Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy Volume 6 Number 5, June 2014 ISSN 2141-2502 ABOUT JPP The Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy (JPP) is published monthly (one volume per year) by Academic Journals. The Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy (JPP) is an open access journal that provides rapid publication (monthly) of articles in all areas of the subject such as ethnobotany, phytochemistry, ethnopharmacology, zoopharmacognosy, medical anthropology etc. The Journal welcomes the submission of manuscripts that meet the general criteria of significance and scientific excellence. Papers will be published shortly after acceptance. All articles published in JPP are peer-reviewed. Submission of Manuscript Submit manuscripts as e-mail attachment to the Editorial Office at: [email protected]. A manuscript number will be mailed to the corresponding author shortly after submission. The Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy (JPP) will only accept manuscripts submitted as e-mail attachments. Please read the Instructions for Authors before submitting your manuscript. The manuscript files should be given the last name of the first author. Editors Dr. (Mrs) Banasri Hazra Dr. Maryam Sarwat Research Scientist (U.G.C.) C/O A.M. Khan, House No. 195 Department of Pharmaceutical Technology Jadavpur University Dr. Yong-Jiang Xu Calcutta - 700032 Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, India National University of Singapore, Singapore. Prof. Dr. Adeolu Alex Adedapo Dr. Yuanxiong Deng Department of Veterinary Physiology, Dept of Pharmaceutical Science Biochemistry and Pharmacology School of Medicine University of Ibadan, Nigeria Hunan Normal University Tongzipo Road 371, Changsha 410013, Dr. Joana S. Amaral Hunan China Campus de Sta Apolónia, Ap. 1134, 5301-857 Bragança, Portugal Prof. Maha Aboul Ela Beirut Arab University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beirut Dr. Asad Ullah Khan Campus Interdisciplinary Biotechnology UNIT Aligarh Muslim University, Dr. S. RAJESWARA REDDY India Assistant Professor, Division of Animal Biotechnology Department of Biotechnology, School of Herbal Dr. Sunday Ene-ojo Atawodi Studies and Naturo Sciences, Biochemistry Department Dravidian University, Kuppam – 517 425, A.P. Ahmadu Bello University India Zaria, Nigeria Dr. Mekhfi Hassane Prof. Fukai Bao University Mohammed the First, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of biology, Oujda, Morocco Kunming Medical College Morocco China Dr. Ilkay Erdogan Orhan Dr. Bhaskar C Behera Faculty of Pharmacy, Gazi University, Agharkar Research Institute Ankara, Turkey Dept. of Secience &Technology, Turkey Plant Science Division India Dr. Arun Kumar Tripathi Central Insttute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Prof. R. Balakrishna Bhat P.O. CIMAP, LUCKNOW-226015, Walter Sisulu University India Department of Botany Mthatha, South Africa Dr. Wesley Lyeverton Correia Ribeiro Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Faculdade Dr. Mohammad Nazrul Islam Bhuiyan de Veterinária/Laboratório de Doenças BCSIR Laboratories; Parasitárias Av. Paranjana, 1700 Chittagong cantonment; Itaperi - Fortaleza Chittagong-4220; 60740-903, CE - Brazil Bangladesh Dr. Baojun Bruce Xu Dr. Adibe Maxwell Ogochukwu Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Management, University United International College Zhuhai, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Province, University of Nigeria, Nsukka China Enugu state, Nigeria. Dr. Hamad H. Issa Department of Physical Sciences, Dr. Odukoya, Olukemi Abiodun School of natural Sciences, Department of Pharmacognosy, The University of Dodoma, Faculty of Pharmacy Tanzania University of Lagos. Nigeria. Dr. Gagan Deep Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Dr. Qinxue Richard Ding School of Pharmacy, Medical Center at Stanford University, University of Colorado Denver, Palo Alto, Colorado, USA USA Dr. Sulejman Redžic Dr. Fengguo Xu Faculty of Science of the University of Sarajevo Dept of Epidemiology and Public Health, 33-35 Zmaja od Bosne St., Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Sarajevo, National University of Singapore, Bosnia and Herzegovina Singapore Dr. Michal Tomczyk Dr. Haitao Lv Medical University of Bialystok, Medicine and Endocrinology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Albert Einstein College of Meidicine, Department of Pharmacognosy, Yeshiva University, Poland USA Dr. Ugur Çakilcioglu Hassane MEKHFI Firat University, University Mohammed the First, Faculty of Science and Arts, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology, Department of biology, Elazig Laboratory of Physiology and Ethnopharmacology, Turkey Morocco Dr. Subhash C. Mandal Prof. Samson Sibanda Division of Pharmacognosy National University of Science and Technology Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy Research Cnr Gwanda Road/Cecil Avenue, Laboratory, Ascot, Bulawayo, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Zimbabwe Jadavpur University, India. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy Table of Contents: Volume 6 Number 5 June 2014 ARTICLES Research Articles Risk of liver damage, reduced serum T3 and TSH, reduced placental and litter birth weights are some of the outcomes of Hybanthus enneaspermus infusion to pregnant rats 54 Awobajo F. O., Iranloye B. O., Olatunji-Bello I. I. and Adegoke O. A. African medicinal plant derived products as therapeutic arsenals against multidrug resistant microorganisms 59 Assob Jules Clement Nguedia and Nsagha Dickson Shey Vol. 6(5), pp. 54-58, June 2014 DOI: 10.5897/JPP2014.0310 Article Number: 7E1D00945350 Journal of Pharmacognosy and ISSN 2141-2502 Copyright © 2014 Phytotherapy Author(s) retain the copyright of this article http://www.academicjournals.org/JPP Full Length Research Paper Risk of liver damage, reduced serum T3 and TSH, reduced placental and litter birth weights are some of the outcomes of Hybanthus enneaspermus infusion to pregnant rats Awobajo F. O., Iranloye B. O., Olatunji-Bello I. I. and Adegoke O. A. Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Nigeria. Received 27 Jan, 2014: Accepted 30 May, 2014 Hybanthus enneaspermus is used by traditional birth attendants (TBAs) in southwest Nigeria in antenatal care. We examined the effects of oral administration of aqueous leaf extract of H. enneaspermus (HEaq) on liver weight and assay, maternal-thyroid hormones, foetal growth and litters birth weights in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Twelve pregnant SD rats were used for this study. Control group received distilled water while the test group received 2 g/kg body weight of HEaq orally throughout the period of pregnancy. On day 19 of pregnancy, animals were sacrificed by CO2 asphyxiation and cervical dislocation. Blood samples were withdrawn into sterile tubes and centrifuged to obtain serum that was used for assay. Liver hormogenate was used for liver function test. The following were assayed; alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), thyroid hormone, thyrotrophin and TSH in both control and treated rats. Some rats were allowed to carry their pregnancy to term. All rules guiding animal care and humane handling methods of laboratory animals in animal experimentation were followed. The results of the study showed a significant increase in serum and liver homogenate level of biomarkers of liver injury (ALP, ALT and AST). The serum T3 and TSH were significantly lowered in all extract treated rats compared to control, while T4 and thyrotrophin were not significantly altered. A significant reduction in placenta and foetal birth weights were recorded in the extract treated group. Oral administration of HEaq during pregnancy adversely affected maternal thyroid hormones, placental and foetal development. HEaq administration to pregnant rats also precipitated increased biomarkers of liver damage. Key words: Hybanthus enneaspermus, pregnancy outcome, thyroid hormone, litters birth weight, liver function test. INTRODUCTION The activities of the traditional birth attendants (TBAs) are enneaspermus is one of the most important medicinal still common in Nigeria society where they attend to > plants used in southwest Nigeria by the TBAs (Awobajo 50% of deliveries (Oruamabo, 2007). One of the tools et al., 2013). The TBAs claimed that administration of the used by the TBAs is medicinal plant. Hybanthus concoction of the leaf extract of the H. enneaspermus Awobajo et al. 55 (HEaq) plant invigorate the pregnant woman, boost the following assays were carried out; alanine aminotransferase (ALT), haematological parameters and make delivery easy and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and safe (Awobajo et al., 2013). However, these claims are thyroid hormones assay. AST, ALT, ALP was measured using commercially available kits ELISA kit and a UV-spectrophotometer not scientifically verified. Several other medicinal plants (Hitachi 736-60, Japan). Hormonal assay was carried out with have been shown to possess some advantages while Randox assay kit, (UK) according to manufacturer specification. many others have deleterious effects on body system The liver was dissected out over ice pack, homogenized in phos- (Dahanukar et al., 2000). phate buffer after which it was centrifuged at 1500 g for 15 min. The H. enneaspermus (Linn) F. Mull commonly called supernatant from liver hormogenate and serum from blood samples were stored frozen at -8°C until used for the assays. “Abiwere” in Yoruba land, south west Nigeria is a shrub that belongs to the Violaceae family. We have earlier reported on the identification, extraction,