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Cytogenotoxicity effects of aqueous extract of Datura stramonium leaves and seeds were investigated on root cells of Allium cepa by employing Allium cepa assay. A. cepa roots were treated with the aqueous extracts of both the leaves and seeds at five different concentrations (12.5, 25, 50, 75, and 100 p.p.m) each for 72h. Exposure of aqueous extracts of both the leaves and seeds increased mitotic index, and total chromosomal aberrations by the Allium test. While chromosome laggards, stickiness, disturbed anaphase--telophase and anaphase bridges were observed in anaphase--telophase cells, c-metaphase and binuclear cells were observed in other cells. These results indicate that aqueous extracts of both the leaves and seeds exhibits genotoxic activity in A. cepa root meristematic cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Garcinia kola is an important indigenous fruit tree that has a huge medicinal and economic value in Nigeria. It is often referred to as 'wonder plant' because all its parts have specific medicinal properties and have been employed traditionally for the treatment of diverse ailments. This study is aimed to determine the genetic variation that exists between and within G.kola species in selected states of Southern part of Nigeria using morphological and morphometric markers. Phenotypic traits were measured on site according to descriptors of tropical fruits by Bioversity International in the course of an exploration. The geographical positioning system (GPS) data of individual trees were also documented. Measurements were taken with the aid of a meter rule and direct observations. Data obtained were subjected to one-way analysis of variance and revealed F-value of 58.49 and a corresponding p-value ?0.000. The result of the descriptive statistics also shows that diameter at breast height (DBH), crown diameters (CD-) ranged from 2-8m, while leaf related traits revealed that leaf length (LL), leaf width, average petiole length (APTL) and index of leaf length and leaf width ranged from 2.8-1, 1.66-6.66, 0.6-1.48, 1-7.12 respectively. Also mean and standard deviation of DBH, CD, APTL, LL, LW, LL/LW are 4.63±1.44, 1.95±0.59, 1.04±0.33, 11.51±3.39, 1.85±1.77 and 2.78±0.36 respectively. The study revealed high variability between and within the different G.kola individuals sampled from Southern Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]