International Journal of Medicinal Plants Research

International Journal of Medicinal Plants Research ISSN 2169-303X Vol. 15 (5), pp. 001-005, May, 2026. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Modulation of Rabbit Colonic Electrolyte Transport by Anacardium occidentale Aqueous Stem Bark Extract

Sadiq Yusuf1*, Mohammed Aliyu2 and Ramatu Ndanusa 2

¹Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Kampala International University, P.O. Box 71, Bushenyi, Uganda.
²Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria- Nigeria.

Accepted 4 January, 2026

Excessive secretion of fluid and electrolytes elicited by enterotoxins is a major cause of mortality in Africa. This study investigated the traditional use of the stem bark of Anacardium occidentale (cashew) in the treatment of diarrhea by studying its effect on sodium and chloride transport in the rabbit colon. A segment of the rabbit colon was cannulated and perfused in situ with iso-osmotic medium at 0.3 ml/min. The plant extract was administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 20, 40 and 80 mg/kg respectively. Perfusates were collected at 10 min interval for 1 h. The amount of sodium and chloride ions in the perfusates was analyzed with a flame photometer. The results indicated that the plant extract dose dependently stimulate sodium absorption (P < 0.05) and has no effect on chloride transport in the rabbit colon. In conclusion, this study indicates that A. occidentale stimulate sodium and water absorption and therefore may be effective in the treatment of diarrhea in developing countries.

Key words: Anacardium occidentale, chloride ion, colon, diarrhea, rabbit, sodium ion.
 

International Journal of Medicinal Plants Research ISSN 2169-303X Vol. 15 (5), pp. 001-008, May, 2026. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Redox Modulation and Erythrocyte Viability: Evaluating the Efficacy of Exogenous Antioxidants

Benevolent Orighomisan Atolaiye1*, Matthew Ayorinde Adebayo2, Ogo-Oluwa Oluwatoyin Jagha3, Adebisi Olonisakin1 and Comfort Ogenyi Agbo1

¹Department of Chemistry, Nasarawa State University, Keffi-Nigeria.
²Department of Chemical Sciences, Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo-Nigeria.
³HIV/AIDS Unit, World Bank, Nigeria Country Office, Asokoro, Abuja-Nigeria.

Accepted 17 October, 2025

The effectiveness of certain antioxidant substances in the protection of red cells from oxidation and degradation with respect to their window times of survival have been analyzed using UV-Visible spectrophotometry. Antioxidant substances evaluated included; vitamin A, vitamin D, mixture of vitamins A and D, various species of Kolanut, Garcinia kola, Prosopis africana beans, beans shell extracts and eugenol, an oil extract from the clove plant. In the presence of an oxidizing agent; potassium ferricyanide, lysis of red cell membrane, oxidation of exposed hemoglobin and methemoglobin formation were observed within 12 h. When the red blood cells were exposed to antioxidants, red cells were found to survive oxidation above 12 h. The window times of survival of the red cells in the presence of the antioxidants were found to be as follows: eugenol ≥ 32 h, G. kola ≥ 32 h, Cola acuminata (white) ≥ 32 h, C. acuminata (red) ≤ 20 h, C. acuminata (pink) 24 h, Cola nitida (white) 20 h, C. nitida (red) 26 h, C. nitida (pink) ≥ 32 h, Prosopis africana beans (shell extract) 30 h, P. africana (beans extract) 24 h, vitamins A and D (mixture) 30 h, vitamin D 24 h and vitamin A ≥ 32 h. A synergistic relationship between vitamins A and D was established, eugenol was the most effective while C. nitida (white) showed the least potency and therefore effectiveness.

Key words: Antioxidant potency, evaluation, red cell, survival time.
 

International Journal of Medicinal Plants Research ISSN 2169-303X Vol. 15 (5), pp. 001-004, May, 2026. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Cholesterol-Lowering Activity of Capparis decidua in Experimental Models

Neelkamal Chahlia

Department of Zoology, MDPG College, Sriganganagar (Rajasthan, India) 345001. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel.:
+919413795002

Accepted 9 January, 2026

The effect of various extracts (50% ethanolic) of Capparis decidua on lipid profile of streptozotocin diabetic rats was studied. The extract was administered to the diabetic models for 30days. The extract produced a significant (p<0.05) dose-dependent decrease in the levels of total cholesterol (TC), Triacylglycerol (TG), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL cholesterol), with a significant increase in the level High-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C).The extracts of C. deciduas prove to have a hypolipidemic potential.

Key words: Capparis decidua, diabetes, hypolipidemic.
 

International Journal of Medicinal Plants Research ISSN 2169-303X Vol. 15 (5), pp. 001-013, May, 2026. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Efficacy of Polyherbal Drug MTEC (Modified) against Experimental Diabetes

Kausik Chatterjee, Kazi Monjur Ali, Chhanda Mallick and Debidas Ghosh*

Department of Bio-Medical Laboratory Science and Management, (Innovative Programme Funded Department), Vidyasagar University, Midnapore-721102, West Bengal, India.

Accepted 21 January, 2026

Musa paradisiaca belongs to the family of Musaceae and is distributed throughout India and Malaysia. The plant has medicinal value as antidiabetic agent. Seeds of Tamarindus indica of Caesalpiniaceae family used as traditional medicine for the management of diabetes mellitus found throughout India. Eugenia jambolana an evergreen tree of Myrtaceae family is used as traditional medicine for the management of diabetes in India. Coccinia indica of Cucurbitaceae family is distributed widely all over India and its medicinal value as antidiabetic agent is well recognized. The diabetic therapeutic efficacy of a formulated polyherbal drug (abbreviated form MTEC), constituted with n-hexane fractions of the hydromethanol extract of root of M. paradisiaca, seed of T. indica, seed of E. jambolana and leaf of C. indica at specific ratio was investigated in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Streptozotocin-induced diabetic state was confirmed here by the monitoring of increased level of fasting blood glucose, decreased glycogen level in liver and skeletal muscle along with elevation in the activities of glucose-6-phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase and diminution in the activities of hexokinase as well as glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in liver, skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle. Oral administration of MTEC (modified) at a dose of 100 mg/5 ml of olive oil/Kg body weight daily to the diabetic rats significantly (P<0.05) corrected fasting blood glucose level, glycogen contents of liver and skeletal muscle along with said carbohydrate metabolic enzyme activities in liver, skeletal and cardiac muscles in diabetic rat towards the control levels. Diabetes mellitus induced oxidative stress was also corrected significantly (P<0.05) by the treatment of this polyherbal drug (modified MTEC) to the diabetic rat. Results of the present study support the therapeutic potentiality of this polyherbal drug MTEC for the management of diabetes.

Key words: Antihyperglycaemic drug, polyherbal drug, diabetes mellitus, oxidative stress, carbohydrate metabolic enzymes.
 

International Journal of Medicinal Plants Research ISSN 2169-303X Vol. 15 (5), pp. 001-006, May, 2026. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

In Vitro Time-Kill Kinetics and Bactericidal Efficacy of Helichrysum longifolium Leaf Extracts

Aiyegoro O. A.1, Afolayan A. J.2 and Okoh AI1*

¹Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group (AEMREG), Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Fort Hare, Alice 5700, Private Bag X1314, South Africa.
²Phytomedicine Group, Department of Botany, University of Fort Hare, Alice 5700, Private Bag X1314, South Africa.

Accepted 8 January, 2026

In vitro antibacterial time kill studies of extracts of Helichrysum longifolium was assessed using twenty- three bacteria species made up of eleven Gram positive and twelve Gram negative strains. All test bacteria were susceptible to the methanol extract, while none was susceptible to the aqueous extract. Two of the test bacteria were susceptible to the ethyl acetate extract, while ten and seven were susceptible to the acetone and chloroform extracts respectively at the test concentration of 5 mg/ml. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranged between 0.5 and 5.0 mg/ml, for acetone and methanol extracts; 0.1-5.0 mg/ml for chloroform extract and 5.0 mg/ml for the ethyl acetate extract; while minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) ranged between 1.0 and >5 mg/ml for all the extracts. Average log reductions in viable cell counts for all the extracts ranged between 0.1 Log10 and 7.5 Log10 cfu/ml after 12 h interaction at 1 × MIC and 2 × MIC. Most of the extracts were rapidly bactericidal at 2 × MIC achieving a complete elimination of most of the test organisms within 12 h exposure time.

Key words: Helichrysum longifolium, crude extract, MIC, time-kill.
 

International Journal of Medicinal Plants Research ISSN 2169-303X Vol. 15 (4), pp. 001-003, April, 2026. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Letter to the Editor

Rethinking the Role of Herbal Therapies in Modern Medicine

Bello Shaibu Oricha

Department of Pharmacology, College of Health Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto State, Nigeria. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel.: 2348066024503. Fax: 23460230450.

Accepted 13 November, 2025

Confronted with spiraling cost of orthodox medicines and a high level of either treatment failure or poor patients’ satisfaction, herbal therapies have been presented as alternatives to orthodox therapies. They have are frequently registered by appropriate authorities and packaged in the forms of orthodox medications. On face value, these pathways may be quite healthy for the overall health service; however the so called “business of medicine” is notorious for sometimes putting profit over science. This paper takes a critical review of herbal patents in this regard.

Key words: Herbal therapies, herbal patents, dietary additives.