You have no items in your shopping cart.
ABSTRACT
The use of medicinal plants to cure many ailments has been a tradition in different parts of the world. Tetracapidium conophorum (African walnut) belongs to the family of Euphorbiaceae. Garcinia kola Heckel (Guttiferae) Garcinia kola, often known as Bitter kola, is a flowering plant found mostly in the tropical rainforest region of Central and West Africa. In all, parts of both plants have been used ethno-medically. This study assessed and compared the effect of Tetracapidium conophorum (African walnut) and Garcinia (Bitter) kola on the intraocular pressure and blood pressure of normotensive subjects. The experimental study was carried out on 40 subjects aged between 18 and 35 years with average age of 21.87±3.14years comprising 23males and 17females. Screening tests were carried out to select the subjects or individuals that are both ocular and systemic normotensive. The selected subjects had their baseline IOP and blood pressure measured before and 30, 60 and 90mins after oral administration of the aqueous extracts. The data was analysed using the two way ANOVA of statistical packages for social sciences (SPSS) and descriptive statistics using charts, graphs and tables were done. It was deduced that the difference between the mean values of blood pressure and intraocular pressure before oral ingestion of the aqueous extracts of African walnut and Bitter kola and after was statistically significant (p<0.05). This study has clarified and laid an underscore basis for optometrists and practitioners at large to have an idea of the uses and medicinal purposes of Tetracapidium conophorum (African walnut) and Garcinia (bitter) kola and precisely their effect on intraocular pressure and blood pressure.
