health&and safety

      HOW LOCAL PLANTS BOOST LIVER FUNCTION 

INTRODUCTION ON WHAT LIVER IS 

The liver is an organ about the size of a football that sits just under the rib cage on the right side of the abdomen.the liver is essential for digesting food and ridding the body of toxic substances.                                                                                                                                                     liver diseases  can be inherited[genetics] or caused by a variety of factors that damage the liver  such as viruses [hepatitis] alcohol  use and  aflatoxins from food substances obesity is also associated with liver damage .liver diseases is also  called hepatic disease there are more than a hundred different kind of liver disease. symptoms may include jaundice and weight loss. overtime, damage to the liver results in  scarring [cirrhosis], which can lead to liver failure a life threatening  condition as well as liver cancer usually induced by hepatitis and aflatoxins        

      aflatoxins  are a family of toxins produced  by certain fungi that are found on agricultural crops such as maize , peanuts,cotton seed, and tree nuts the main fungi that  produce aflatoxins are aspergillus flavus  and aspergilius parasiticus  which are abundant in warm and humid region of the world.

   however scientist have identified and validated local plant and food items that can protect the liver from damage caused by toxic substance and diseases as well as boost its functions.

 list of the plants that boost livers function                                                                    . red sandal wood                                                                                                              . phyllanthus amarus [ngwu]                                                                                           .bitter kola

      RED SANDAL WOOD 

                                                                                                pterocarpus santalinoides belongs   to the plant family fabaceaea papilnoideae. the plant is commonly  referred to as red sandal wood in english , gbenghe in yoruba , uturukpa in igbo .

         a study published in IDOSR journal of scientific research concluded "pterocarpus santalinoids may possess hapato- protective potential especially at doses not greater  than 600mg/kg body weight . this may be responsible for the application of the leaves of pterocarpus santalinoids in the management of liver related disorders.    

          phyllantus amarus                                                                                                                                  phyllantus amarus belongs to the plant family  euphorbiaceae.to the yorubas its called eyin olobe or ehin olobe, to the igbo ugwu 

          according to the useful plants of west tropical  africa by H.M. burkil,phyllantrus amarus is a weed of cultivated land in wastes spaces . it is said to have sand binding properties " its a plant of general medicinal application.in yoruba land it features in an incantation against diseases it is an ingredient of the agbo prescription in lagos .an infusion of leaves is used in the ibadan area for haemorrhoids"

       a recent study published in international journal of biology and medical research  found that the therapy with phyllanthus amarus increases antioxidants and reduces lipid preoxidation of hepatic cellular and intracellular membranes and protects liver damage due to free radical in hepatitis-B. the study focused on effect of phyllanthus amarus therapy for protection of liver in hepatitis B through investigating liver profile enzymes , antioxidants enzymes antioxidants vitamin and lipid preoxidation . the study consisted of 65 clinical diagnosed hepatitis B   patients ranging in between age group 25 to 60 years  the control group include 65 ages  and sex matched normal healthy persons          

BITTER KOLA

 bitter kola can detoxify and protect the liver from any alcohol and food poisoning effects. 

                                                              
 

      scientist have identified bitter kola as a potential antimicrobial and detoxifier.the antibacterial,antiviral,detoxifying and cleansing properties is responsiblekols e for being used widely in the treatment of various diseases and infections . the commonly called bitter  kola ,garcinia  kola belongs to the plant family clusiaceae  

      chronic ingestion of  garcina kola seeds caused inhibition of gastrointestinal motility and weight reduction and prevented castor oil induced diarrhea in rats. other activities of the  biflavonoid mixture include those involving anti inflammatory antimicrobial antidiabetic and antiviral properties .the antiviralactivity is quiet broad and showed remarkable inhibitory effect against a variety of viruses, including toro and pichinde viruses sandly fever and ebola

      it is intriguing that bioflavonoids of garcina kola are capable of modulating almost any physiological anomaly . the answers perhaps lies in the role of flavonoids in the evolutionary  course of human beings . human, over many millenia have adapted to diet  which is favourable for their survival and the flavonoid -likes structures were part of the physiological system