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Biodiesel is a promising alternative fuel and has gained significant attention due to the predicted depletion of conventional fossil fuels and environmental concerns. This study aims to produce biodiesel from ogbono seed oil (using 98 ml methanol and 2g potassium hydroxide (KOH) as a catalyst) via transesterification process and to determine the physiochemical properties of the biodiesel produced. The physiochemical properties of the feedstock (extracted ogbono seed oil) were also determined before the transesterification process. The physiochemical properties of the produced biodiesel showed that it has a density of 0.5±0.00 g/cm3, pour point of 2.0±0, saponification value of 58.90±0.06 mg KOH/g, ester value of 98.0±0.5% (m/m), iodine value of 26.64±0.15gI2/100g, acid value of 0.28±0.05 mgKOH/g, moisture value of 0.0006 ±0.0% and trace amounts of ash content. The results of the physiochemical properties of the produced biodiesel agree with ASTM-D6751 and EN 14214 standard. Thus, it was concluded that ogbono seed oil is an excellent feedstock for biodiesel production via base catalyzed transesterification process

This study was designed to ascertain the safety profile as well as explore new antimicrobial agents from the methanol leaf extract of Stachytarpheta indica. The methanol extract was prepared and screened for its phytochemical composition, oral acute toxicity profile as well as challenged with common pathogenic microorganisms for its antimicrobial activities using standard procedures. The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of various pharmaceutically active secondary metabolites like alkaloids, saponins, carbohydrate, cardiac glycosides, terpenoid, tannin, anthraquinones, phenolics and flavonoid. P. aeruginosa and S. aureus showed the best and least antibacterial activity respectively. The extract exhibited antifungal activity in a dose dependent manner with the inhibition more pronounced with A. niger than with C. albicans. The standard drugs ciprofloxacin and fluconazole exhibited a near 100% activity. There was no mortality at 8 g/kg p.o. after 24 hours and no sign of delayed toxicity or mortality after 14 days of observation. There were no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) observed in the examined organs as well as body weights in both 24 h and 14 d study. This research holds promise for the exploration of various potentially active secondary metabolites which would help in developing pharmaceuticals especially antimicrobial drugs as well as recommend the short-term oral administration of the extract up to a dose of 8 g/kg body weight.

Herbal medicine despite its increase usage globally is being plagued by inadequate research on their effectiveness. Stachytarpheta indica commonly known as snakeweed is used locally in the management of asthma, headache, alopecia, bronchitis, bruise, chest cold, constipation, itch, diarrhea, skin sore, vermifuge, dysentery, dysmenorrhea among others. This study investigated the phytochemical composition, quantitative proximate parameters and in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of the leaves of S. indica using established methods. Results confirmed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, carbohydrate, cardiac glycosides, terpenoid, tannin, anthraquinones, phenolics and flavonoid. Moisture content (9.16 ± 0.04%), total ash (19.42 ± 0.15%), water insoluble ash (7.17 ± 0.22%), acid insoluble ash (3.63 ± 0.26%), alcohol soluble extractive (0.99 ± 0.06%) and water-soluble extractive (0.36 ± 0.02%) values were obtained from the quantitative proximate analysis. An infusion of the methanol leaf extract of Stachytarpheta indica demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory activity in a dose dependent manner comparable to that of indomethacin standard.

Increase in environmental pollution due fossil fuel exhaust emissions coupled with petroleum fuel depletion leads to search for the alternative green sources of energy. In views of this, methanolysis of gingerbread plum (Parinari macrophylla) seed oil had been carried out using 5wt.% MgO/Al2O3 catalyst to produce biodiesel and assess its fuel quality as a source of green energy. The results produced a biodiesel with 97% yields, 0.60g/cm3 density, 0.42% water and sediment content, 0.45mg/KOH acid value, 84.20mg/KOH saponification value, 75mg I2/100g Iodine value, 94.24 Cetane index and high heating value of 49MJ/Kg. The GC/MS results indicated the presence of methyl-9-octadecenoate, methyl-12-octadecenoate, methyl-hexadecanoate esters, octadecanoic and oleic acids. The methyl ester biodiesel produced therefore, promises to be a viable source of green energy for future use.