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OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effects of different extracts of Anthocleista djalonensis on the testis and epididymal sperms of rats.@*METHODS@#Fifty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 10 groups (n=5 in each group) and orally treated with 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight each of methanol, aqueous ethanol (H-EtOH) and chloroform extracts of A. djalonensis. Corn oil was used as vehicle (2 mL/kg). After 60 days of treatment, testosterone (T) and cholesterol (CHOL) concentrations, catalase (CAT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in the testes along with myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities and nitrite concentrations (NO) in the serum and testes as well as sperm quality were measured.@*RESULTS@#T and CHOL concentrations along with 3β-HSD activity were significantly higher in the animals treated with the low dose than in those treated with the high dose of the chloroform extract (P H-EtOH > methanol. Although all extracts at all doses showed excellent stimulatory effects on sperm quality (count, motility and morphology), the methanol extract at the high dose was the most effective on sperm count (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The chloroform extract of A. djalonensis has better androgen-like and anti-inflammatory effects whereas the methanol extract has the best effect on sperm count.
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This study investigated the hypoglycemic effect of M. fulvumon streptozotocin (STZ)-induced hyperglycemia in Wistar rats. The oxidative damage in the blood, liver, pancreas and kidney cells, hepatic enzyme activities and lipid profile of the Wistar rats were also ascertained. Rats were exposed to STZ alone at 160 mg/kg body weight for one week to induced hyperglycemia before treatment with M. fulvumat 83 and 113 mg/kg for 28 consecutive days. Results showed significant elevation in the levels of blood glucose level, amylase activity, serum lipid profile and serum renal markers (total protein, urea and creatinine) in the hyperglycemic rats. Moreover, streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemic rats showed significantly (p < 0.05) reduced antioxidant status (reduced levels of superoxide dismutase and catalase activities as well as decreased in reduced glutathione and increased level of malondialdehide). M. fulvumwas able to demonstrate marked hypoglycemic effect and ameliorate the above mentioned biochemical markers. Streptozotocin-induced rats had significant histopathological damages found in the pancreas when compared with the control. The present study shows that M. fulvum possesses significant hypoglycemic, antihyperlipidemic and antioxidant effects in streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemic rats due to its ability to effectively reduceor ameliorate the increase in blood glucose levels, lipid profile and oxidative damages
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The genus Vernonia consists of over 1000 species and members of the genus are widely used as food and medicine. As part of our continuing research into ethnomedicinal plant of Nigeria for bioactive plant metabolites, the leaves of Vernonia cineria was investigated for phytochemical constituents. The pulverized leaves of Vernonia cineria were extracted with 70% ethanol and the crude ethanolic extract was suspended in water and partitioned with n-hexane, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. The n-hexane and ethyl acetate soluble parts which showed similar spots on thin layer chromatography were pooled together and coded V1. Extensive column chromatography of V1 afforded the triterpenoids: Lupenol and Oleanan-12.15 dein-28-oic acid. The structures were elucidated using NMR an MS and compared with literature. The oily fraction was subjected to GC-MS equipped with library data to give fatty acids and long chain hydrocarbons. Antibacterial investigation of the ethanol extract at concentration in the range 5-50 mg/ml against the clinical isolates of S. aureus, B. subtilis, E. coli and P. aeruginosa did not show any activity.
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Aim: For a simpler, more rapid and more accurate method of characterizing new isolates of Newcastle disease virus (NDV), agglutination of mammalian erythrocytes (HA) plus heat stability test and agglutination of mammalian erythrocytes plus erythrocytes elution time (EET) were compared with use of Intra-cerebral pathogenicity index (ICPI) to characterize the isolates. Materials and Methods: NDV isolates characterized by their ICPI were re-characterized by HA of mammalian erythrocytes plus heat stability test and by HA of mammalian erythrocytes plus EET. Rate of agreement of each of the two combinations with ICPI was calculated. Results: HA of mammalian erythrocytes plus heat stability agreed with ICPI in characterizing 10 of the 12 NDV isolates (83.3%) while use of HA of mammalian erythrocytes plus EET agreed with ICPI in all the 12 isolates (100%). Conclusion: It was concluded that use of combination of agglutination of mammalian erythrocytes and EET to characterize NDV isolates has better agreement with use of ICPI to characterize the virus than use of combination of agglutination of mammalian erythrocytes and heat stability test.
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Aim: For an affordable therapy for Human immune-deficiency virus (HIV) infections, antiretroviral effects of a synthetic aluminum-magnesium silicate (AMS) were tested. Materials and Methods: Plasma that tested positive to HIV and the AMS were mixed, on equal volume to weight basis, incubated one hour at room temperature and centrifuged for ten minutes at 3,000 revolutions per minute. These procedures were repeated on each supernatant. HIV titres of the two sets of supernatants and the titres in portions of the plasma, not incubated with the AMS were assessed by direct passive hemagglutination test. Results: Mean HIV titres of the plasma increased from 4.00±1.60 to 14.00±2.00 when incubated with the AMS. Repeating the incubation, reduced mean HIV titres in plasma from 14.00±2.00 to 6.50±1.50 (P=0.024). Conclusion: It was concluded that the AMS has antiretroviral effects and could be an inexpensive antiretroviral therapy for regular treatment to reduce high rate of HIV infection among low income groups.
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Aim: Relationship between virus titers of live Infectious Bursal disease (IBD) vaccines and their serum-conversion abilities was studied. Study design and Methodology: Five batches of each, of five IBD vaccine brands used in Nigeria, were tested for virus titers. Each of the vaccine brands was also used to vaccinate a group of fifteen 12-days old chicks to study their serum-conversion abilities. Mean antibody titers of the groups of chicks were plotted, on a graph, against virus titers of the vaccine brands used to vaccinate them. Results: Mean Modified Passive Haemagglutination titers of IBD virus in the vaccines,were:1,065.60±780.03,1,472.00±748.55,2,112.00±1984.00,2,176.00±1920. 00 and 2,585.00±926.92 while mean antibody titers they elicited were, 1,356.80±241.51, 1,280.00±174.88, 448.00±79.25, 998.40±196.27 and 332.80±51.20, respectively. Line of best fit of graph of antibody titers of vaccinated chicks on vaccine titers, showed that reducing titers of the live IBD vaccines improved their immunogenicity. Conclusions: The inverse relationship between virus titers of the vaccines and their serum conversion abilities, suggests that, if viral titers of live IBD vaccines are too high, immune-suppression instead of enhancement of immune response may occur.
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Background: Control of diabetes involves maintaining normal or near normal blood glucose levels through appropriate therapy: insulin; oral hypoglycemic agents; diet and exercise. The aim of this study was to investigate the blood glucose response to aerobic exercise training among subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) at University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH); Enugu. Materials and Methods: Subjects with diagnosis of T2DM attending the diabetes clinic of the UNTH participated in the study. A total of 54 subjects with T2DM (fasting blood sugar [FBS] of between110 and 225 mg/dl) were randomized into two age matched groups: Exercise (n = 30) and control (n = 24) groups. The exercise group involved in an 8 week continuous training (60-79 heart rate [HR] max) of between 45 and 60 min; 3 times/week; while the controls group remain sedentary. Systolic blood pressure (SBP); diastolic blood pressure (DBP); aerobic fitness (VO 2 max) and FBS were assessed. Analysis of covariance and Pearson correlation tests were used in data analysis. Results: We observed significant effect of exercise training program on; SBP (P = 0.000); DBP (P = 0.007); FBS (P = 0.001) and VO 2 max (P = 0.013). Changes in VO 2 max significantly and negatively correlated with changes in FBS (r = -0.220) at P 0.05. Conclusion: It was concluded that aerobic exercise program is an effective adjunct in controlling blood glucose level among type 2 diabetic subjects
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Diabetes Mellitus , Exercise , Hospitals , TeachingABSTRACT
Melioidosis, caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, has variable manifestations. The disease can present as an acute or a chronic form or localized or disseminated or can remain latent for many years. Acute septicaemic melioidosis has a high fatality rate when untreated and therefore, an early diagnosis is critical. Lack of testing facilities and of an awareness of the manifestations of the disease makes it likely that it is underreported in India. A sonicate and a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) antigen were evaluated by an IgM enzyme immunoassay in patients with culture-confirmed melioidosis (n = 29), fever of unknown origin (n = 214) and healthy controls (n = 109). Patients with melioidosis had significantly higher optical density values than both control categories, but the sensitivity of both tests was low (25% for sonicate, 62% for LPS). These data highlight the problems with serodiagnosis in endemic settings, where high cut-off values are required for specificity, and result in low sensitivity.
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Mesothelial cysts are fluid-filled sacs lined by mesothelial cells. They are rare lesions that have been known to occur at various sites, but have not been reported at the porta hepatis. We report a 45-year-old woman with mesothelial cyst at the porta hepatis that was detected incidentally during open cholecystectomy.