Poster: Integrated Plant Biology
Abs #
95: Impairment of cell division on exposure of onion root tips ( Allium cepa var. Milan coppery) to some medicinal plant extracts.
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Presenter: |
Okpuzor, Joy , joyokpuzor@yahoo.com |
Authors | Okpuzor, Joy (A) Omidiji, Olusesan (A) Otaru, Kuburat (A) Odeyemi, Modupe (B) | | Affiliations: |
(A): University Of Lagos,Department of Cell Biology and Genetics
(B): University of Lagos, Department of Botany and Microbiology
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Eight herbal plants used in the alleviation of sickle cell crises in some parts of South-western Nigeria were investigated to highlight the possible effects on cell division in onion root tip. These herbal plants were sampled individually and also as a mixture of all the herbal plants together, which is the form in which this herbal preparation is administered to sickle cell patients.
Our findings indicated that the extracts at 100% concentration reduced the length of growth of onion root tips from 62 % observed in control to 0, 10, 17 and 18 % in Cassia podocarpa (Asunyin-egba ), Microdemis puberula (Idi-apata), herbal mixture and Cnestis ferruginea (Gboyin-gboyin) respectively. Cytochemical analysis revealed that there was also a reduction in normal mitotic index from 20 to 0 in the onion root tip. Microscopic examination of the root tips showed that in Carpolobia alba( Osunsun ) and the mixture, no dividing cells were seen under the viewed fields while one dividing cell each was seen under the field of view in Cassia alata (Asunyin-oyibo ), Adenopus breviflorus ( Tagiri ), Cnestis ferruginea
( Gboyin-gboyin ) and Microdemis puberula ( Idi-apata ).There was also an enlargement of the cells, distortion of the cell wall and rupture of the cell nucleus.
The result from this study seems to suggest that this herbal mixture may not be of benefit to sickle cell patients since it adversely affects cell division in onion root tip. It is therefore imperative, for further research into this herbal preparation using animal samples .The local population should be dissuaded meanwhile from using this herbal preparation till its effects on cell division in animal samples could be ascertained.
