ABSTRACT
Objectives: Leptadenia hastata (Pers) Decne (Apocynaceae) is a common medicinal plant used in northern Nigeria either singly or together with conventional drugs to treat diabetes. This study investigated the influence of concurrent administration of the methanol leaf extract of L. hastata with metformin in streptozotocin/ nicotinamide-induced diabetic rats. Materials and Methods: Possible synergistic activity between the extract and metformin was assessed using 3 models of synergy analysis (Loewe additivity, Bliss independent and highest single agent [HSA] models). Eleven groups of Wistar rats (eight animals per group) consisting of ten groups of diabetic rats and one normal control group were used in this study. Six groups were administered with either the extract or metformin at three different doses each (50, 150 and 500 mg/kg for the extract and 30, 100 and 300 mg/kg for metformin), while another three groups were co-administered with the extract and metformin at three different ratios each (50 mg/kg: 30 mg/ kg, 150 mg/kg: 100 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg: 300 mg/kg). An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was conducted at baseline and on day 14. Result: The results revealed that the extract-metformin combination brought about a synergistic reduction in the total area under the OGTT curve (based on Loewe and HSA models) as well as a synergistic reduction in blood glucose (based on Loewe, Bliss and HSA models). Conclusion: The methanol leaf extract of L. hastata produced a synergistic antidiabetic activity in streptozotocin/ nicotinamide-induced diabetic rats when combined with metformin.
ABSTRACT
Background: Prolonged obstructed labour remains a major cause of obstetrics fistula in Northern Nigeria, and in places with high prevalence of vesico-vaginal fistula. This study aimed to determine the characteristics and risk factors of obstetrics fistulae following caesarean section for neglected obstructed labour in Northern Nigeria. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted in 4 fistula hospitals in Northern Nigeria from January to December 2015. All the patients who developed fistula following delivery by caesarean section (due to prolonged obstructed labour) were considered eligible for the study. A proforma was used to collect data on the research variables. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 22 computer statistical software package. Results: About a quarter of the study subjects (24.3%) have had a previous caesarean delivery, and about a third of them (37.8%) have had a previous unsuccessful fistula repair. Most of the study subjects (73.0%) were offered prompt emergency caesarean section at presentation, and majority of them (59.5%) were delivered of still births. The most common reason for delay at home was that they did not anticipate a difficult delivery (41.4%). The most common type of fistula seen was intra-cervical (52.3%). There was a moderate association between development of fistula and delay in the hospital, with the most common reasons being absence of doctors (25.2%) and financial constraints (22.5%). Conclusion: The large proportions of subjects with intra-cervical, ureteric and vault fistulae in this study suggest iatrogenic origin. Emergency obstetric care should be made available at the grass root level.
ABSTRACT
Objectives: This study aims to study some hematologic parameters, here, the packed cell volume (PCV), the red blood cell (RBC) count, hemoglobin concentration (HC) and white blood cell (WBC) count in residents of Offa in Kwara state, Nigeria Methods: Blood samples of healthy male and female Offa indigenes were analyzed for RBC count, PCV, HC and WBC count. Results: The mean HC was 14.6 and 13.71 g/dl of blood, for both males and females respectively, while the mean PCV was 43.1% and 40.4% for both males and females, respectively. The mean RBC count for males was 5.45 x 166 cells per mm3 while that of females was 4.55 x 106 / mm3. Conclusion: All values investigated were lower than that for Caucasians. The probable causes of the differences between the above values as compared to those of the western world were also discussed.