The Anti Trypanosomal Potential of Vanadium: Its Effect on the Lipid Profile of Trypanosoma congolense in Vitro

ISHAYA Y. LONGDET
Department of Biochemistry
University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria.
E-mail: islongdet@yahoo.com
Abstract
In search for new therapeutic agents against Human African
Trypanosomiasis, an in vitro investigation of the impact of vanadium
on the lipid profile of T. congolense, a causative agent of nagana in
animals, was carried out. Purified bloodstream forms of the
parasites were incubated with graded concentration (1.0 x 10-1M to
1.0 x 10-8M) of V2O5 and the effect on total lipid, total polar, total
neutral and fractions of both polar and neutral lipid components
studied separately. Data from this investigation reveal that
vanadium, as its oxide; bring about a reduction in the total lipid
content of the parasite by about 48.94% to 52.20% while the total
polar and total neutral lipids suffered reduction by about 56% to
60% and 40% to 47% respectively. The effects of the metal on the
polar and neutral lipid fractions show greater variation. This reduced
level of total and fractional lipid components may pose a challenge to
the parasite in terms of membrane structure and function as well as
general metabolic activity. Therefore, vanadium may be a basis for a
potent chemotherapeutic agent useful against Trypanosoma species,
the pathogens of trypanosomiasis.

Effect of Aframomum danielli on the Keeping Quality Characteristics of Akara

1J.K. IKYA, 1P.T. NONGOMIN AND 1A. IORBEE 1Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Agriculture, Makurdi. Benue State, Nigeria. 1E-mail: aveyina2012@gmail.com
Abstract
Akara has remained to be popular diet in Nigeria and other African
countries because it is cheap, readily available and contains good
quality protein that could sustain health growth and normal
development in children. Akara is traditionally produced by deep
frying in oil paste obtained from mixing cowpea flour and water. In
spite of the fact that preparation of Akara from fresh cowpea seed
is labour intensive and time consuming, it has a shorter shelf-life due
to its high moisture and fat contents. Associated with the fat
content is the lipid oxidation occasioned by high temperature of
deep-frying and putrefaction, causing ropiness by Bacillus subtilis
respectively. In this study to elongate the shelf life of Akara
cowpea flour: Aframomum danielli powder formulated blends were
mixed with water to form a paste which were made into balls, deep
fried, cooled and packaged and unpackaged to study the effect of
the Aframomum danielli on microbiological, chemical and sensory
properties of Akara. Results of microbiological analysis showed
that Aframomum danielli exhibited inhibitory effect on spoilage
microorganisms both for packaged and unpackaged Akara samples
kept at ambient condition. Analysis of Peroxide value showed the
samples maintaining the 10 threshold with sample D (3g Aframomum
danielli powder + 100g cowpea flour) having a relatively low value
compared to the other samples from day 1 to 5 thus implying a
lesser chance of going rancid. Free Fatty Acid values observed for
sample D(0.22, 0.67) from day 1 to 5 were lower than other samples
particularly A(0.56, 1.35) thereby indicating the storage stability of
fat present in the product. In terms of Thiobarbituric Acid, sample
D(0.5 – 0.73) had lower values from day 1 to 5 compared with A(0.55
– 1.42), B(0.53 – 0.97) and C(0.51 – 0.87) further stressing increased
storage stability of the Akara due to low level lipid oxidation in
samples containing Aframomum danielli. Sensory evaluation results
Effect of Aframomum danielli on the Keeping Quality
Characteristics of Akara
148
showed Samples A and B as most preferred in terms of color and
texture while sample D was significantly different from other
samples in taste and overall acceptability. In all the study showed
that akara spiced with Aframomum danielli at levels 1g-3g were
generally more acceptable and showed greater shelf stability than
un-spiced Akara.

Effect of Tillage on the Yield of Bitter Leaf (Vernonia amydalina) in Southern Nigeria

NMOR E.I. AND ODEH O.H.
Department of Agricultural Technology, School of Agriculture,
Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro.
Email: edithnmor@yahoo.com
Abstract
This research was carried out in School of Agriculture teaching
farm in Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro between June – October

1. Most farmers do not carry out tillage before planting, the
   need therefore to evaluate the effect of tillage on the growth
   performance of bitter leaf. Bitter leaf stems collected from Oleh
   Market, a nearby village were planted in a Complete Randomized
   Block Design (CRBD) with three (3) replications. Some stems were
   planted on ridges while others were planted on flat land. Parameters
   measured are number of leaves, number of branches and plant
   height. Data collected were subjected to student T-test. The result
   revealed that bitter leaf planted on ridges had more number of
   leaves of 24.67. 63.17, 77.67, and 120.0 as against those planted on
   flat land of 19.33, 55.67 and 95.67cm. Bitter leaf planted on ridges
   had better number of branches of 8.3, 8.3, 13.67 and 13.67cm than
   those planted on flat land of 5.6, 10.33 and 10.33cm. The plant
   height followed the same trend of those planted on flat land having
   13.0, 19.33, 25.83 and 44.73cm as against 19.33, 30.0, 43.83 and
   63.27cm. There was significant difference between the
   performance of bitter leaf planted on ridges with those planted on
   flat land in terms of; number of leaves, number of branches and
   plant height at (P>0.05). Hence, planting on ridges is recommended to
   farmers to boost the growth performance of bitter leaf.

Determination of Conformance of Germination in Seeds of Different Size Classes of Nauclea diderrichii

1IJOMAH, J.U., 2UZOWULU, G.I., AND 3OVAT, O.I.
1 & 2Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management,
Cross River University of Technology, Obubra Campus
3Department of Forestry and Wildlife Resources Management
University of Calabar, Calabar.
Abstract
Three different size classes (Large, Medium and Small) of the seeds of
Nauclea diderrichii were tested under humid propagator and in the open
nursery bed. The seeds were weighed and the average fresh weights
were 0.75kg, 0.70kg and 0.50kg for the large, medium and small seeds
sizes respectively. The average lengths varied from 2.2cm and 2.9cm
while the girths were from 2.0cm and 2.6cm. Results show that the
medium seed size class had the highest germinative capacity of 92.5%
though not significantly different from others. It is obvious the
environmental conditions under which the seeds were kept contributed
significantly to their germination. However, a spurious peak value
observed was higher than the true peak value for all seed size classes.
The small seed size class had the best germination value which is an
interaction between mean daily germination and the peak value both in
the open and under humid propagator.
Keywords: Humid propagator, Germinative capacity,