ABSTRACT
Theaqueous and ethanolic extracts of Moringa oleiferaleaf were evaluated for safety, antimalarial and antipyretic activities because it is commonly used for various types of ailments especially malaria and fever. The various concentration of these extracts (0-800mg/kg) were tested against Plasmodium berghei bergheiinfectedalbino mice of either sex, in a Peters’four day antiplasmodialtest while antipyretic activities were evaluated in malaria-induced mice. Their possible effects on haematological parameters of PCV, WBC, neutrophil, lymphocytes count and liver enzymes were also determined as well as on the liver and kidney architecture. All the tested doses of the aqueous extract were comparable in antiplasmodial activity (p>0.05) to each of the tested doses of the ethanolic extract which were significantly different (p<0.05) from the negative control. Only the highest doses of both extracts gave significantly higher (p<0.05) antiplasmodial activity than the standard drug. For the ethanolic extract,a significant antipyretic activity was not observed until at 800mg/kg in time T3while the aqueous extract exerted no significant antipyretic activity at all doses and at all times. The ethanolic extract gave significantly higher PCV values than that of the aqueous. The administration of the aqueous extract gave significantly lower WBC than the ethanolic extract while comparable increase in lymphocyte count was noticeable at each of the doses of both extracts when compared to the negative control. Only 100mg/kg and 800mg/kg of the aqueous extract maintained a relatively high neutrophils count in this study. Also, the aqueous extract elicited higher concentration of ALT (greater than fourfold of normal) but the ethanolic extract produced the highest level of AST at the highest dose of 800mg/kg when compared to the ethanolic extract. Histological examination of the kidney showed progressive degeneration while that of the liver showed recovery when compared to negative control as a result of progressive increase in dosage of the extracts in malarial treatment.In conclusion, though both aqueous and ethanolic extracts of M. oleiferaleaves exert chemosuppressive antiplasmodial activities in Plasmodium berghei bergheiinfected mice and exhibited antipyretic activity with some improved haematological parameters, caution should be taken in its indiscriminate use because of probable toxic effects on thekidney and the liver.
ABSTRACT
Background: Preliminary diagnosis of palpable breast lesions often requires the use of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). The aim of this study was, therefore, to determine the diagnostic utility of this procedure in the evaluation of palpable breast masses seen at our institution. Methods: FNAC was performed on all patients who presented with palpable breast lesions over the period of one year. These were classified according to the United Kingdom National Health Services Breast Screening Programme (UKNHSBSP) and were compared with the corresponding histopathologic diagnosis in each case. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value as well as negative predictive value were subsequently determined. Results: A total of 164 cytological reports were obtained from 153 patients during the study period. The patients seen during the study period were between the ages of 15-86 years (Mean 42.3±15.8 SD). The peak age range of presentation of benign lesions was 20-29 years while that for malignant was 40-49 years. Fifty (50.6%) were reported as benign (C2) and 31.7% were reported as malignant (C5). About 7.8% and 8.5% were reported as inadequate (C1) and suspicious for malignancy (C4) respectively. Histopathology was performed on 87 (biopsy rate of 53.0%). There was good correlation between the cytological and histological diagnosis with the sensitivity of FNAC for benign lesions being 97.3% while that for malignant lesions was 100%. The correlation between fine needle aspiration cytology of palpable breast lumps and histological diagnosis was found to be statistically significant. Conclusion: FNAC of palpable breast lesions has a high predictive value for the histologic diagnosis especially when performed by experienced cytopathologists.