Burns Inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus Healed by Leaf Sheath Extract of Pisang Ambon (Musa acuminata)
Using parts of banana to cure diseases is a common practice for people in homeland of genus Musa. However, scientific researches on biomedical effects of a specific banana cultivar still leaves many questions. This study is intended to find out the healing effect of leaf sheath extract of pisang Ambon or Gros Michel banana, a non-Cavendish cultivar of Musa acuminata, on burn wound intentionally innoculated with Staphylococcus aureus. Eighteen male rabbits were divided into six groups: P0, P1, P2, P3, P4, and P5 each consisting of three rabbits. P0 is rabbits that received no treatment as the negative control; P1, P2, P3 and P4 respectively are received banana extract of 6.25%, 12.5%, 55%, and 50%; P5 are given bioplacenton ointment as the positive control. To inflict burn wound, the withers area on the animal’s back were shaved and anticepted using 70% ethanol and 10% iodine. On the shaved skin, burns was made by placing a heated brass coin weighted 10 g and a diameter of 2 cm, at 200oC for 5 seconds. All treatments were given topically three times daily. The recovery of burns is measured every three days for 14 days and the healing criteria were based on wound diameter changes. The results showed the extracts of pisang Ambon at the concentration of 12.5% and 25% are able to totally heal the wound on the day 14. While extracts of 6.25 % and 50% has not provided a complete recovery on day 14 but still give a significant healing in comparison to negative control. Thus, leaft sheath extract of Gros Michel banana is effectively heal burns infected by S. aureus.
Sirka (Vinegar): From Traditional Use To Scientific Approach
Traditional medicine is the summation of knowledge, skills and practices based on theories, beliefs and experiences which are indigenous to different cultures. Sirka (Vinegar) has a long historical background and besides its usage as a common condiment, food ingredient, preservative, flavoring and culinary agent it has also been extensively exploited as a potent medicinal substance. The use of vinegar to fight infections and other acute conditions dates back to Hippocrates who recommended a vinegar preparation named sikanjabeen for cleaning ulcerations and for the treatment of sores. Sikanjabeen was also used in conventional system of medicine by the name of oxymel. According to Unani classical literature, it is obtained after fermentation of various substances such as grapes, sugarcane, dried grapes, figs, jamun, honey, onions, grains etc and prepared by a specific procedure in which the juice of ingredient is taken in a vessel and kept in sunlight, until proper fermentation of that liquid takes place. Various actions and clinical indications have been elaborated in the Unani classical literature and some properties namely Anti-infective, Antihypertensive, Cardio-protective, Antitumor, Antiglycemic, Antioxidant and Antitubercular activities have been revalidated in the light of recent scientific researches. A number of clinical researches have also been performed to explore medicinal properties of Sirka (Vinegar). This review provides significant information on Sirka (Vinegar) as a traditional asset and furthers the scientific validation of pre existing facts.
Pearl millet landraces: variability, yield components, grain and panicle quality
The millet is one of the most important cereals for food and feed in the world. Through this study, the behavior of 15 autochthonous cultivars of pearl millet in presence of one Nigerian control was done in Mitidja’s conditions (sub-humid region in Algeria) to assess the variability using pheno-agro-morphological traits, grain and panicle quality. Analysis of variance showed the existence of a large variability between landraces, revealed by very highly significant differences among the following characters: plant height, panicle length, panicle thickness, 1000 grain weight and crude fiber content of panicles. Differences were significant for stem diameter and panicle weight and high significant for dry matter content of panicles. Principal component analysis showed that four components explained 81.03 % of variation. The greatest variability was explained by the following traits: panicle weight, panicle length, panicle thickness, 1000 grain weight and crude fiber content of panicles. Significant correlations existed between many traits studied which are promising for breeding works.
