Investigation into the Pharmacological Basis for Some of the Folkloric Uses of Bonny Light Crude Oil in Nigeria

Crude oil is not a specific single mineral substance. It is often called petroleum hydrocarbon because of its predominant make up of carbon and hydrogen, though it sometimes contains other elements1. There are many types of crude oil having widely different properties. Such variability are related to their behaviour and even degradation on spillage. Crude oil can however be divided into two: heavy and light. While the former has a specific gravity of 1, and contain non hydrocarbon elements like sulphur (about 5% content), with a boiling point of over 270OC, the latter has a specific gravity of 0.8, and contain virtually no other elements than carbon and hydrogen, with its oil distilling at below 270OC.