Abstract: Plants contain several compounds among which are phytochemicals with both beneficial (medicinal, nutritional, antibiotic and environmental) and deleterious (bitter taste, poisonous, chelate) effects on organisms consuming them. Eighteen (18) tropical plants comprising 8 herbaceous plants, 4 trees and 5 shrubs and ornamentals were assayed for their antinutritional factors using qualitative and quantitative techniques. Saponin, tannin, steroid, triterpeniod, cardiac glycoside and phlobatanins were present in all tropical plants examined. Alkaloids used in preparing poison was absent in all samples that were assayed, there were varying quantities of antinutritional factors in all. Saponin content in the plants ranged from (6.22-19.53 g/100 gDM) Adanzonia digitata and Vernonia amygdalina respectively this can be exploited for its nutritional and medicinal benefits for human, animal and environment. Enhancement of protein in form of by-pass protein can be achieved by exploiting tannin which ranged from Morinda lucida (0.53 g/100 gDM) to Talinum triangulae (2.80 g/100 gDM), flavonoids ranged from Newbouldia laevis (0.89 g/100 gDM) to Physalis angulata (10.52 g/100 gDM). Moreover, Phenol is important for its antiseptic action ranged from (0.60 g/100 gDM) in Corchorus olitorium and Morinda lucida to in Talinum triangulae (3.18 g/100 gDM) (p<0.05). All these phytochemicals in tropical plants can be harnessed for their advantages.Abstract: Plants contain several compounds among which are phytochemicals with both beneficial (medicinal, nutritional, antibiotic and environmental) and deleterious (bitter taste, poisonous, chelate) effects on organisms consuming them. Eighteen (18) tropical plants comprising 8 herbaceous plants, 4 trees and 5 shrubs and ornamentals were assayed for their ...Show More
Abstract: This study determined the effect of Tetracarpidium conophorum (black walnut) leaf extract on the male reproductive organs of albino rats. The effects of the leaf extracts were determined on the Epididymal sperm concentration, Testicular histology, and on testosterone concentration in the rat serum by a micro plate enzyme immunoassay (Testosterone assay). A total of sixteen (16) male albino wistar rats were divided into four (1, 2, 3 and 4) groups of four rats each. Group 1 served as the control and was fed with normal diet only, while groups 2, 3 and 4 were fed with 200, 400 and 600 mg/kg body weight (BW) of the extract for a period of two weeks. The Epididymal sperm concentration were not significantly affected (p>0.05) across the groups. The level of testosterone for the treatment groups 2 and 4 showed no significant difference (p>0.05) compared to the control while group 4 showed significant increase compared to that of the control (p<0.05). Pathologic changes were observed in testicular histology across the treatment groups. Robust seminiferous tubular lumen containing sperm cells and increased production of Leydig cells and Sertoli cells were observed across different treatment groups compared to that of the control.Abstract: This study determined the effect of Tetracarpidium conophorum (black walnut) leaf extract on the male reproductive organs of albino rats. The effects of the leaf extracts were determined on the Epididymal sperm concentration, Testicular histology, and on testosterone concentration in the rat serum by a micro plate enzyme immunoassay (Testosterone a...Show More