed is used to prevent and relieve colic, chest colds and cough and can as well be used to treat headache. The nature of the spermato zoa (their vitality, motility and morphology) and the composition of seminal fluid are important for sperm function. Basic sperm analysis measures the number of spermatozoa (per unit volume and per ejaculate), motility and morphology. This study was carried out on twenty healthy adult male Wistar rats weighing between 200g to 250g. Group A was the control group. Group B was low dose administration group (250mg/kg body weight).Group C was intermediate dose administration group (500mg/kg body weight). Group D was high dose administration group (1000mg/kg body weight) The result of the statistical analysis showed that Garcinia kola caused significant increases (P < 0.05) serum FSH, testosterone and percentage of abnormal sperm cells which in conjuction with the vascular congestion noticed. There was no significant difference in total sperm count, body weight and testes weight. There was significant decrease in sperm motility and morphology.

Soybean is an annual herbaceous legume plant that has diverse applications, serving as animal feed, fodder, and human food and beverage, including flour, starch, oil, spices, and culinary herbs. Soybean have been reported to have a variety of pharmacological properties including hepatoprotective activity. It’s effect on the fetus is rather relatively unknown. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effect of soybean (Glycine max) on the histology of fetal liver in Wistar rats. Eighteen (18) adult juvenile Wistar rats with an average weight of 60 g were randomly assigned into three (3) groups (A-C). Group A served as control; Group B was administered 250 mg/Kg body weight of Glycine max; Group C was administered 250 mg/Kg body weight of Glycine max.The administration lasted for 21 days and was done orally using an orogastric tube. After the duration of administration, the animals were weighed, anaesthetized and sacrificed, with the liver processed for routine hematoxylin and eosin staining for histological
evaluation. From this study, results showed a significant decrease (p<0.05) in body weight change in the groups administered Glycine max when compared to control. There was also a significant decrease (p<0.05) in fetal weight and Crown-rump length in the group given 500mg/Kg body weight of Glycine max when compared to control. Histological findings showed relatively normal liver architecture in the groups given Glycine max when compared to control as evidenced by developing hepatocytes radiating from central vein, and sinusoids. In conclusion, findings from this study suggest that Soybean resulted in significant alterations in maternal and fetal health outcomes (especially at 500 mg/Kg body weight dosage). However, the observed effects may be primarily physiological as there were histological alterations.