The increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance and oxidative stress-related disorders necessitates the search for alternative, plant-based therapeutic agents. This study evaluated the phytochemical, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of Hymenocardia acida and Phyllantus amarus extracts against clinical isolates. The phytochemical composition was evaluated using qualitative and quantitative assay, antioxidant activity using DPPH and FRAP assay, antimicrobial efficacy of Hymenocardia acida and Phyllanthus amarus leaf extracts, using methanol, chloroform, and n-hexane as extraction solvents and MIC was evaluated using microbroth diffusion method. Qualitative screening revealed the presence of key secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, and cardiac glycosides in varying abundance. Quantitative analysis showed that P. amarus methanol extract had the highest total phenol content (125.51 ± 0.80 mg GAE/g), while H. acida recorded higher flavonoid content (41.50 ± 0.09 mg QE/g). Antioxidant assays demonstrated that the methanol extracts of both plants exhibited the strongest DPPH radical scavenging activity, with P. amarus showing 78.15% inhibition and H. acida 57.64% at 500 µg/mL. The FRAP results further confirmed the antioxidant capacity, particularly in the methanol extracts. Antimicrobial evaluation against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida spp. revealed that methanol extracts were most effective, with inhibition zones up to 12.4 mm for P. amarus and 10.8 mm for H. acida. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) tests highlighted the chloroform fraction of H. acida as the most potent, with MICs as low as 3.12 µg/mL against S. aureus and Klebsiella spp. These findings underscore the therapeutic potential of both Hymenocardia acida and Phyllanthus amarus, supporting their ethnomedicinal uses and providing a scientific basis for their development into natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agents. Further studies on compound isolation and in vivo validation are recommended.

The prevalence of HBV infection is increasing in our community particularly among pregnant women due to the high risk of vertical transmission. This study determine the prevalence of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) among pregnant women attending selected antenatal care hospitals within Ede community, Osun State, Nigeria. A total of one-hundred & eighty (180) consenting pregnant women were recruited for the study. Blood samples were collected and analyzed using ELISA for HBsAg detection. Liver function was assessed in seropositive individuals using Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) levels. The overall prevalence of HBsAg was 15.6% (28/180). Subjects aged 26–33 years had the highest rate of positivity at 50% of all positive cases. Statistical analysis showed a significant association between HBV infection and age group (χ² = 14.694, p = 0.618), blood transfusion (χ² = 0.972, p = 0.615), herbal medicine use (χ² = 1.843, p = 0.398), alcohol consumption (χ² = 0.291, p = 0.589), HBV awareness (χ² = 2.710, p = 0.100), vaccination status (χ² = 3.070, p = 0.576), and pregnancy per trimester (χ² = 1.126, p = 0.569). However, there was a statistical significant positive correlation between HBV infection and elevated ALT levels (r = 0.489, p = 0.007), suggesting possible liver inflammation among infected individuals. Findings shows that the prevalence appears unusually high among the study population. This emphasizes the need for routine antenatal screening and improved public awareness. Early detection can aid in reducing vertical transmission and ensuring better maternal and neonatal outcomes.