In vitro assessment of deworming potential of Guiera senegalensis in Nigerian ethnoveterinary industry using Caenorhabditis elegans

Background Although Guiera senegalensis is used as a dewormer in ethnoveterinary health care in Nigeria, its anthelmintic potential has not been validated. Hence, this work investigated the in vitro anthelmintic potential of G. senegalensis extracts on two Caenorhabditis elegans strains: Bristol N2 (wild type/ivermectin susceptible) and DA1316 (ivermectin resistant). Results Aqueous and methanol extracts of G. senegalensis were tested against the motility of the L4 larvae at two exposure periods of 24 and 48 h and found to be active against the C. elegans strains. Motility of C. elegans DA1316 was reduced to 18.6% and 8.3% by aqueous and methanol extracts, respectively, at 2.0 mg/ml after 48 h, whereas that of C. elegans DA1316 treated with ivermectin (0.02 µg/ml) remained above 95%. The motility of C. elegans Bristol N2 was reduced to 16.6% and 7.2% by aqueous and methanol extracts, respectively, at 2.0 mg/ml after 48 h and ≤ 2.7% by ivermectin (0.02 µg/ml). Activity of the plant extracts was concentration and time dependent. Conclusions This work confirms the anthelmintic activity of G. senegalensis and its effectiveness against ivermectin-resistant nematodes, thus validating its ethnoveterinary use as an animal dewormer in Nigeria and pharmacological potential as a source of anthelmintic compounds against ivermectin-resistant nematodes. There is, however, the need for in vivo studies to confirm the in vitro efficacy of the extracts.

Study of Ethnoveterinary Medicinal Plants Used by Pastoralists in Northern Gombe State, Nigeria

Ethnoveterinary is the total of all practices that enable man to prevent his livestock from diseases, alleviate and relieve suffering to bring about healing, and increase the production and productivity of livestock within a minimum cost. Overutilization, overexploitation, deforestation for fuelwood, and farmland expansion expose some of the plants to threaten. The study was carried out in three randomly selected districts in Northern Gombe State, Nigeria. Among all, 80% of the respondents are male among which 56% are 35 years and above. 43 plants were reported used as ethnoveterinary plants in the area (oral interview) among which only 28 were found to be present in the field (field assessment). Guiera senegalensis is the most abundant plant (7.85%) followed by Piliostigma reticulatum (7.23%), Combretum collinum and Detarium microcarpum (3.00% both). Fabaceae is the most abundant family (30.85%) of the identified plants followed by Combretaceae (15.25%). Plant bark is the most common part used in curing and preventing animals from diseases which subject some of the plants (Burkia africana) to nearly endangered states. 28 plant samples were collected, identified, pressed, and laid in Botany Department Herbarium, Gombe State University, among these, 2 plant samples were not successfully identified. It is recommended that regulatory bodies should be empowered to check the uncontrolled deforestation occurring in the area

Impacts D’une Technique De Restauration De Terre Dégradée Sur La Survie Et La Croissance Des Plants De Quatre Espèces De Combretaceae En Zone Sahélienne Du Niger

Les banquettes sylvopastorales constituent l’une des techniques les plus utilisées au Niger pour restaurer les terres dégradées de plateaux. La présente expérimentation a été réalisée sur un plateau dégradé de Simiri dans l’Ouest nigérien où des banquettes sylvopastorales ont été installées. L’objectif est d’évaluer la survie et la croissance des plants de quatre essences locales de Combretaceae, Combretum glutinosum, Combretum micranthum, Combretum nigricans et Guiera senegalensis. Les méthodes utilisées ont consisté d’abord à délimiter un espace sur le plateau dégradé où 40 banquettes sont confectionnées et un autre espace sans banquette pour servir de témoin. Dans les banquettes, 200 plants de chaque espèce ont été plantés à raison de 20 plants/banquette. Deux mois après la plantation un suivi périodique de l’humidité du sol et des paramètres dendrométriques des plants a été effectué durant 30 mois. Les paramètres dendrométriques mesurés sont le taux de survie, la hauteur et le diamètre au collet du grand axe caulinaire, le nombre de rejets et de feuilles. Les résultats obtenus ont montré d’une part que les banquettes améliorent les conditions hydriques du sol de 18,19 % par rapport à la zone non traitée (sans banquette) et d’autre part que les meilleurs taux de survie et de croissance ont été observés au niveau des espèces Guiera senegalensis, Combretum. glutinosum et Combretum. micranthum. Ainsi, les espèces Guiera senegalensis, Combretum glutinosum et Combretum micranthum peuvent être utilisées dans le reboisement de sites aménagés avec des banquettes sylvopastorales pour restaurer les terres de plateaux au Niger Silvopastoral banquettes are one of the techniques mostly used in Niger to restore degraded plateau lands. The present experiment was carried out on a degraded Simiri plateau in western Niger where silvopastoral banquettes have been installed. The objective is to assess the survival and growth of plants of four local species of Combretaceae, Combretum glutinosum, Combretum micranthum, Combretum nigricans, and Guiera senegalensis. The methods used consisted first of delimiting a space on the degraded plateau where 40 banquettes are made and another space without a banquette to serve as a control zone. In the banquettes, 200 plants of each species were planted at 20 plants/banquette. Two months after planting, periodic monitoring of soil moisture and dendrometric parameters of the plants was carried out for 30 months. The dendrometric parameters measured are the survival rate, the height and the collar diameter of the stem axis, the number of suckers and leaves. The results obtained showed on the one hand that the banquettes improve the water conditions of the soil by 18.19% compared to the untreated zone (without banquettes) and on the other hand that the best survival and growth rates were observed at the level of the species Guiera senegalensis, Combretum. glutinosum and Combretum. micranthum. Thus, Guiera senegalensis, Combretum glutinosum, and Combretum micranthum species can be used in the reforestation of sites developed with silvopastoral banquettes to restore plateau lands in Niger.

Effect of Guiera senegalensis and Natron on Serum Indices of Cardiac Function of Postpartum Rats

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a rare but devastating cardiac failure of indeterminate etiology occurring in late pregnancy or early puerperium. The prevalence of PPCM in Northern Nigeria could be attributed to the unique customary puerperal practices of prolonged consumption oflarge quantities of Guiera senegalensis and Natron. This study investigated the effect of decoction of G. senegalensis with and without Natron on cardiac markers, lipid profile and histology ofheart in postpartum female albino rats using standard methods.Thirty-five (35)female albino rats of body weights 190-200 g of five month were randomly grouped into seven (7) of five rats each. Group 2, 3 and 4 were orally administered with 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg body weight of G. senegalensis. Group 5, 6 and 7 were orally administered with 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg body weight (1:1) of G. senegalensis and Natron by gavage, whereas group 1 received distilled water. The study revealed significant (p< 0.05) decrease in triglyceride(TG) in group 2 to VII, high density lipoproteincholesterol (HDL-c) in group 2, 5 and 6, very low density lipoprotein- cholesterol (VLDL-c) in group 3 to V, couples with significant (p< 0.05) increase in low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) in group 2, 3, 5 and 7, and for (AIX) in group 2, total cholesterol(TC) in group 2, 3 and 7 when compared with control. Significant (p< 0.05) increase in Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in group 3 to 7, and Myoglobin (MB) in group 3 was observed. Significant (p< 0.05) decrease in Troponin I (TnI) in group 2 and 4 was seen. There were no significant (p>0.05) changes in Troponin T (Tn T), aspartate amino transferase (AST) and Creatine Kinase(CK-NAC) of the treatment group when compared to control group. Histopathological examination of section of the heart revealed ventricular dilatation, hypertrophied with enlarged nuclei, stretched, and irregular and mural thrombi in group 2 to 4 and 7. Inflammation in group 5 and 7, Pigment deposited in group 4 to 7 and Mild fibrosis in group 3 were observed. The study demonstrates that consumption of G. senegalensis and Natron for 28 days’induces dyslipidemia and causes changes in the heart of postpartum rats and thus may contribute to the pathogenesis of PPCM.

Antifungal Activity of Gueira senegalensis L. and Mangifera indica L. on Sorghumloose smut pathogen (Sporisorium cruentum (KUHN) POTTER)

The objective of the research was to determine the antifungal activities of Guiera senegalensis L. and Mangifera indica L. leave extracts against most frequently occurring sorghum pathogen of the loose smut (Sporisorium cruentum) in Nigeria. Methanolic extracts from Guiera senegalensis L. and Mangifera indica L. were tested at concentrations of 250, 125, 62.5, and 31.2mg/ml as potential sources of antifungal agents for Sporisorium cruentum. All extracts exhibited moderate to good activities on the tested fungi with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). The test organism was sensitive to the G. senegalensis extracts, with 14mm and 10mm in diameter at 250mg/ml and 125mg/ml, respectively. The test organism was sensitive to M. indica leaf extract with 12mm in diameter at 250mg/ml. The results showed that both extracts exhibited inhibitory effects at different concentrations against the test organism. Therefore, it is concluded that extracts of G. senegalensis and M. indica could be used in controlling the fungal pathogen of sorghum loose smut (Sporisorium cruentum). Keywords; antifungal activities, Sporisorium cruentum, Guiera senegalensis, Mangifera indica

Bio-irrigation: A Drought Alleviation Strategy through Induced Hydro-parasitization under Bi-cropping Practices of Rainfed Agro-ecosystem: A Review

Exploring ecosystem services for environment sustainability is the trending area of research in the field of natural resource management (NRM). Water is an important entity of agro-ecosystem, dryland agriculture greatly suffers due to want of moisture. Bi-cropping is one practice where different crops are grown in proximity to realize various benefits under uncertainties of dryland agriculture. Literacy among multifarious benefits of bi-cropping over monoculture is fairly rich among the researchers as well as growers. However, bio-irrigation is one such co-benefits which address about drought alleviating strategies under bi-cropping practice. In this technique, deep rooted plants suck up water from deep moist sub-soil and deposit part of that sucked water in the upper dry soil layers due to water potential gradient, during this hydraulic lift and redistribution shallow rooted neighboring crops in close proximity gets due benefits of this lifted water in alleviating drought. This is high time to device cropping systems of water limited environment to unlock the potentiality of dryland production units. Based on the published studies Piliostigma reticulatum, Guiera senegalensis, Panicum maximum, Festuca arundinacea and Cajanus cajan were identified as potential bio-irrigator arid agro-ecosystem.