Browsing by Author "Ezeji, Ethelbert U."

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    Determination of reduced glutathione and glutathione S-transferase of poultry birds exposed to permethrin insecticide
    (U. P., 2012) Ezeji, Ethelbert U.; Anyalogbu, Ernest A.; Ezejiofor, Tobias N.; Udensi, Justina U.
    The experiment was carried out to determine the effect of a permethrin insecticide on reduced Glutathione (GSH) and Glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity in the liver and serum of poultry birds. Six weeks old poultry birds (broilers) weighing between 400-600 g, divided into four groups of five birds each. The poultry birds were exposed for 30 days to different concentrations (1, 5 and 10%) of a locally manufactured insect powder called ‘Rambo’ which contains 0.6% permethrin. The control group had no insecticide added to their feed. The levels of reduced glutathione in the treated groups were significantly higher than those in the control group (p<0.05) in both the serum and liver of the poultry birds. Liver and serum Glutathione S-transferase activity was significantly lower (p<0.05) in 1, 5 and 10% insecticide concentrations as against the control. The total liver protein was significantly higher at all levels of pesticide exposure compared with the control while serum protein content was significantly higher at 5 and 10% insecticide concentrations. Results of this experiment confirmed the use of GST as a biomarker in ecological evaluation of environmental pollutants.
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    Phytochemical screening and anti-malaria /typhoid fever activities of alstonia boonei (de wild) stem bark powder
    (Global Science Book, 2013) Analogbu, Ernest. A.; Ezeji, Ethelbert U.; Nwalozie, Chiaka J.
    Anti-malaria/typhoid fever potential of graded doses of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Alstonia boonei bark stem powder were investigated. The stem bark powder was also screened for the presence of some phytochemicals. The percentage chemo-suppressive activity (on early malaria infection in mice) of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight doses were found to be 81, 85 and 75%, respectively for the ethanolic extract and 56, 78 and 80%, respectively for the aqueous extract. This is substantial when compared to the 97% chemo-suppressive effect produced by 5 mg/kg body weight of chloroquine. The extracts did not produce any observable activity against Salmonella typhii. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of saponin, flavonoids, terpenes, sterol and resins in the stem bark powder. These results further confirmed earlier reports that A. boonei possesses antimalarial activities.