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Toxicological impact of Picralima nitida (pile plant) extracts on the gastropod Lanistes varicus (freshwater snail), as a control measure against trematodes infections

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Abstract

This present study was aimed at assessing the toxicological effects of the leaf extracts of Picralima nitida on aspects of the biology of Lanistes varicus. The extraction of the leaf, biochemical parameters and toxicity tests were performed using standard methods.. Acetylcholinesterase’s activity was mostly inhibited in the snail’s intestine and haemolymph by the aqueous extract and in the hepatopancreas by ethanol extract. The total protein level of the snail was mostly decreased in the haemolymph by the ethanol extract while in the hepatopancreas, it was mainly decreased by the aqueous extract. There was decrease in the total protein levels of muscle, haemolymph, hepatopancreas and intestine in comparison with the control groups. There were significant (p < 0.05) decreases in the acid phosphatase activity in all the tissues, especially hepatopancreas, intestine and muscle, of the treated groups, compared to the control. Significant (p < 0.05) decreases were observed in the alkaline phosphatase activity in the haemolymph, hepatopancreas and intestine of all the treated groups. Exposure to increasing concentrations of the extracts, especially the ethanol extract, brought about induction of production of male sex hormone in snails. The study provides a scientific basis for exploiting local and indigenous plant resources in Nigeria for the control of freshwater snails and trematode borne infections.

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Data availability

The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We sincerely wish to acknowledge all the staff members of the Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology both academic and non-academic, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, for their assistance during the period of this study.

Funding

The research did not receive funding from any organization or institution.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria

    Chisom Ukamaka Abonyi, Joseph Chukwuemeka Eze & Fabian Chukwuemenam Okafor

  2. Department of Biochemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria

    Arinze Linus Ezugwu & Nicodemus Emeka Nwankwo

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  1. Chisom Ukamaka Abonyi
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  2. Arinze Linus Ezugwu
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  3. Joseph Chukwuemeka Eze
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  4. Nicodemus Emeka Nwankwo
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  5. Fabian Chukwuemenam Okafor
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Contributions

CUA carried out the laboratory study of the research. ALE helped in the designing and supervision of the research. JCE helped out in the laboratory experiments and also statistically analyzed the data. NEN helped out in designing the work and wrote the manuscript for publication. FCO supervised and contributed financially to the execution of the project.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nicodemus Emeka Nwankwo.

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Clearance for humane handling of experimental animals and for conducive experimental conditions for laboratory practice was given by the ethical committee of the Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, University of Nigeria Nsukka.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Abonyi, C.U., Ezugwu, A.L., Eze, J.C. et al. Toxicological impact of Picralima nitida (pile plant) extracts on the gastropod Lanistes varicus (freshwater snail), as a control measure against trematodes infections. Biologia 77, 2093–2101 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11756-022-01075-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11756-022-01075-x

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