July 2014

Effect of crude root extract from Synadenium glaucescens on selected bacterial infections in albino mice (Mus musculus)

Studies were carried out to investigate the effect of root extract from a tropical plant Synadenium glaucescens against two pathogenic species of bacteria in mice. A total of 120 mice were used in two experiments involving two bacterial species, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In each experiment, 60 mice were randomly divided into 6 groups with or without bacterial infection and with or without root...

Author(s): R. A. Max, C. Mwageni and G. G. Bakari

July 2014

Ethnopharmacological aspects of the genus Samanea Merrill (Fabaceae)

The rain trees are specially denomined species of Samanea genus as Samanea saman, Samanea tubulosa and Samanea inopinata. These kinds of plants are recognized by its characteristic umbrella-shaped canopy and they are cultivated and naturalized throughout the tropics. These trees have been widely used in traditional medicine for the production of home remedies using various parts of the tree. The boiled bark is applied...

Author(s): Antony de Paula Barbosa

July 2014

Physical and neurobehavioral development of rat offspring after maternal exposure to Valeriana officinalis during gestation

The exposure to agents acting on GABA-A system during gestation in rats can produce behavioral alterations in their descendants in the adult life. This work was designed to evaluate the effects of the exposure to Valeriana officinalis L. during gestation on the development of the offspring and on their anxiety state and memory in the adult stage. Pregnant rats were randomly distributed into four groups (n = 10): control...

Author(s): Mara Lúcia de Campos, Carlos Alberto Mourao-Junior, Rita de Cássia da Silveira e Sá, Marcos Antônio Fernandes Brandão and Martha de Oliveira Guerra