Background: Malaria remains one of the major causes of childhood mortality in many parts of the world, especially in the sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria. Increasing chemotherapeutic failure and side effects of available antimalarial drugs have promoted the use of natural herbs for the treatment of malaria in Nigerian communities.
Objective: To study the phytosuppression of P berghei by Nauclea latifolia and its effects on the indices of anaemia and pancreatic beta cell function in experimental mice.
Methods: Fifty mice were divided into 10 groups (n=5) and used for the study. Group 1 (control) were uninfected but given placebo. Group 2 were infected with P berghei and treated with placebo. Groups 3, 4, 5, 8, 9 and 10 received N. latifolia treatment, while Groups 6 and 7 received standard chloroquine treatment. Groups 3, 4, 5 and 6 were however infected with the malarial parasite. Blood samples were collected by heart puncture and prepared for the estimation of haemoglobin, insulin and glucose. The pancreatic beta cell function (HOMA-beta) was determined using the fasting serum insulin and glucose levels as documented.
Results: P. berghei malaria infection caused a significant reduction in haemoglobin that led to anaemia in the mice, There were elevated HOMA-beta) in the parasitized and chloroquine treated groups, suggesting possible pancreatic beta cell dysfunction. Treatment with N. latifolia showed parasitaemia suppression and' improved pancreatic beta cell function and haemoglobin concentrations.
Conclusion: N. latifolia contains bioactive phytochemicals that suppresses malaria parasite multiplication and improves pancreatic beta cell function.
Background: Therapeutic approaches that will improve the reduced cardiopulmonary functions of breast cancer (BC) survivors are of optimal importance. The effects of aerobic exercise on health-related outcomes of BC survivors have been reported while there is a dearth of information on the effects of combined aerobic and stretching exercises on cardiopulmonary parameters of female BC survivors.
Objective: This study investigated the effects of combined aerobic and stretching exercises on cardiopulmonary functions of premenopausal and postmenopausal Breast cancer (BC) survivors.
Methods: Fifty-four eligible BC survivors participated in the study but four-eight completed it. They were randomly' assigned to groups A and B and each group had two subgroups; subgroup 1 (premenopausal) and subgroup 2 (postmenopausal). Group A underwent combined aerobic exercise using treadmill and stretching exercises for 12 weeks while Group B was the control group.
Results: Significant changes were observed in the cardiovascular parameters of participants in Groups A,,,,, (Resting systolic blood pressure (A1:p = 0.01*; A2: p = 0.01*), Resting diastolic blood pressure (A1: p = 0.01*; A2: p = 0.004*), Resting rate pressure product (A1: p 0.001*; A2: p = 0.02*). Significant changes were also observed in the pulmonary parameters of participants of Groups A(1&2) (Arterioxyhaemoglobin saturation (A,:p = 0.001*; A2:p = 0.02*), Forced vital capacity (A1:p = 0.13; A2: p = 0.05*), maximal oxygen uptake (A1:p = 0.03*; A2: p = 0.15).
Conclusion: Combined aerobic and stretching exercises brought about significant therapeutic effects on selected cardiopulmonary parameters in female BC survivors.
Background: Lichen planus (LP) is a chronic inflammatory disorder. Recently, there are suggestions that LP is associated with dyslipidemia in a large series of patients independent of other causes.
Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence and associated risk factors for dyslipidaemia among patients with LP.
Methods: This case-control study included 180.subjects, 90 with lichen planus (39 men and 51 Women) and 90 (44 men and 46 women) controls consecutively recruited from the outpatient Dermatology clinic of Amnihu Kano Teaching Hospital Kano-Nigeria.
Results: The prevalence of dyslipidemia was found to be higher among LP patients (32%) than the corol group (24%), p=0.208. Our study showed that male patients with LP have higher tendencies to develop dyslipidemia (OR 5.66, CI 1.73-19.59). Equally the duration of illness t 2 months was found to be a strong predictor of developing dyslipidemia (OR 5.65, CI 1.12-38.3). No significant differences were observed in glucose levels, body mass index, or blood pressure between the two study groups.
Conclusion: The prevalence of dyslipidaemia among patients with LP in this study was high with male gender and increased-duration of illness being strong predictors. There is need for further studies on a larger scale to establish the prevalence and independent predictors of dyslipidaemia in patients with LP in our setting.
Background: Cervical cancer is still a global health challenge that affects women of reproductive age group and consequently causes a drawback on the social and economic stability of nations. Developing countries suffer a greater burden of the disease because of several factors such as poverty, multiple sexual partners, unbalanced diet, poor knowledge and attitude to prevention of diseases and late-presentation.
Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the incidence of hydronephrosis in cervical cancer patients in Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos, Nigeria for the period of 3 years (2010-2012).
Method: This study is a cross sectional study carried out among cervical cancer patients seeking treatment in the Radiotherapy department of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), between the year 2010 and 2012, to find out the incidence of hydronephrosis using abdominopelvic ultrasonography.
Results: The incidence of hydronephrosis during the 3years period studied was 43.7%. A rise in the incidence of hydronephrosis of 5.4% in 2011 and 13.3% in 2012 was noted. The mean age of the patients was 55.5 years. 122 (56.7%) were grand multiparous and 123 (57.2%) had multiple sexual partners. An increase of 8.3% in 2011 and 9.3% in 2012 was noted in the incidence of cervical cancer cases studied. 107 (49.8%) presented at stages III and IV.
Conclusion: Late presentation of patients is still a major challenge affecting treatment outcomes. The presence of hydronephrosis was noticed at staging, during or after treatment, resulting in the need to separate this population from current Stage IIIB classification. The presence of hydronephrosis may or may not be related to the disease and so adequate staging is important.
Background: Bread is a convenience food made from wheat flour, which is derived from wheat and whose technology of which dates back to the ancient Egyptians. It is therefore of economic advantage if wheat importation to Nigeria can be reduced by substitution with other suitable materials. This led to the whole idea of composite flour, which is a mixture of wheat with other materials to form suitable flour for baking'purposes.
Objectives: The study is to ascertain the effect of supplementation of bread with defatted soy flour on blood chemistry and oxidative stress in Wistar rats.
Methods: Wheat flour mixed with high quality defatted Soy flour at several ratios: 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, and 60:40. The 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, and 60:40 flour mixtures were used to prepare 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% Soya bread, respectively. The control bread (100%) was prepared with 100% wheat flour. Bread produced with these blends compared with regular 100% wheat bread and was tested for chemical and. organoleptic characteristics. Sixteen rats were randomly given codes and allocated to 2 different groups via tables with random numbers to feed on the 100% wheat blend and soy supplemented bread (90% wheat flour/10% soy flour) for 28 days. The weights and feedintake of the rats were computed on dailybasis. Blood was taken for biochemical assays and liver was used for antioxidant assay, that is activities of catalase, super oxider dismutase (SOD) and reduced glutathine level.
Results: The activities of serum SOD and catalase were significantly increase (p<0.05) in rats fed the composite bread as compared to the control, (wheat bread) and a significant decrease (p<0.05) in lipid peroxidation marker (malondialdehyde level) relative to control group. The activities of the liver enzymes (alanine amino transferase, aspartase amino transferase and alkaline phosphatase) and markers (low density lipoprotein, cholesterol and triacyl glycerol levels) showed significant decrease (p<0.05) in rats fed supplemented soy flour bread as compared to the control. There was a significant decrease (p<0.05) in the total bilirubin, creatinine and urea levels as Well as total protein and albumin levels of rats as compared to control.
Conclusion: These findings establish the nutritional and health pronioting benefits of soy supplemented bread.
Background: Heliotropium indicum Linn. (Boraginaceae) is used in Nigerian traditional medicine to treat tuberculosis with treatment lasting for 3 months; however, information on its toxicity is scarce.
Objective: This study investigated the safety of the leaves of Heliotropium indicum after a 5 month oral administration.
Methods: The leaves of H. indicum were dried; extracted in 70% ethanol and concentrated to dryness. Swiss mice were administered orally with single doses of the extract (0.5 to 12.0 g/kg b.wt /day); mortality was examined for up to 14 days. In another study, the plant material (0.5 to 2.0 g/kg b.wt /day) were administered daily by oral gavage to Sprague Dawley rats. Body weight was monitored weekly, hematological, biochemical and organ parameters were determined at the end of the 1st, 2nd and 5th months of extract administration.
Results: The oral administration of the ethanol extract of H. indicum caused dose-dependent mortality. The LD50 was 9.78 g/kg b.wt for the Swiss mice; no harmful effect was observed on the liver and kidney except the testes which exhibited considerable inflammatory changes at the highest dose of 2.0 g/kg b.wt./day after the 5th month treatment. No significant difference (P>0.05) was shown in the enzyme study, marginal increase occurred in some haematological parameters. The increase in body weight of the treated rats after its initial reduction was consistent and significantly different (P<0.05) from their initial body weight.
Conclusion: Prolonged administration of the crude leaf extract of H. indicum is considered to be safe and nontoxic at the doses studied. However, there is a probability of a negative effect on the testes at a higher dose of the extract.
Background: There is a widespread increasing use of herbal medicine among the populace in the society. The poor regulation of herbal medicine production and use raises issues of public health concerns.
Objectives: To determine and compare the phytochemicals present in different classes of herbal medicines sold in Lagos, Nigeria
Methods: Commonly sold brands of three classes of herbal medicine - herbal bitters, herbal energy drinks and 'Agbo' were purchased from major markets in Lagos, Nigeria. Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analyses were carried out on the 30 samples identified
Results: The study revealed the presence of wide array of phytochemicals in all the brands and classes of herbal medicines identified. The mean concentrations of alkaloids and glycosides at 25pg/ml and 20 pg/ml were comparatively highest in 'Agbo' and herbal bitters, tannin and total phenolics of 10 pg/ml and 25pg/ml respectively were comparatively highest in herbal energy drinks.
Conclusion: The qualitative and quantitative compositions of the phytochemicals present in the samples were identified. However, because the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for phytochemicals has not been determined, people should exercise caution in the consumption of these herbal medicines because of the inherent health risk from the toxic effects of these phytochemicals.
Background: HIV affects more than 2.3 million children worldwide and 90% live in Africa. Malnutrition is also a major problem in Africa with 25% of children under the age of five being malnourished.
Objective: The study is to determine the nutritional status of HIV infected children using weight-for-age, height-for-age and weight-for-height.
Methods: This was a cross sectional descriptive study where the severity of malnutrition based on weight for age, height for age and weight for weight for height of HIV infected children were compared with controls.
Results: The study showed that both HIV infected children and controls were both wasted stunted and underweight, however the severity was more marked in the HIV infected children. The prevalence of wasting was 17.5% in the HIV group compared to 6.6% of the controls, while 17.1% and 7.5% in the HIV infected and controls respectively were stunted. The HIV infected children were more underweight 18.5% compared to the non-infected 8%.
Conclusion: HIV infected children were three times more wasted, stunted and under-weight than the controls and was statistically significant.
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