Partial Purification and Characterization of Lectin from the Seeds of Cissus poplunea.

Lectin is a glycoprotein substance, usually of plant origin, of non-immunoglobulin nature and capable of binding to carbohydrate moieties of complex glycoconjugates. This underlies its clinical significance. Hence, purification steps comprising of centrifugation, salting-out, ultra filtration, dialysis and anion exchange affinity chromatography were used to purify the protein from the seed of Cissus populnea. The purified lectin agglutinated non-specifically red blood cells of human type A, B and O. The hemagglutinating activity of the lectin towards human erythrocytes was inhibited by Dfructose, D-glucose and CuSO4. However the lectin activity was enhanced by Dgalactose and MgCl2. Stability studies showed the purified protein to be stable at a spectrum of 20-40°C and at pH range of 6-8 and 10-11. The kinetic study on the purified protein indicated 26271HU and 278.2 L for Vmax and Km, respectively. However, result from paper chromatography on the carbohydrate isolate during purification indicated presence of a ketone sugar having same appearance with fructose standard, a sugar clinically established as the major source of energy during spermatogenesis. It was observed that heamagglutinating activity of the lectin from Cissus populnea towards human erythrocytes was non-selective to type of blood groups. It could be stated that Cissus populnea consumption may pose no threat to patient with challenge in metabolising glucose, since its main carbohydrate content is fructose.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use in Diabetes Mellitus

"BACKGROUND: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM); an emerging aspect of the management of chronic diseases worldwide is not widely studied in Nigerian patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). OBJECTIVE: To assess the frequency and pattern of CAM utilization in people with DM . METHODS: This was a cross-sectional question-naire survey involving 263 patients with DM. Biodata; duration of DM; type and pattern of CAM utilization and adherence to prescribed medications were documented. The prevalence and possible determinants of CAM utilization were evaluated by determining the odds ratio for independent variables. RESULTS: There were 263 respondents with a mean age of 60 (10.7) years and with ages ranging from 28-80 years. The prevalence of CAM usage was 46and the female: male ratio was 2:1. Generally; CAM users were older than non-CAM users; (p= 0.006). The main forms of CAM used were biological based therapies and these included bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina); aloe vera; garlic; ginger; and ""local herbs"". Adherence to prescribed medications was observed by 94of respondents. CONCLUSION: We found that CAM usage is an important facet of management of DM among our patients with biological based therapies being the prevalent forms of CAM utilized. Despite CAM usage; adherence to prescribed medications was high. Further evaluation of the impact of CAM on glycaemia is needed."

Cigarette Smoking among Healthcare Professional Students of University of Lagos and Lagos University Teaching Hospital (Luth); Idi-Araba; Lagos; Nigeria

Background:It is aknown fact that health professionals can play a critical role in reducing tobacco use. In fact; it has been shown that even brief and simple advice from health care professionals can substantially increase smoking cessation rates. Students in healthcare professions are future healthcare professionals; identifying and documenting their knowledge; attitudes and practices with regards to tobacco smoking would shed light as to their future effectiveness in providing this much needed public health initiative in their practices. Objective: This research was carried out to determine cigarette smoking habit among healthcare professional students of University of Lagos and Nursing students of Lagos University Teaching Hospital. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional descriptive survey. Data was collected by the use of a structured; self administered questionnaire which was aimed at determining their smoking status and their attitudes. The target population was first and final professional year students representing the two class extremes and attempt was made to survey all the students that fell within this identified target population without randomization. Data was collected between March and June 2007 Results: Out of 814 qualified participants; 433 responded to the questionnaire (53). Smoking prevalence was highest among dental students (8.48) while both Physiotherapy and Nursing students had nil prevalence rates. Overall; the current smoking prevalence was 3.93. There was no statistically significant difference between the smoking habits of first year and final year students (p= 0.99). Based on Fagerstrom nicotine addiction test; only a small proportion of the current smokers can be classified as being maximally addicted (6.0). Conclusions: From this study it can be concluded that smoking prevalence is low among healthcare professional students at the University of Lagos and this is a good indication that they would play critical role in reducing tobacco use. It is recommended that a tobacco counselling unit should be set up by the school authority

Postpartum sexual abstinence and breastfeeding pattern in Sagamu, Nigeria

This was a prospective study involving 371 mothers. The mean age of the mothers was 27.5 (.3.6) years with a mean years at school (Educational years) of 11.3 (2.9) years. All the mothers had previously breastfed at one of their infants for at least 6 months, while the mothers also breastfed their last child for an average (mean) of 10.3 (4.0) months. The overall mean of previous live births was 1.9 (0.8). In the first month postpartum, 84.6% of the mothers abstained from sexual intercourse, but by the 4th-5th month the proportion had dropped to 18.1%, with just 2.1% of the study population abstaining from sexual intercourse at 11-15 months post-partum. Forty seven (13.5%), 30 (8.6% ) and 3 (0.9 % ) mothers in social classes 2,3 and 1 respectively have resumed sexual intercourse at 4-5 months, while only 12(3.4%) and 4(1.1%) in social classes 2 and 3 respectively continued with sexual intercourse at 11-15 months. More mothers resumed sexual intercourse from 1 to 15 months post-partum when they breast fed for 6-10 minutes and 11-15 minutes than those who breast fed for 1-5 minutes, 16-20 minutes and 21-25 minutes. Also more mothers within the 25-29 years age group resumed sexual intercourse from the first month to the fifteenth month post-partum than mothers in the other age groups. (Afr Reprod Health 2008; 12[1]:96-100)