Trypanocidal and cytotoxic effects of traditionally used medicinal plants of Ethiopia were evaluated. A total of 60 crude plant extracts were prepared from 30 plant species using CH2Cl2 and MeOH. Effect upon cell proliferation by the extracts, for both bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma brucei brucei and human leukaemia HL-60 cells, was assessed using resazurin as vital stain. Of all CH2Cl2 and M...

To determine the repellent activity of Ocimum gratissimum volatile oil against Simulium damnosum (blackflies), a 12 month (January-December 2003) field study was conducted in three onchocerciasis endemic communities (Idomido, Obio camp, and Ikot Adaha) in Ini Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The result revealed that topical application of 20% (v/v) concentration of the oil wit...

A biological experiment of six weeks duration, followed by several laboratory investigations were carried out to study the effect of designer layer mash (DLM) containing full fat flaxseed, oil rich sardine fish, Holy Basil leaf meal (BLM), vitamin E and Organic selenium (Sel-plex), on haematology of layers. Both designer diet and BLM had significant effect on haematology of layers. They also ex...

EuMil, a polyherbal formulation consisting of standardised extracts of Withania somnifera (L) Dunal, Ocimum sanctum L, Asparagus racemosus Wilid and Emblica officinalis Gaertn., is used as an anti-stress agent to attenuate the various aspects of stress related disorders. In the present study, the neurochemical mechanisms underlying the anti-stress activity of EuMil were evaluated by measuring t...

Four weeds (Acorus calamus, Artemisia tridentata, Heliopsis longipes, and Tagetes minuta) and three cultivated plants (Azadirachta indica, Mammea americana, and Ocimum basilicum) are potential candidates for crop development and commercialization for sources of insect attractants, repellants, or toxicants. Although all could be commercially viable, the neem tree (A. indica) is by far the most l...

In vitro cultivated plant cells and tissues were found to synthesize polyisoprenoids. Taxus baccata suspension cell cultures accumulated polyisoprenoids of the same pattern as the parental tissue; methyl jasmonate or chitosan treatment almost doubled their content. All the root cultures studied accumulated dolichols as predominant polyisoprenoids. Roots of Ocimum sanctum grown in vitro accumula...

Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum Linn.) herb has been known from as early as the Vedic period. Its extract has numerous pharmacological activities like hypoglycaemic, immunomodulatory, antistress, analgesic, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcerogenic, antihypertensive, CNS depressant, radioprotective, antitumour and antibacterial. The active constituents of the herb include volatile oil chiefly euge...

Ocimum selloi Benth, a native plant of Brazil, has medicinal uses as anti-diarrheic, antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory product. The yield of essential oils of the inflorescences, containing flowers and seeds, was 0.6%, and the yield of leaves, collected in two different seasons, was 0.25% (June 2000) and 0.20% (January 2001), respectively. The essential oils of the inflorescences and leaves p...