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In the current study, various haematological and biochemical parameters of chickens were evaluated following an oral administration of resin extract from Commiphora swynnertonii. Sixty chickens (8 months old) were randomly assigned into 5 groups (n=12): G1 served as a negative control, that is, chickens received normal saline only, while G2 to G5 chickens were given different doses of the resin extract orally for 14 consecutive days. Results revealed no signs of sickness or death in groups G1, G2 and G3 throughout the experimental period of 28 days. The body weights of chickens in G2, G3, G4 and G5 decreased significantly in a dose dependent manner from day 3 of treatment with the resin. The resin administration did not affected packed cell volume (PCV), total white blood cell (WBC) count, differential WBC count (heterophils and eosinophils). However, haemoglobin (Hb), total red blood cell (RBC) count, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) decreased significantly (P < 0.05) with increasing concentration of the resin. Significant dose dependent reduction (P < 0.01) in plasma glucose and total cholesterol was observed. Levels of total protein, albumin and globulin in the resin-treated groups were not significantly affected. In the current study, liver transaminases (alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST)) levels increased slightly to a maximum peak by day 21-post treatment. It is concluded that administration of the resin extract in chickens caused no undesirable effects at lower doses, but with increased doses signs of toxicity were evident. It is therefore suggested that, before the resin extract can be used for veterinary or medical purposes, safety margin must be established for each animal species in question. Key words: Commiphora swynnertonii, haematological parameters, biochemical parameters, resin extract, treatment, chicken.

Studies were carried out to investigate the effect of root extract from a tropical plant Synadenium glaucescens against two pathogenic species of bacteria in mice. A total of 120 mice were used in two experiments involving two bacterial species, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In each experiment, 60 mice were randomly divided into 6 groups with or without bacterial infection and with or without root extract. Clinical signs and survival of the mice were monitored; skin, kidneys and livers were examined for gross lesions, histopathological changes and bacterial counts. Results indicated that mice infected with the two bacteria and treated with the root extract from S. glaucescens had significantly less (P < 0.05) severe skin lesions compared to mice from the untreated groups. Histopathological examination of liver and kidney tissues showed hydropic degeneration and inflammatory reaction in uninfected groups receiving the extracts. Protein in tubular lumens, desquamated tubular epithelium and necrosis around central veins were observed in livers of mice infected with S. aureus and treated with the extract at 50 mg/kg body weight. It is concluded that root extract from S. glaucescens had significant antibacterial activity against the tested bacteria. Histopathological changes in the kidneys and livers of mice which received the extract alone suggested that high doses of the tested extract could be harmful to the mice. Further studies are needed to find out optimum dosage and whether the extract is harmful to other organs. Key words: Synadenium glaucescens, root extract, antibacterial activity, mice.

Ethanolic extracts from resin, root bark, stem bark and leaves of Commiphora swynnertonii were tested against fungi and bacteria using agar well diffusion method. The fungi included Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger whereas the bacteria species included Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli . Antimicrobial activity was determined by measuring inhibition zone diameters around agar wells. Resin and root bark extracts showed significant activities against S. pyogenes, E. coli and B. subtilis compared to the other two extracts. Growth of E. coli was highly reduced by resin extract (minimum inhibition concentration = 1.9 µg/ml). The fungi, C. albicans , also showed similar sensitivity to resin and root bark extract. Growth of S. typhimurium was not reduced by all four extracts at all concentrations tested whereas that of P. aeruginosa was slightly reduced. Cytotoxicity studies using brine lethality test indicated that root bark, stem bark and resin extract had effect to brine shrimps with LC 50 of 3.5, 13.0 and 15.8 µg/ml, respectively. The current results indicate that resin and root bark extracts of C. swynnertonii have strong antimicrobial activity against most of the tested microbes and support the traditional use of the plant in treating various infectious diseases. Further studies are suggested to validate the use of this plant against the diseases caused by the tested microbes.