Antinociceptive Effect of Ethanolic Extract of Hybanthus enneaspermus Leaf in Rats.

Aims: To test the hypothesis that Hybanthus enneaspermus leaf has an antinociceptive effect. Methodology: Seventy-two male rats were randomly divided in a blinded fashion into 4 groups each for the tail immersion test (n=12 per group) and formalin test (n=6 per group). Group 1 (control) received 0.6 ml of distilled water. Group 2 received 100 mg/kg of acetaminophen (paracetamol). Group 3 and 4 received 500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg of ethanolic extract of Hybanthus enneaspermus leaf (EEHE) respectively. Results: In the formalin test, oral administration of 500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg EEHE caused inhibitions of 62.48% and 72% in the early phase and 70.54% and 78.63% in the late phase respectively. The 1000 mg/kg dose significantly reduced the paw licking time when compared to the standard drug (acetaminophen) in the formalin test. The 500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg doses significantly increased the tail flick latency in a manner comparable to acetaminophen. Conclusion: This study showed that the leaf has an anti-nociceptive effect.

Correlation of Serum Anti-Helicobacter pylori Immunoglobulin A (IGA) with Histological Parameters of Chronic Gastritis in Ibadan; Nigeria

Background: The seroprevalence of anti-H. pylori IgA antibodies has been reported to vary among populations and in relation to strains of Helicobacter pylori bacterium. However; there has been conflicting reports on the association between IgA serological status and the histological variables of chronic gastritis. This study was therefore conducted to clarify this relationship. Method : Using an ELISA based commercial kit; anti-H. pylori IgA antibody tests were performed on 65 dyspeptic patients and 65 age- and ex-matched controls. The gastric biopsies of these patients were also examined histologically for the degrees of inflammation; activity; intestinal metaplasia and atrophy. The CagA status of the patients had been determined previously. Results: There was an anti-H. pylori IgA antibody prevalence of 67.7in dyspeptics and 56.9in non-dyspeptic individuals. No correlations were observed between serum H. pylori IgA antibody and the graded parameters of chronic gastritis in dyspeptic patients; although twice more patients with mild gastric inflammation were found among IgA positive than among IgA negative patients. However; a statistically significant relationship was established between serum IgA positivity and the CagA status of the patients (p = 0.028). Conclusion: The seroprevalence of anti-H. pylori IgA antibody is high in our environment. Serum IgA status may be associated with milder degrees of gastritis in our patients but a larger cohort of patients is needed to confirm this. There seems to be a good agreement between serum IgA and CagA statuses among dyspeptic patients

The Pattern of Medical Mortalities in a Specialist Hospital in North-Central Nigeria

Background: Review of causes of morbidity and mortality in health care facilities is an important exercise which gives a picture of the prevailing disease pattern in the particular community and at the same time looks out for any change in the disease pattern over time. This exercise is a necessary component for planning of the health care needs of the community. Objective: To determine the mortality pattern on the medical wards of the Kogi State Specialist Hospital; a tertiary center located in Lokoja; North-Central Nigeria. Methods: A retrospective review of medical records of all patients admitted to the medical wards of the hospital over a period of 18 months (December 2008 - May 2010) was carried out. The information recorded from these sources included the age and gender; diagnosis/cause of death and the duration of admission. Results: A total of six hundred and eighty-four patients were admitted during the period being studied with a predominance of female patients (Female: Male Ratio = 1.07). There were seventy-six deaths (11.1) during the period in question with HIV and related complications accounting for most recorded mortality (32.9) closely followed by non-communicable cardiovascular conditions (hypertension; heart failure and CVD) - 28.9. Conclusion: This study clearly shows that HIV infection and its complications remains the leading cause of death despite the advent of HAART. Clearly there is a need to revisit the strategies of HIV prevention and control. Also there is an urgent need to focus on the prevention and treatment of non-communicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes

Self-medication profile of dental patients in Ondo state, Nigeria

The practice of selfmedication has been extensively researched but there is dearth of information about its modality among dental patients in developing countries. Hence; this study was designed to determine the proportion of dental patients who practice; medications employed and the reasons for resorting to self medication in general dental populations in Ondo State; Nigeria and tomake appropriate recommendations. This study was conducted between June 2007 and June 2008 at the Federal Medical Centre; Owo and State Specialist Hospital; Akure; Ondo State; Nigeria. Five hundred and thirty six consenting respondents were selected by multistage sampling technique and interviewed with the aid of semi structured questionnaire. Results: Almost half of the respondents (42or n=225) admitted to self medication while the majority (58) did not practice it. Drugs utilized are usually singly (56.4) rather than in combination (43.6); commonly analgesics (50.1) and antibiotics (30.4); with themajority (45.8) using the medications for at least one week. The reasons cited by respondents for self medication were their perception that they know what to do and it saves time andmoney. A sizable majority of the respondents admitted to self-medication usually with analgesics. Adequate health education of the populace on the use and misuse of analgesics needs to be mounted; while dental services should be made readily available and affordable so that self medication among dental patients can be reduced to the barest minimum

Factors influencing the pattern of self-medication in an adult Nigerian population

Background: Despite the growing research interest in self-medication; little information has been available about its major determinants especially in developing countries. This informed the conduct of this study to determine the major factors that influence the pattern of self medication in a population of market women in Ifako-Ijaiye area of Lagos; Nigeria. Methods: Interviewer administered pretested semistructured questionnaire was used to collect data from 205 market women selected by multistage sampling technique. Results: The patent medicine dealers were the commonest source of information on medications (31.4) and where they were obtained (52.2). The exceptions were the educated (62.5) respondents who obtained theirs from hospitals and pharmacies. Trade and generic names (61.1) were common means of drug recognition especially among the educated respondents (P.05). Education of the respondents was the major factor influencing the practice of self-medication though the pattern was descriptively associated with the marital status and educational level of the respondents (P.05). Benefits of the practice includes in the order: curing of ailments (58.0); saving time and money (32.0) and independence of care (7.0). Conclusion: Literacy and public health education were the major factors influencing the pattern of self-medication among market women. Recommendations on the role of education of market women; patent medicine dealers and the importance of community pharmacy were suggested

The formalin test : effects of different injection sites on the pattern of nociceptive responses

The formalin test is widely believed to provide a more valid model for clinical pain than tests with phasic mechanical or thermal stimuli. However; the different implementations of the test in use pose the possibility of confounding results. This study evaluated the effects of different injection sites on the pattern of nociceptive responses. The responses to forepaw injection was found to be significantly higher than that of hind paw injection in the first phase while the response to plantar injection was found to be significantly higher than that of dorsal injection. We conclude that the choice of injection site has some effects on the pattern of nociceptive responses

Effects of blood pressure and blood pressure reactivity on experimental pain in healthy females

The study investigated whether the relationship between sex and experimental pain report was explained by blood pressure at rest; or during pain task; or both in healthy; young adult females. Univariate analyses indicated significant positive correlation between baseline systolic blood pressure; systolic blood pressure reactivity; and heart rate reactivity ; but not baseline diastolic blood pressure; diastolic blood pressure reactivity; heart rate; weight; height and pain sensitivity. However none of the positively correlated parameters could significantly predict pain threshold or pain tolerance

Chronic Vitamin C Administration Induces Thermal Hyperalgesia in Male Rats

Against a backdrop of neurological effects; the effects of acute and chronic administration of vitamin C (600mg/kg) on pain processing were investigated in male rats. Chronic administration of vitamin C induced significant thermal hyperalgesia while acute administration had no effect. In addition; the intraperitoneal administration of vitamin C produced observable abdominal writtings similar to what has been observed with acetic acid. We conclude that chronic vitamin C exerts facilitatory central nervous system effects and a possibility of using intraperitoneal injection of vitamin C as an animal model of pain is suggested