The southeastern part of Nigeria is one of the major hotspots of useful plant genetic resources. These endemic species are associated with a rich indigenous knowledge and cultural diversity in relation to their use and conservation. Sphenostylis stenocarpa (ex. A. Rich.) Harms., (African Yam Bean (AYB)), is one such crop within the family of Fabaceae. Its nutritional and eco-friendly characteri...

Textured polyester multifilament yam was subjected to swelling in single and mixed solvents (with varying ratio) at room temperature for different durations. The changes in the structure and properties of the yam were investigated by measuring birefringence, crystallinity, critical dissolution time, shrinkage on treatment, % change in bulk, residual shrinkage, crimp rigidity, dye uptake and dye...

A soluble viscous protein was purified from yam (Dioscorea opposita Thunb.) tuber mucilage tororo by chromatographic steps, and its functional properties were estimated. The purified dioscorin having the molecular weight of about 200 kDa exhibited high scavenging activities against hydroxyl radicals (IC50 = 195.1 microg/ml) and superoxide anion radicals (IC50 = 92.7 microg/ml). Moreover, it sho...

Hot water-insoluble cell wall polysaccharides of immature and mature Dioscorea dunietomin and D. rotundata yam tubers have been characterized in enzymatically destarched flours and were mainly constituted of cellulose followed by hemicellulosic polymers of xylose, galactose, mannose and arabinose. Immature tubers of both species contained a higher proportion of cell wall carbohydrates than matu...

Bilayer tablets of aceclofenac sodium were developed using carboxymethylated white yam (Dioscorea rotundata) starch (CWY) for a fast release layer (2.5, 5.0, and 7.5% w/w), and acid-hydrolyzed bitter yam (Dioscorea dumetorum) starch (ABY) for a sustaining layer (27% w/w). Sodium starch glycolate (SSG) and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) were used as standards. The starches were characteri...

We examined the effects of ingestion of five types of insoluble fibre on growth and Zn absorption in rats fed a marginally Zn-deficient diet (6.75 mg (0.103 mmol) Zn/kg diet) with or without added sodium phytate (12.6 mmol/kg diet). The types of insoluble fibre tested were corn husks, watermelon skin, yam-bean root (Pachyrhizus erosus) and pineapple core, and cellulose was used as a control (10...