B.O. Agoreyo

Phosphatase enzyme activities were investigated in plantain (Musa paradisiacal) bracts to determine the activities of ALP and ACP. Fresh bracts were collected and analyzed for both acid phosphatase (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities using p-nitrophenyl phosphate as substrate. The study revealed that alkaline phosphatase activity was significantly higher than acid phosphatase activity in plantain bracts, with mean values of 0.265 ± 0 µmol/min/g fresh weight and 0.253 ± 0.008 µmol/min/g fresh weight, respectively. Maximum ACP activity was observed at pH 3.5, while ALP showed optimal activity at pH 9.5. Temperature optimization studies indicated peak activities at 45°C for ACP and 40°C for ALP. Mg2+ was used as a modulator and results gotten showed than it was a positive modulator for both ALP and ACP as their activity increased, While Pi was shown to inhibit the activities of both Enzymes. The presence of these phosphatases, particularly the predominant acid phosphatase, indicates their crucial role in phosphate metabolism during bract development and senescence. These findings provide valuable insights into the biochemical processes occurring in plantain bracts and may contribute to understanding the physiological changes during plantain flower development.

Banana and Plantain petals are plants commonly found in Africa, it is consumed locally and reportedly use for diverse medicinal purposes. This study was carried out to determine the effect of the extract of these banana and plantain petals on the liver function of female Wistar albino rats. A total of 42 female Wistar albino rats were used to carry out this study. The rats were acclimatized for 2 weeks before being randomly assigned into 7 groups, with 6 rats per group. Group 1 served as the control group, while groups 2 to 7 were designated as the experimental test groups. The experimental test groups were further subdivided into 2 groups: groups 2, 3 and 4were administered doses of 2.0ml, 1.0ml, and 0.5ml, of plantain petal extract respectively, whereas groups 5, 6, and 7 were administered 2.0ml, 1.0mland 0.5ml of banana petal extract respectively. The extracts were administered daily for duration of 28 days. At the end of the experimental period, the rats were anesthetized with chloroform, blood sample was collected from the abdominal aorta and the heart and the rats were then sacrificed. The resultsrevealed a non-significant change (p>0.05) in alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and total protein activities in experimental groups relative to the control group. This result also showed a mild increase in bilirubin levels in some of the groups administered with banana petal extract, albumin levels of the experimental groups administered with
the banana petals extracts showed a significant increase (p<0.05) relative to the control. In conclusion, aqueous banana and plantain petals extract has no negative impact on the liver

The study was designed to evaluate the histological effects of aqueous extracts of plantain (Musa paradisiaca) and banana (Musa sapientum) bracts on the heart of female Wistar rats. The bracts were extracted with distilled water. Forty-two adult female albino Wistar rats were randomly divided into seven groups (six rats per group). Group A served as the control, while groups B–D received 2.0 ml, 1.0 ml, and 0.5 ml of plantain bract extract respectively. Groups E–G received 2.0 ml, 1.0 ml, and 0.5 ml of banana bract extract respectively. The experiment was conducted for a defined period, after which the rats were sacrificed and their hearts excised for histological examination using standard procedures.The study aims to assess possible histological changes and evaluate the safety and potential biological effects of Musa bract extracts on cardiac tissues