Featured Issue: Biokemistri Vol. 24 No. 1 and 2

Biokemistri’s first issue of vol. 24 includes an article (Biochemical and histological changes associated with treatment of malaria and diabetes mellitus in mice with extracts of  Mormodiaca charantia) on the effects of the methanolic extract of Momordica charantia leaves tested on mice infected with malaria. The results showed that haemoglobin and red blood cell count in the mice increased. It also showed that the blood glucose levels of those treated with the extract decreased significantly.

This issue also includes the article Consequences of long-term consumption of water from Nworie River (Owerri, Nigeria) on haematological, hepatic, and renal functions using rat model, which describes the effects of Nworie River water, located in Owerri, Nigeria. The experiment used testing water from Nworie River. One group of test rats drank Nworie River water, while the other test group drank purified Coca-cola bottled water. The results showed that drinking Nworie River water affected the liver adequacy of the test rats. The experiment concluded that Nworie River water also affected their haematological, hepatic and renal function.

For full text access to these and other articles from this issue, go to:
http://www.bioline.org.br/titles?id=bk&year=2012&vol=24&num=01&keys=V24N1

The second issue of vol. 24 of Biokemistri was posted to the Bioline International website in December 2012. This issue includes another article on water testing, titled Enterotoxicigenicity profile of Escherichia coli, Vibrio, and Salmonella species isolated from well and river water sources in Oproama town in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. This article discusses the well water of Oproama Town in Rivers state, Nigeria, which was tested for Escherichia coli, Vibrio and Salmonella species. The results showed there was a near absence of Escherichia coli, Vibrio and Salmonella, and doubtful toxicity of Salmonella isolate. The article also called for more and continuous testing on the safety of water, as hand-dug wells are the only source of drinking water in this region.

Vol. 24's second issue also includes an article, Toxic effect of carica papaya bark on body weight, haematology, and some biochemical parameters, on the effects of Carica papaya bark consumed by a group of test rats. The results showed that Carica papaya bark had a toxic effect on the body weight, haemotology and biochemical parameters of the test rats. Carica papaya was also used subject of research in another article (Long-term effects of three hypoglycaemic plants (Irvingia gabonensis, Urena lobata and Carica papaya) on the oxidative  status of normal rabbits) to study its long-term effects on the oxidative state of rabbits.

For full text access to these and other articles from this issue, go to: http://www.bioline.org.br/titles?id=bk&year=2012&vol=24&num=02&keys=V24N2