N.E.J. Orhue

The aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of methanol extract of Simarouba glauca on liver. The leaves, wood and stem back of the Simarouba glauca plant are the portions that are reportedly most frequently used. In this study, the leaves were used. The Simarouba glauca leaves were procured, cleaned and allowed to dry for 28 days at room temperature. The dried leaves were ground into powder. Six hundred grams were weighed and dissolved in 2.5 L of methanol. The mixture was stirred continuously for seven days then the methanol extract was recovered from this combination by filtration and the extract was concentrated by freezing the filtrate. Thirty female wistar rats of average weight 80g were divided equally into six groups with five animals per group. Group I animals were used as the control, Group II, III, and IV, V and VI animals received methanol extract of Simarouba glauca at dose levels of 125, 250, 500, 750 and 1000 mg/kg body weight daily, orally for 28 days. The animals were then sacrificed and the blood obtained, centrifuged and the serum withdrawn for analysis. Total bilirubin, Alkaline phosphatase and Aspartate amino-transferase assays were carried out. The results of this study shows that there was no significant (P <0.05>) difference in all the parameters assayed when compared with the control. This is indicative of the non-toxic effect of Simarouba glauca on the
liver of female wistar rats.

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..

A wide array of ethno-medicinal values has been attributed to the different parts of Annona muricata, and indigenous communities in Africa and South America extensively use this plant to augment conventional drugs. Acute and subchronic toxicity studies were carried out on the stem bark extract of Annona muricata Linn. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of A. muricata on hematological parameters in wistar albino rats. A total of Sixty (60) male albino rats were divided into 12 groups of five (5) rats each. They were given grower pellets and water. Groups one (control), two, three, four, five, six were administered 0, 200, 500, 1000, 3000 and 5000 mg/kg body weight of the extract per day respectively for a period of 28days.Weekly measurements of body weight were carried out. After 30 days, the rats were subjected to overnight fast after which they were sacrificed, with their
blood and organ samples collected into sterile containers with anticoagulant. Hematological profiles showed increased levels of red blood cells and its related indices for both methanolic and aqueous extract of Annona muricta. The investigation into the sub-chronic toxicity of methanol and aqueous extract of the stem bark of Annona muricata revealed no significant effect on the immunity of wistar albino rats.