ABSTRACT
Piper guineense popularly known as West African black pepper or Uziza leaf, in ancient times has been known to possess a whole lot of medicinal values and also a good contractile effect on the uterus of post- natal mothers. The consumption has been linked to a number of health advantages, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-allergic and antiplatelet properties. They are also found to have cholesterol lowering ability. Research has shown that they contain large amounts of beta-caryophyllene, which is being investigated as an anti-inflammatory agent. The use of these plants in medicine is due to the presence of bioactive leaves, stems or roots. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Uziza leaf consumption on the iron metabolism of Drosophila melanogaster. For the survival study, the flies were allowed to feed on different concentrations of Uziza leaf supplemented corn meal diet for 21 days, with the meal being changed every 5 days. The survival assay was noted by taking daily readings of the number of deaths in each treatment vial, and the survival assay was used to estimate their survival rate. For the Uziza leaf treatment, four treatment groups with varying concentrations of uziza leaf extract in the diet were setup excluding the control. Group 1 was fed with 10mg/ml uziza leaf extract, group 2 was fed with 5mg/ml uziza leaf extract, group 3 was fed with 2.5mg/ml uziza leaf extract and group 4 was fed with 1mg/ml uziza leaf extract. Group 6 was the control containing no uziza leaf extract treatment. Each treatment vial had 30 Drosophila melanogaster flies and the flies were allowed to feed on the meal all through the course of the study whilst being renewed every 5 days. The numbers of death each day were recorded. It was observed that the flies in group B (75%), C (75%) and E (75%) had the highest survival rate compared to the other groups. However, the survival rate of the control group was higher (70%) than that of the other group fed with a moderate concentration of Uziza leaf extract (D- 67.6%). The Ferritin level of flies in vial E (1.20±1.34, p>0.05), C (0.95±0.68, p>0.05), D (0.823±0.30, p>0.05), B (0.74±0.24, p>0.05) was higher than controls (0.128±0.17, p>0.05). The TIBC level of flies in vial C (51.56±15.69, p>0.05), B (42.213±19.34, p>0.05), E (41.157±27.50, p>0.05), D (22.614±0, p>0.05) was higher than controls (21.709±3.83, p>0.05). The serum iron level of flies in vial C (0.158±0.063, p>0.05), E (0.158±0.042, p>0.05), D (0.146±0.045, p>0.05), B (0.142±0.038, p>0.05) was higher than control (0.136±0, p>0.05). Uziza leaf supplementation appears to increase the iron levels of Drosophila melanogaster at dose dependent manner.
