Heavy Metal Pollution Mediated Oxidative Stress in Amaranthus hybridus Leaves.

The effect of the same concentration of heavy metals lead (Pb), mercury (Hg) and cadmium (Cd) pollution on oxidative stress parameters in A. hybridus leaves after fifty days was investigated. A. hybridus leaves from soil sample without heavy metal pollution served as the control. Results indicated that there were significant (p< 0.05) difference in some of the oxidative stress parameters (glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), ascorbic acid (AA), protein thiol (PSH) and catalase (CAT) activity) mediated by heavy metal pollution from aqueous leaf extract of A. hybridus when compared to the control, indicating that heavy metal pollution at high concentration mediated oxidative stress in A. hybridus leaves. Heavy metals at higher concentration are toxic to plants which affect their normal metabolism and exhibit unhealthy characteristics growth.

Serum alkaline phosphatase and acid phosphatase isoenzymes activity in diagnosis and monitoring of prostate cancer in economically disadvantaged communities

There is need to re-examine the use of serum alkaline phosphatase and acid phosphatase isoenzmes activity in the diagnosis and monitoring of prostate cancer in a poor economy. Serum activities of alkaline phosphatase [ALP] heat stable alkaline phosphatase [HSAP] acid phosphatase [ACP] and prostatic acid phosphatase [PAP] were studied in 47 diagnosed prostate cancer patients and 71 apparently healthy male controls, using spectrophotometric analysis. there were statistical significant increases in the mean serum levels of the alkaline phosphatase and acid phosphatase isoenzymes in the prostate cancer patients compared with the controls [p<0.001]. The serum levels of ALP,HSAP,.ACP and PAP increased significantly in each age group in the prostate cancer patients [P<0.01] respectively. statistical analysis showed significant progressive increases in the serum levels of these isoenzymes with increase in the duration of the disease [P<0.01] in each case. The results re-confirm the relevance of PAP and ACP in the diagnosis and monitoring of prostate cancer. It also indicates that ALP and HSAP may contribute to the diagnosis and monitoring of possible metastasis in prostate carcinoma, especially in economically disadvantaged communities

Haemorheological changes in pre-eclamptic Nigerian women

Haemorheological parameters were determined using standard techniques in 78 pre-eclamptic women, 86 normal pregnant women and sixty [60] apparently healthy, age-matched, non-pregnant women who were recruited as controls. The mean erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR], plasma viscosity [PV], whole blood viscosity [WBV] andfibrinogen levels, were significantly higher in the pregnant women, compared to the non-pregnant women [P< 0.05]. However there was no statistically significant difference in the parameters between the pre-eclamptic and normal pregnant women [P>0.05]. The body mass index [BM1], systolic and diastolic blood pressures [BP] were significantly raised in pre-eclamptic women, compared to their normal pregnant and non-pregnant counterparts [P<0.05] Haemorheological parameters may be raised in pre-eclampsia and normal pregnancy. The increase parallels increase in systolic and diastolic BP in pre-eclampsia. Our study suggests that the non-significant raise in haemorheological indices in the pre-eclamptic women could be due to the pregnancy and not because of the pre-eclampsia

Effect of colocasia esculenta [Taro cocoyam] based diets on hepatic cholesterol and phospholipid levels in albino rats

Fifty albino rats randomly distributed into 5 groups of 10 rats each, were respectively fed growers mash as the control diet, 25% and 50% sun-dried, fried taro [Colocasia esculenta], and 25% and 50% sun-dried, unfried taro supplemented diets for 30 days. Hepatic cholesterol and phospholipid concentrations were measured colorimetrically. There were statistically significant changes in the body weight of the animals over time, with significant lower body weight gain in the animals fed the experimental diets than those on control diet [P < 0.05]. There were also statistical significant increase and decrease in the mean feed intake of the animals fed fried taro and unfried taro diets respectively, in comparison with those on control diet [P < 0.05]. Significant decreases in hepatic total, free and esterified cholesterol concentrations as well as in the hepatic phospholipid levels were observed in the animals fed taro supplemented diets [P < 0.05]. Diet supplementation with fried taro cormels can be recommended for reduction and maintenance of low hepatic lipid concentrations