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Background: Bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical impregnated into plastic bottles which has been linked to obesity and its associated health problems, was used to induce obesity in this study. The cost and reported limitations and side effects of orthodox medications employed for weight management, have necessitated a shift in attention to medicinal plants, given their comparative advantage and the common belief amongst locals that plants are free from negative side effects. One plant that has found application for weight loss amongst the local population in Nigeria is Alchornea cordifolia which commonly grows in Africa and has been confirmed to possess numerous medicinal properties including anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrheal, hepaprotective, antiviral, and anti-diabetic effects. Objective: To evaluate the obesity attenuation effect of Alchornea cordifolia ethanol extract (ACEE) and other associated macrovascular health risks in BPA-induced obesity rat model. Methods: Thirty (30) young male Wistar rats (80–100 g) divided into five groups of six rats each, were administered BPA (50 mg/kg), once a day, p.o. for four weeks in order to induce obesity. Afterwards, obesity was confirmed using anthropometric indicators, and the animals were treated for another four weeks as follows: Group 1 (Normal control) received drug/extract reconstitution solvent, olive oil, Group 2 (obese control) received 50 mg/kg of BPA, Group 3 received a conventional anti-obesity drug, Orlistat (30 mg/kg), Group 4 received ACEE (500 mg/kg), and Group 5 received ACEE (1000 mg/kg). At the end of study, anthropometric indicators and relevant serum biochemical indicators were determined using standard procedures. Results: The results obtained showed that oral BPA administration caused obesity i.e. increased body weight, Lee's Index and waist circumference, compared to the normal control (p < 0.05). Moreover, BPA treatment was found to alter measured serum biochemical indicators, (FBG, lipid profile, liver and kidney function indicators) and the lipid regulating enzymes (pancreatic lipase and HMG-CoA reductase activities), relative to the normal control (p < 0.05). However, upon 4-week ACEE oral treatment at 500 and 1000 mg/kg b.w., there was observed significant attenuation of the anthropometric indices, serum biochemical indices and lipid metabolizing enzymes studied (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Together, the results obtained from this study have scientifically validated the traditional use of Alchornea cordifolia leaves in body weight control, hence suggest that the leaves may possess natural products useful in the management of obesity and its related complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical impregnated into plastic bottles which has been linked to obesity and its associated health problems, was used to induce obesity in this study. The cost and reported limitations and side effects of orthodox medications employed for weight management, have necessitated a shift in attention to medicinal plants, given their comparative advantage and the common belief amongst locals that plants are free from negative side effects. One plant that has found application for weight loss amongst the local population in Nigeria is Alchornea cordifolia which commonly grows in Africa and has been confirmed to possess numerous medicinal properties including anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrheal, hepaprotective, antiviral, and anti-diabetic effects. Objective To evaluate the obesity attenuation effect of Alchornea cordifolia ethanol extract (ACEE) and other associated macrovascular health risks in BPA-induced obesity rat model. Methods Thirty (30) young male Wistar rats (80–100 g) divided into five groups of six rats each, were administered BPA (50 mg/kg), once a day, p.o. for four weeks in order to induce obesity. Afterwards, obesity was confirmed using anthropometric indicators, and the animals were treated for another four weeks as follows: Group 1 (Normal control) received drug/extract reconstitution solvent, olive oil, Group 2 (obese control) received 50 mg/kg of BPA, Group 3 received a conventional anti-obesity drug, Orlistat (30 mg/kg), Group 4 received ACEE (500 mg/kg), and Group 5 received ACEE (1000 mg/kg). At the end of study, anthropometric indicators and relevant serum biochemical indicators were determined using standard procedures. Results The results obtained showed that oral BPA administration caused obesity i.e. increased body weight, Lee’s Index and waist circumference, compared to the normal control (p

The prevalence of sexual dysfunction is high in mental illness-related diseases. This study seeks to assess the sexual-enhancing properties of Alchornea cordifolia and Lecaniodiscus cupanioides-supplemented diets in scopolamine-administered rats (SIA). The experimental design consists of 7 groups designated as Group 1: Healthy rats; Group 2: SIA (untreated); Group 3: SIA rats treated with tadalafil; Groups 4 and 5: SIA rats fed with diet supplemented with Alchornea cordifolia (10 and 20% inclusion) and Groups 6 and 7: SIA rats fed with diet supplemented with Lecaniodiscus cupanioides (10 and 20% inclusion). The rats were pre-treated with the supplemented diets; the rats were administered scopolamine (3 mg/kg body weight) on the 12th day of the experiment, and the sexual behavioural study was evaluated on the 14th day of the experiment. After that, the rats were sacrificed, penile tissue was removed and homogenised, and obtained homogenate was used for biochemical evaluations. The obtained results revealed that untreated SIA rats exhibited significantly lower sexual ability when compared with healthy and diet-treated SIA rats. Also, the untreated SIA rats had higher activity of phosphodiesterase-5, angiotensin-1-converting enzyme, arginase, acetylcholinesterase, reduced nitric oxide level and lower antioxidant status in penile tissue when compared with healthy rats and SIA rats pre-treated with the formulated diets, respectively. The sexual ability was enhanced, and the activity of key enzymes linked to erectile dysfunction was reduced in treated SIA rats. Lecaniodiscus cupanioide-supplemented diets promoted sexual ability higher than Alchornea cordifolia-supplemented diets when comparing their overall effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Abelmoschus esculentus and Alchornea cordifolia are commonly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to treat several diseases. Abelmoschus esculentus is used to treat infertility and menorrhagia, while Alchornea cordifolia is used for the treatment of venereal diseases, cough, and diarrhoea. However, very few studies assessed the antidiabetic effects of these plants. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic effects of aqueous extract of A. esculentus fruits and A. cordifolia leaves. Material and Methods: Fresh Abelmoschus esculentus fruits and the powder from the dried leaves of Alchornea cordifolia leaves were prepared by maceration in the aqueous phase (200 mg/100 mL and 50 mg/100 mL respectively) for 24 h, then filtered and concentrated in an oven at 45 °C. Diabete was induced to male Wistar rats by a single intraperitoneal injection of alloxan (150 mg kg−1, b.w). Rats with a blood glucose level greater than or equal to 200 mg/dL were selected, divided into groups and were daily administered orally with either aqueous extracts of A. esculentus at 30 mg kg−1 (AEAE30) or A. cordifolia at 400 mg kg−1 (AEAC400) for 14 consecutive days. For comparison, acarbose (100 mg kg−1), glibenclamide (5 mg kg−1), and 500 mg kg−1 metformin (Glucophage) were administered orally as reference drugs. Moreover, insuline was also used as a positive control and administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 5 IU/kg. Then, blood glucose levels, oral glucose tolerance test, oral maltose tolerance club, body weight and hemoglobin were assessed. For evaluation of the aqueous extracts in the intestinal transit, imodium (2mg kg−1, p.o) and fructine (5 mg kg−1, p.o) were used as a positive control to determine the spasmolytic and laxative activities, respectively. The histopathological study of the liver, kidney, pancreas, testis, epididymis, and seminal vesicle was also carried out using the hematoxyline & eosin (H&E) technique. Results: AEAE30 and AEAC400 significantly reduced (P < 0.001) fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels and significantly prevented (P < 0.001) postprandial glycemia in AI-db rats following oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and oral maltose tolerance test (OMTT) in alloxan-induced diabetic rats (AI-db). In normoglycemic and insulin-resistant (IR) rats, AEAE30 significantly prevented the post-prandial blood glucose level during the OGTT (P < 0.01) only in normoglycemic rats. At the end of treatment, AEAE30 significantly reduced the relative weight of the liver (P < 0.01) and significantly increased (P < 0.001) the relative weight of the testes and pancreas while AEAC400 significantly increased the relative weight of the testes compared to untreated AI-db rats. The histopathological study revealed a restoration of alloxan-induced tissue damage close to the normal control group in AI-db animals treated with plant extracts, as well as an increase in sperm density in the epididymis unlike in the untreated AI-db group. Conclusion: These findings suggested that AEAE and AEAC exhibited hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic activities and could be therefore a useful source of antidiabetic agent.

Objective: This study was carried out to document the medicinal values and therapeutic applications of different parts of A. cordifolia in Ekebedi Oboro ancient Kingdom of Abia State, Nigeria, and profile its bioactive constituents. Material-Method: The ethno-botanical survey involved questionnaires and oral interviews of 81 randomly selected traditional medicine doctors and natives on medicinal values of A. cordifolia. GC-MS fingerprinting was adopted to elucidate the bioactive constituents of the methanol leaf extract of the plant. Results: The survey showed that A. cordifolia is prescribed in different treatment regimens for coughs, bronchitis, postpartum bleeding, lacerations, wounds, vaginitis, diarrhea, sickle cell anemia, and venereal diseases, including gonorrhea, syphilis, and prostatitis. Phytochemical fingerprinting revealed the presence of several bioactive compounds as the major active ingredients of the plant. A total of 27 fatty acids and volatile hydrocarbons were detected in the leaf extract of the plant with 9, 12-Octadecadienoic acid (Z, Z)- methyl ester (18.42%), 9-Octadecenoic acid methyl ester (19.93%), Dodecanoic acid 1,2,3-propanetrieyl (15.87%) as most abundant ingredients. Conclusion: A. cordifolia is used to treat various diseases such as sickle cell anemia, diabetes, post-partum bleeding, and HIV infections amongst others. The fatty acids identified in A. cordifolia possibly underscored these antimicrobial and therapeutic actions of the plant in traditional medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaria, which is transmitted by the mosquito Anopheles gambiae, has long been a major public health concern in the tropics. Chemicals used to control A. gambiae have caused significant harm to the environmental and non-target organisms. Furthermore, these mosquitoes have demonstrated a high level of resistance. This study evaluated the adulticidal, ovicidal and repellent potencies of leaf extracts of Alchornea cordifolia against A. gambiae. It was observed that 5 mg/ml of the leaf extract induced about 94% mortality in the adult A. gambiae, 0.8 gm/cm3 of the leaf extract repelled 95% of the mosquitoes within 15 minutes and 0.6 mg/ml of the leaf extract completely inhibited hatching of mosquito ova. Evidently, A. cordifolia leaf extracts showed a good efficacy in the management of A. gambiae in this study. More research is needed to determine its mode of action, synergism with other products, and efficacy in actual field conditions.

Background: Glycemic index (GI) is a measure of the ability of carbohydrate food to raise blood glucose concentration. The GI of a food and its negative effects has caused an adverse increase in the prevalence of diabetes and other metabolic diseases. Objective: This study aimed to determine the effect of Alchornea cordifolia on glycemic indices of varieties of fufu. Methods: The research was a crossover experimental study involving 10 healthy individuals. A 50-g measure of pure glucose was served on 2 separate occasions and, subsequently, a measured amount of the test foods containing 50 g of available carbohydrates. The GI values were determined by the measure of the blood glucose concentrations of the subjects at fasting and after ingestion of the glucose and the test foods (fufu) within 2 h. Collection of capillary blood for blood glucose measurement started 30 min after consumption and was subsequently taken at 60, 90, and 120 min for both noncomposited and composited fufu GI determination. The phytoconstituents of the A. cordifolia were also determined. Results: For the noncomposited fufu, plantain fufu had the least glycemic response (46%), followed by cassava fufu (50%) and cassava-plantain fufu (53%); however, all were in the low-GI category. For the composited fufu, plantain fufu had the least response (12%), followed by cassava-plantain fufu (14%) and cassava fufu (14%), with all in the low-GI category. A multiple comparison of GI on the various foods by analysis of variance revealed a significant difference between the GI of cassava-plantain fufu and composite cassava-plantain fufu (P = 0.001); cassava fufu and composite cassava fufu (P = 0.004); and plantain fufu and composite plantain fufu (P = 0.006). The phytochemical screening of the A. cordifolia revealed the presence of flavonoids and tannins. Conclusions: Composited A. cordifolia fufu affects the glycemic response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Rots and mycotoxin contamination of agro-produce are prevalent in tropical world. Aspergillus flavus is a major mycotoxigenic rot contaminant of tubers in Abia state, Nigeria. Consumption of mycotoxin contaminated foodstuffs accounts for 25% of medically important human diseases in Nigeria. The objective of this study was to assess antifungal activity of Alchornea cordifolia against A. flavus a mycotoxigenic rot pathogen of stored tuber produce both in vitro and in vivo. Isolates were made from rotted yam tubers and pathogenicity test carried out to confirm A. flavus as pathogen. Five concentrations (100-500 mg mL-1) of methanol leaf extracts of the plant and thiophanate-methyl–a standard fungicide–were evaluated against the growth of the fungus in culture and pathogen-induced rot development and spread in vivo. The experiment was made up of 7 treatments and 3 replicates laid out in CRD. The plant leaf extract demonstrated varying levels of inhibition of A. flavus in vitro and rot development and spread in living tissues of yam. About 56.38%–68.22% and 67.245–80.01% inhibition was recorded by 100 mg mL-1 and 500 mg mL-1 of A. cordifolia extract for spore germination respectively whereas the same concentrations reduced rot development from 60% in the control experiment to 21.80% and 12.10% respectively which compared favorably (P

Although plants are notable reservoirs of pharmacologically and toxicologically bioactive phytoconstituents of medicinal importance, they also contain certain concentrations of some heavy metals that are reportedly of great health concern worldwide necessitating their continuous evaluations. The study aimed to perform the qualitative and quantitative phytochemical investigation of the ethanol leaf extract of Alchornea cordifolia Schumach and Thonn) Mȕll Arg (Euphorbiaceae) (A. cordifolia) vis-à-vis its heavy metals content and in-vitro antioxidant effects using standard procedures in attempts to establish the plant's medicinal safety level. The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of phenols, flavonoids, tannins, glycosides, cardiac glycosides, saponins, alkaloids, and carbohydrates of varying amounts and reference levels following thin-layer chromatography. Elemental analysis showed the presence of cobalt, iron, zinc, manganese, copper, sodium, calcium, and magnesium whose concentrations were all below the WHO/FAO recommended permissible limits except for cadmium and nickel, which was above their permissible limits even as the lead was below detectable level. The invitro antioxidant activities were concentration-dependent. The plant did not only contain many heavy metals below standard recommended permissible levels, it also demonstrated some antioxidant potentials to herald it relative safety. However, the presence of cadmium and nickel levels above the recommended permissible levels calls for its cautious usage while necessitating further investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Africa has a rich and diverse flora that people use for their food and health needs. This study aims to explore the possibility of using aqueous and/or ethanolic extracts of Alchornea cordifolia leaves as an alternative in the fight against multi-resistant bacteria responsible for gastritis and urinary tract infections. Results The results show that 100% of the tested bacilli (E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa) are resistant to the 10 antibiotic disks tested. This resistance is 66.66% for quinolones and fluoroquinolones. S. aureus was found to be resistant to glycopeptides and aminoglycosides. Three ESBL genes are identified in bacilli against only one type of ESBL gene in cocci. 100% of the bacilli carry the SHV genes, and S. aureus has the Mec A gene. The aqueous extract exerted a bactericidal effect on all the strains with MICs and BMCs varying, respectively, from 0.76 to 50 mg/ml and BMCs from 0.76 to 100 mg/ml. Only 40% of the chemical groups (tannin, flavonoids, mucilages and sterol-terpenes) sought were present in the aqueous extract. The ethanolic extract is not active. Conclusions Based on these data, the aqueous extract of A. cordifolia leaves is a good phytomedical candidate for the treatment of gastritis (stomach cramps, watery or bloody diarrhea) and urinary tract infections caused by multi-resistant Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of aqueous leaf extract of Alchornea cordifolia by in vitro methods. The aqueous extract is prepared by dissolving ground plant materials (100g) in 1 L of distilled for 48 hours, filtered, and then dried using rotary evaporator before it was used for the pharmacological investigations. Standard phytochemical methods were used to test for the presence of phytoactive compounds in the leaf, in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities were also assayed for using various methods. The qualitative screening of the phytochemical constituents of the aqueous extracts of Alchornea cordifolia leaves showed the presence of Phenols, tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids and cardiac glycosides while the quantitative phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of tannin, alkaloid, flavonoids and phenol. Tannins had the highest concentration, while the lowest was flavonoids. The in-vitro antioxidant study revealed that aqueous leaf extract of Alchornea cordifolia possesses antioxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner against DPPH, reducing power, total antioxidant capacity and nitric oxide activity while the outcome of the in-vitro anti-inflammatory assay revealed that the antiproteinase, membrane stabilization and albumin denaturation activities of the extracts significantly (p<0.05) increased in a concentration-dependent manner. In conclusion, the leaf of Alchornea cordifolia is rich in phytochemical substances. This could be responsible for the in-vitro antioxidants and anti-inflammatory activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Medicinal plants have over time played important roles in many indigenous primary health care systems. Alchornea cordifolia, a widely distributed plant, is a commonly used medicinal plant for the treatment and management of many disease conditions. The present study involved the evaluation of the acute and sub-acute toxicity studies of ethanol leaf extract of A. cordifolia in male Wistar rats. Methods: The hematological and biochemical profiles evaluation was via the automated hematologic analyzer and the spectrophotometer with sodium and calcium ions evaluations using flame photometer, and tissue histopathological evaluations following standard procedures. Results: The results showed no visible signs of acute toxicity at a limit dose of 5000 mg/kg. The plant leaf extract did not induce anemia or change the immunocompetence of the treated rats after 28 days of treatment. There was a significant (p

Purpose: The recent emergence of Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) parasites resistant to current artemisinin-based combination therapies in Africa justifies the need to develop new strategies for successful malaria control. We synthesized, characterized and evaluated medical applications of optimized silver nanoparticles using Alchornea cordifolia (AC-AgNPs), a plant largely used in African and Asian traditional medicine.Methods: Fresh leaves of A. cordifolia were used to prepare aqueous crude extract, which was mixed with silver nitrate for AC-AgNPs synthesis and optimization. The optimized AC-AgNPs were characterized using several techniques including ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry (UV-Vis), scanning/transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and Zeta potential. Thereafter, AC-AgNPs were evaluated for their hemocompatibility and antiplasmodial activity against Pf malaria strains 3D7 and RKL9. Finally, lethal activity of AC-AgNPs was assessed against mosquito larvae of Anopheles stephensi, Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti which are vectors of neglected diseases such as dengue, filariasis and chikungunya.Results: The AC-AgNPs were mostly spheroidal, polycrystalline (84.13%), stable and polydispersed with size of 11.77 ± 5.57 nm. FTIR revealed the presence of several peaks corresponding to functional chemical groups characteristics of alkanoids, terpenoids, flavonoids, phenols, steroids, anthraquonones and saponins. The AC-AgNPs had a high antiplasmodial activity, with IC50 of 8.05 μg/mL and 10.31 μg/mL against 3D7 and RKL9 Plasmodium falciparum strains. Likewise, high larvicidal activity of AC-AgNPs was found after 24 h- and 48 h-exposure: LC50 = 18.41 μg/mL and 8.97 μg/mL (Culex quinquefasciatus), LC50 = 16.71 μg/mL and 7.52 μg/mL (Aedes aegypti) and LC50 = 10.67 μg/mL and 5.85 μg/mL (Anopheles stephensi). The AC-AgNPs were highly hemocompatible (HC50 > 500 μg/mL).Conclusion: In worrying context of resistance of parasite and mosquitoes, green nanotechnologies using plants could be a cutting-edge alternative for drug/insecticide discovery and development.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory activities of aqueous leaf extract of Alchornea cordifolia by in vitro methods. The aqueous extract is prepared by dissolving ground plant materials (100g) in 1 L of distilled for 48 hours, filtered, and then dried using rotary evaporator before it was used for the pharmacological investigations. Standard phytochemical methods were used to test for the presence of phytoactive compounds in the leaf, in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities were also assayed for using various methods. The qualitative screening of the phytochemical constituents of the aqueous extracts of Alchornea cordifolia leaves showed the presence of Phenols, tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids and cardiac glycosides while the quantitative phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of tannin, alkaloid, flavonoids and phenol. Tannins had the highest concentration, while the lowest was flavonoids. The in-vitro antioxidant study revealed that aqueous leaf extract of Alchornea cordifolia possesses antioxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner against DPPH, reducing power, total antioxidant capacity and nitric oxide activity while the outcome of the in-vitro anti-inflammatory assay revealed that the antiproteinase, membrane stabilization and albumin denaturation activities of the extracts significantly (p

Background: Plant as a source of medicine has gained international popularity in recent times because of its natural origin, availability in local communities, cheaper to purchase, ease of administration, and its usefulness as an alternative treatment in case of numerous side effects and drug resistance. However, the use of herbal formulations can also result in short-term and long-term organ damage or dysfunction to the host. In this study, chloroform fractions of the leaves of two medicinal plants, Alchornea cordifolia (ACL) and Carapa procera (CPL), were investigated for their toxicological and anti-malarial effects in murine models. Method: Acute (14-day) and sub-acute (28-day) studies were conducted based on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Guidelines in Institute for Cancer Research (ICR) mice and Sprague Dawley (SD) rats respectively. A dosage of 2000 mg/kg body weight was administered orally to each ICR mouse during the acute study and 100, 300, and 1000 mg/kg body weight to each SD rat during the sub-acute study. A 5-day curative antiplasmodial activity was assessed in ICR mouse model. Results: The assessment of toxicity revealed that all three fractions did not influence mortality, clinical appearance, body weight gain, or necropsy at the various doses. Hematological and serum biochemical analysis indicated no significant elevations in liver and renal function parameters. Histopathological examinations of the liver indicated reversible liver degeneration with the chloroform fraction of the 100% ethanol extract of Carapa procera leaves(CPL100%) at 1000 mg/kg. Anti-plasmodial assessments showed CPL100% exhibiting dose-dependent anti-plasmodial activity from 16% to 26.67%. On the other hand, chloroform fraction of the 100% ethanol extract of Alchornea cordifolia leaves (ACL100%) showed declining anti-plasmodial activity from 21.1% to 15.1%. Conclusion: These preliminary findings demonstrate that chloroform fractions of the leaves of Carapa procera and Alchornea cordifolia may be safe agents for treating malaria hence further development for drug discovery must be pursued. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Plant as a source of medicine has gained international popularity in recent times because of its natural origin, availability in local communities, cheaper to purchase, ease of administration, and its usefulness as an alternative treatment in case of numerous side effects and drug resistance. However, the use of herbal formulations can also result in short-term and long-term organ damage or dysfunction to the host. In this study, chloroform fractions of the leaves of two medicinal plants, Alchornea cordifolia (ACL) and Carapa procera (CPL), were investigated for their toxicological and anti-malarial effects in murine models.Method: Acute (14-day) and sub-acute (28-day) studies were conducted based on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Guidelines in Institute for Cancer Research (ICR) mice and Sprague Dawley (SD) rats respectively. A dosage of 2000 mg/kg body weight was administered orally to each ICR mouse during the acute study and 100, 300, and 1000 mg/kg body weight to each SD rat during the sub-acute study. A 5-day curative anti-plasmodial activity was assessed in ICR mouse model.Results: The assessment of toxicity revealed that all three fractions did not influence mortality, clinical appearance, body weight gain, or necropsy at the various doses. Hematological and serum biochemical analysis indicated no significant elevations in liver and renal function parameters. Histopathological examinations of the liver indicated reversible liver degeneration with the chloroform fraction of the 100% ethanol extract of Carapa procera leaves (CPL100%) at 1000 mg/kg. Anti-plasmodial assessments showed CPL100% exhibiting dose-dependent anti-plasmodial activity from 16% to 26.67%. On the other hand, chloroform fraction of the 100% ethanol extract of Alchornea cordifolia leaves (ACL100%) showed declining anti-plasmodial activity from 21.1% to 15.1%.Conclusion: These preliminary findings demonstrate that chloroform fractions of the leaves of Carapa procera and Alchornea cordifolia may be safe agents for treating malaria hence further development for drug discovery must be pursued.

Background: Africa has a rich and diverse flora that people use for their food and health needs. This study aims to explore the possibility of using aqueous and/or ethanolic extracts of Alchornea cordifolia leaves as an alternative in the fight against multi-resistant bacteria responsible for gastritis and urinary tract infections. Results: The results show that 100% of the tested bacilli (E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa) are resistant to the 10 antibiotic disks tested. This resistance is 66.66% for quinolones and fluoroquinolones. S. aureus was found to be resistant to glycopeptides and aminoglycosides. Three ESBL genes are identified in bacilli against only one type of ESBL gene in cocci. 100% of the bacilli carry the SHV genes, and S. aureus has the Mec A gene. The aqueous extract exerted a bactericidal effect on all the strains with MICs and BMCs varying, respectively, from 0.76 to 50 mg/ml and BMCs from 0.76 to 100 mg/ml. Only 40% of the chemical groups (tannin, flavonoids, mucilages and sterol-terpenes) sought were present in the aqueous extract. The ethanolic extract is not active. Conclusions: Based on these data, the aqueous extract of A. cordifolia leaves is a good phytomedical candidate for the treatment of gastritis (stomach cramps, watery or bloody diarrhea) and urinary tract infections caused by multi-resistant Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alchornea cordifolia Müll. Arg. (commonly known as Christmas Bush) has been used traditionally in Africa to treat sickle cell anaemia (a recessive disease, arising from the S haemoglobin (Hb) allele), but the active compounds are yet to be identified. Herein, we describe the use of sequential fractionation coupled with in vitro anti-sickling assays to purify the active component. Sickling was induced in HbSS genotype blood samples using sodium metabisulphite (Na2S2O5) or through incubation in 100% N2. Methanol extracts of A. cordifolia leaves and its sub-fractions showed >70% suppression of HbSS erythrocyte sickling. The purified compound demonstrated a 87.2 ± 2.39% significant anti-sickling activity and 93.1 ± 2.69% erythrocyte sickling-inhibition at 0.4 mg/mL. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra and high-resolution mass spectroscopy identified it as quercitrin (quercetin 3-rhamnoside). Purified quercitrin also inhibited the polymerisation of isolated HbS and stabilized sickle erythrocytes membranes. Metabolomic comparisons of blood samples using flow-infusion electrospray-high resolution mass spectrometry indicated that quercitrin could convert HbSS erythrocyte metabolomes to be like HbAA. Sickling was associated with changes in antioxidants, anaerobic bioenergy, and arachidonic acid metabolism, all of which were reversed by quercitrin. The findings described could inform efforts directed to the development of an anti-sickling drug or quality control assessments of A. cordifolia preparations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objectives This study examines the rationale, if any, behind combining the extracts from the fruits of Alchornea cordifolia and Pterocarpus santalinoides and aerial parts of Cassytha filiformis in the traditional treatment of diarrhoegenic bacterial infections. Results Four diarrhoegenic bacterial isolates: Salmonella typhi, Shigellae dysenteriae, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were used and their antibiotic susceptibility screening showed that they were multi-antibiotic resistant. The extracts exhibited activity against all the test isolates with minimum inhibitory concentration values ranging from 3.125 to 12.5 mg/mL. From the checkerboard assay, the fractional inhibitory concentration indices showed that C. filiformis has antagonistic and indifference activities in combination with either P. santalinoides or A. cordifolia. This showed that the combination of extracts from the fruits of A. cordifolia and P. santalinoides and aerial parts of C. filiformis is counterproductive and invalidates any claim for positive results in the management of diarrhoegenic bacterial infections.

Our work was to develop an ointment and a lotion from the fruit juice of Alchornea cordifolia for the treatment of dermatophytes. The juice from the cold pressing of the fruit pulp of A. cordifolia was lyophilized. The ointments and lotions obtained from the lyophilizate have been evaluated in vitro on different Trichophyton species (Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton interdigitale, Trichophyton soudanense, and Trichophyton mentagrophytes) according to two techniques, incorporation and direct connection.In vivo tests on white mice were performed after T. mentagrophytes infestation on scarified skin parts. The reference substance was griseofulvin. The 125 mg/ml lyophilizate solution of the fruit pulp showed an activity identical to that of the 125 mg/ml solution of griseofulvin. The lotions were made with ethanol at different degrees and at concentrations of 1/50 and 1/100. Ointments at different concentrations of the lyophilizate (20%, 33%, and 50%) were made with different types of excipients. All lotions and ointments showed in vitro antifungal activity identical to that of griseofulvin up to 16 and 30 days of incubation. The ointments showed better in vivo activity compared to lotions, and the 50% vaseline-based ointment revealed an activity identical to that of griseofulvin, with a healing time of 8 days. The lyophilizate of A. cordifolia fruit juice was formulated as an ointment and lotion, maintained a good antifungal activity in vitro and in vivo on Trichophyton species, compared to griseofulvin.

This study investigated antimicrobial properties of Alchornea cordifolia leaf extract against a panel of selected bacterial strains. It also assessed antioxidant and phytochemical properties of the plant constituents responsible for the bioactive actions recorded. The antimicrobial potentials of the crude extract along with the fractions obtained were determined using the agar well-diffusion method. The most active fraction was partially purified by a combination of thin-layer and column chromatography; and the antimicrobial activity of the resulting samples was tested against the bacterial strains. The results showed that the leaf extract of A. cordifolia and the obtained fractions exhibited varying degrees of antibacterial activities. Phytochemical tests revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, phenols, resins, sterols, carbohydrates and terpenoids. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of the crude extracts were 0.55–4.38 mg/mL while those of the chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions were 0.08–2.50 and 0.08–0.63 mg/mL, respectively. The rate of kill assay showed that the percentage of cells killed was related to concentrations and contact time. The nucleotide and potassium ion leakage from test cells also increased with an increase in the fraction concentrations as well as the contact time intervals. Alchornea cordifolia extract exhibited 50% 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activities at 2.1 µg/mL, whereas the ascorbic acid used as standard had a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 12.3 µg/mL. The major active constituent of the purified sample was 6-octadecanoic acid. This study showed that A. cordifolia leaf extract, which possesses antioxidant properties, exhibited significant antimicrobial activities against the test pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanosilver-in-epoxy lining can serve as self-disinfecting coating in pharmaceutical packaging materials and surfaces. Silver nanoparticles were synthesized using antioxidant-rich fractions of the methanolic extracts of Alchornea cordifolia. The concentration ratio of extract to silver nitrate was varied (from 2:1, 1:1 to 1:4) to obtain several batches of silver nanoparticles (A to F). The resulting silver nanoparticles were characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, photon correlation spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Antimicrobial activities of the batches of silver nanoparticles were tested in vitro using selected bacteria and fungi. Different volumes of the optimized silver nanoparticles solution were mixed with epoxy resin in different ratios, resulting in film 1 (21% v/v) and film 2 (40% v/v). Square films were cut from the coated substrate and their antimicrobial inhibition, eye irritation, and other properties tested. The optimized silver nanoparticles (batch D) were obtained by reacting the extract and silver nitrate in a 1:2 ratio, and it exhibited an excellent activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative organisms as well as fungi. It also exhibited the lowest 2-month particle size and polydispersity. Films 1 and 2 differed significantly in bioactivity (P < 0.05), with film 2 demonstrating a good level of inhibition against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella typhi, but not fungi. It did not elicit any irritation using the Draize eye irritation model. Silver nanoparticle-in-epoxy matrix synthesized with the extract maintains an adequate level of antibacterial activity and finds application in protecting surfaces and packages where bacterial contamination may pose a problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Alchornea cordifolia is widely used in Nigeria for the treatment of malaria. This study was aimed at assessing the in vivo antimalarial activities of the extract and fractions (n-hexane, chloroform, ethylacetate, butanol, aqueous) of the A. cordifolia in Plasmodium berghei infected mice as well as the antioxidant potentials of the crude extract and its fractions. Methods: Antioxidant activity was assessed by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH), nitric oxide scavenging, reducing power and hydrogen peroxide assays. By orally administering the extract (120 mg/kg, 240 mg/kg and 360 mg/kg) and fractions (240 mg/kg), antimalarial activities were evaluated using suppressive, prophylactic and curative tests. Chloroquine (5 mg/kg), pyrimethamine (1.2 mg/kg) and artesunate (5 mg/kg) were used as positive controls. Results: The crude extract showed a significant (P < 0.05–0.001) dose-dependent antimalarial activity in the suppressive, prophylactic and curative tests and increased animal survival time. All fractions caused significant reduction in parasitaemia with the ethylacetate fraction showing the highest activity. The extract and the fractions showed a significant (P < 0.05–0.001) dose- dependent antioxidant activity. Conclusion: Alchornea cordifolia exhibited significant antimalarial and antioxidant potentials, which may be useful in the on-going fight against malaria.

Abstract Background A. cordifolia is a plant widely used in Africa to solve many health problems. In Cameroon, it is used in the treatment of urogenital infections. As a continuation of our search for pharmacologically active agents from natural sources, the antimicrobial activity of A. cordifolia leaf extracts against E. coli and the toxicity of this extract were investigated. Methods The antibacterial activity of the aqueous extract from leaves of Alchornea cordifolia was carried out in vitro on Escherichia coli, as well as in vivo on E. coli-infected rat model. Phytochemical screening was performed using standard methods. The acute toxicity was investigated in mice, while at the end of treatment of infected rats, some biochemical, hematological and histological markers of toxicity were evaluated. Results The extract exhibited a bacteriostatic activity with MIC value of 1500 μg/ml. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of phenols, tannins, triterpens, flavonoids, alkaloids, anthraquinones, anthocyanins, saponins and coumarins in the extract. The acute toxicity study showed LD50 values of 8.6 g/kg and 3.8 g/kg in male and female mice respectively. In vivo, the oral administration of the extract showed a dose-dependent decrease of the bacterial load as the extract at 232, 112 and 58 g/kg were able to eradicate the infection after 9, 11 and 13 days of treatment. The infected rats showed a significant (p

Our work was to develop an ointment and a lotion from the fruit juice of Alchornea cordifolia for the treatment of dermatophytes. The juice from the cold pressing of the fruit pulp of A. cordifolia was lyophilized. The ointments and lotions obtained from the lyophilizate have been evaluated in vitro on different Trichophyton species (Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton interdigitale, Trichophyton soudanense, and Trichophyton mentagrophytes) according to two techniques, incorporation and direct connection.In vivo tests on white mice were performed after T. mentagrophytes infestation on scarified skin parts. The reference substance was griseofulvin. The 125 mg/ml lyophilizate solution of the fruit pulp showed an activity identical to that of the 125 mg/ml solution of griseofulvin. The lotions were made with ethanol at different degrees and at concentrations of 1/50 and 1/100. Ointments at different concentrations of the lyophilizate (20%, 33%, and 50%) were made with different types of excipients. All lotions and ointments showed in vitro antifungal activity identical to that of griseofulvin up to 16 and 30 days of incubation. The ointments showed better in vivo activity compared to lotions, and the 50% vaseline-based ointment revealed an activity identical to that of griseofulvin, with a healing time of 8 days. The lyophilizate of A. cordifolia fruit juice was formulated as an ointment and lotion, maintained a good antifungal activity in vitro and in vivo on Trichophyton species, compared to griseofulvin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The toxicity of aflatoxins results in cancer and liver disease. Several natural substances such as plants exhibited their ability to inhibit the initiation of aflatoxin carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Alchornea cordifolia on biomarkers in an aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) exposed rats. The contents of polyphenols, flavonoids and the antioxidant activity of A. cordifolia ethanolic leaf extract (EELac) were assessed. Groups of rats were treated orally with a daily dose of a mixture of AFB1 at a dose of 150 μg/kg body weight and EELac (50, 100 and 300 mg/kg body weight) for 21 days. Biomarkers of AFB1, such as the AFB1-lysine adduct and aflatoxin M1 were assayed in blood and urine, respectively, using an HPLC system with a fluorescence detector. The contents of polyphenols and flavonoids were 6783.23 ± 272.76 μg EAG/g and 10.54 ± 3.15% of dry matter, respectively. EELac showed a good antioxidant activity (IC50 = 12.65 ± 0.13 μg/mL). The administration of the mixture (AFB1 + EELac) at different doses significantly reduced the level of AFB1-lysine adduct from 14.04 ± 2.1 to 4.13 ± 0.9 ng/mg albumin and that of Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) from 456 ± 16 to 220 ± 24 ng/mL (p <0.05). The rate of reduction was 70.58% for AFB1-lysine adduct and 51.75% for AFM1. A. cordifolia could be used in the prevention of toxicity induced by AFB1 on account of its high content in phenolic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A feeding trial was conducted to study the performance, digestibility and health status of weaner rabbits fed diets including Alchornea cordifolia leaf meal (ALM: 18% crude protein [CP] and 12.9% crude fibre) and supplemented with a multi-enzyme additive (cellulase, xylanase, β-glucanase, α-amylase, protease, lipase). Six experimental diets were arranged factorially: 3 levels of ALM (0, 5 and 10% substituting palm kernel cake: 16.3% CP and 39.1% neutral detergent fibre) combined with 2 levels of enzyme supplementation (0 and 0.35 g/kg). One hundred and eighty healthy, 5-wk-old weaner rabbits of cross-breeds were randomly allotted to 6 dietary treatments (30 rabbits/treatment, 3 rabbits/replicate). Growth rate was not affected (P>0.05) by the main factors (exogenous enzyme and ALM inclusion) and their interactions (13.5 g/d on av.). Daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio decreased (P=0.01) with the ALM inclusion by 8%, but did not affect faecal digestibility. However, enzyme supplementation improved crude protein and crude fibre digestibility (P

Alchornea cordifolia (Schumach. & Thonn.) Müll. Arg. is a well-known African medicinal plant traditionally used for various healing purposes. In the present study, methanolic, ethyl acetate and infusion extracts of A. cordifolia leaves were studied for their total phenolic and flavonoid contents and screened for their chemical composition. Moreover, the enzyme (acetyl- and butyryl-cholinesterases, α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and tyrosinase) inhibitory and cytotoxicity activities on HepG2: human hepatocellular carcinoma cells, B16 4A5: murine melanoma cells, and S17: murine bone marrow (normal) cells of extracts were evaluated. Finally, components-targets and docking analyzes were conducted with the aim to unravel the putative mechanisms underlying the observed bio-pharmacological effects. Interestingly, the infusion and methanolic extracts showed significantly higher total phenolic and flavonoid contents compared with the ethyl acetate extract (TPC: 120.38–213.12 mg GAE/g and TFC: 9.66–57.18 mg RE/g). Besides, the methanolic extracts followed by the infusion extracts were revealed to contain a higher number of compounds (84 and 74 compounds, respectively), while only 64 compounds were observed for the ethyl acetate extract. Gallic acid, ellagic acid, shikimic acid, rutin, quercetin, myricetin, vitexin, quercitrin, kaempferol, and naringenin were among the compounds that were commonly identified in all the studied extracts. Additionally, the methanolic and infusion extracts displayed higher antioxidant capacity than ethyl acetate extract in all assays performed. In ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging assays, the methanol extract (500.38 mg TE/g for DPPH and 900.64 mg TE/g for ABTS) exhibited the best ability, followed by the water and ethyl acetate extracts. Furthermore, the extracts exhibited differential enzyme inhibitory profiles. In particular, the methanolic and infusion extracts showed better cytotoxic selectivity activity against human hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Overall, this study demonstrated A cordifolia to be a species worthy of further investigations, given its richness in bioactive phytochemicals and wide potentialities for antioxidants and pharmacological agents.

Alchornea cordifolia is known to be a plant with a variety of medicinal properties and is quoted by many traditional healers to treat a variety of medicinal problems in the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, very little is known about its potential toxicity. We report the case of a 9-year-old boy referred for assessment of suspected bronchial troubles without a history of atopic disease or drug allergy who developed dyspnea, dysphagia, asthenia and lingual ulcers within 30 minutes after nasal and oral administration of decoction of palm oil associated with A. cordifolia leaves in water. In the present report, adverse effects of A. cordifolia therapy may be related to the mixtures of active compounds that they contain and can cause the symptoms observed in our patient. These findings call for caution in the use of A. cordifolia especially in children.

Two alchornoic acid derivatives, deepoxyalchornoic acid ( 1 ) and bisalchornoicester ( 2 ), together with six known compounds, alchornoic acid ( 3 ), gallic acid, 4- O -methylgallic acid, shikimic acid, kaempferol-3- O -galactoside and 2,3-dihydroxypropyl octacosanoate were isolated from a dichloromethane/methanol-soluble extract of the ripe fruits of the Cameroonian medicinal plant Alchornea cordifolia . The structures of the new fatty acid derivatives were elucidated by interpretation of their HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data and by comparison with those reported in the literature. Some of the isolated compounds demonstrated inhibition activity against the microbial strains Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Citrobacter braakii . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A. cordifolia is a plant widely used in Africa to solve many health problems. In Cameroon, it is used in the treatment of urogenital infections. As a continuation of our search for pharmacologically active agents from natural sources, the antimicrobial activity of A. cordifolia leaf extracts against E. coli and the toxicity of this extract were investigated. Methods: The antibacterial activity of the aqueous extract from leaves of Alchornea cordifolia was carried out in vitro on Escherichia coli, as well as in vivo on E. coli-infected rat model. Phytochemical screening was performed using standard methods. The acute toxicity was investigated in mice, while at the end of treatment of infected rats, some biochemical, hematological and histological markers of toxicity were evaluated. Results: The extract exhibited a bacteriostatic activity with MIC value of 1500 µg/ml. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of phenols, tannins, triterpens, flavonoids, alkaloids, anthraquinones, anthocyanins, saponins and coumarins in the extract. The acute toxicity study showed LD50 values of 8.6 g/kg and 3.8 g/kg in male and female mice respectively. In vivo, the oral administration of the extract showed a dose-dependent decrease of the bacterial load as the extract at 232, 112 and 58 g/kg were able to eradicate the infection after 9, 11 and 13 days of treatment. The infected rats showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the level of serum creatinine, ALAT, white blood cells, and a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the level of food and water intake, the relative weight of lungs, heart and spleen. In the treated rats, a significant (p < 0.05) increase in food and water intake and ALAT was observed at the doses of 116 and 232 mg/kg. A decrease in the red blood cells count and serum protein levels was also observed. These observations corroborate liver damages as revealed by the histopathological examination of the cross sections of this organ. Conclusion: The results of this assay thus showed that the extract of A. cordifolia is bacteriostatic, therapeutic at 58 g/kg bw and may be considered as slightly and almost non-toxic on females and males mice respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study of the extraction yield influencing factors was conducted on the leaves of Alchornea cordifolia and on the whole plant of Tridax procumbens. The screening plan carried out according to the Plackett and Burmann method aimed at analyzing the six following factors: the drying time, grinded matter particle size, ethanol percentage in hydroethanolic solvent, solvent volume per grinded matter mass ratio, maceration time and stirring speed. The methodology used consisted of a series of secondary metabolites extraction by varying the selected factors and simultaneously performing a statistical yields analysis. An optimization was done using the simplex method. The results showed that the solvent volume per grinded matter mass ratio and the ethanol percentage in the hydroethanolic solvent are the two significant factors for Alchornea cordifolia extraction yield, whereas the solvent volume per grinded matter mass ratio, the percentage of ethanol in the hydro-ethanolic solvent, the grain size of the crushed stone and the maceration time are the four significant factors for Tridax procumbens extraction yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]