Comparing the specificity and sensitivity of nitrate and leucocyte tests on multistick in screening for urinary tract infections amongst pregnant women at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital Ikeja, Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE: This study was carried out to determine a very reliable and rapid screening test using multistick (or multistix), microscopy, and culture methods for urinary tract infections (UTI) in pregnant women attending the antenatal booking clinic (ANC) of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Nigeria. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A group of 352 pregnant women were randomly selected at the antenatal booking clinic and evaluated for urinary tract infections (UTI) using the above mentioned screening test methods. The ages of patients ranged from 20 to 40 years, with the 31-35 age range accounting for over 42% of the study population, and two-thirds of them being multigravidae. RESULTS: Positive urine culture with significant bacteriuria was found in 163 patients which was 46.3%. One hundred and thirty three (133) of this number did not present with urinary symptoms at all, although pair urine culture was positive with significant bacteriuria. Also, eleven patients of the study population has urinary symptoms but their urine culture did not yield any significant growth, after 48 hours of incubation. CONCLUSION: It was found in this study that leucocyte dipstick test has excellent specificity (90.5%) but not a very good sensitivity (28.8%), when compared with nitrite dipstick which has a specificity of 78.8% and sensitivity of 56.4%.

Oral toxicity studies of a Nigerian polyherbal health tonic tea extract in rats.

In the present study, acute and subchronic oral toxicity studies of an aqueous extract of a Nigerian Polyherbal Health Tonic (PHT) were investigated in adult Wistar rats of both sexes and weighing between 110-200 g. Acute toxicity study was conducted using limit dose test of Up and Down Procedure under computer guided statistical software program (AOT 425 StatPgm). The subchronic toxicity was evaluated in 4 groups of rats made up of six rats/group, administered single, daily oral doses of 10 ml/kg distilled water (DW), 125, 500 and 1500 mg/kg of PHT, respectively, for 90 days. On the 91st day, blood samples for haematological and biochemical assays were collected through cardiac puncture and selected vital organs harvested en bloc for histopathological examination under inhaled anaesthesia. Results showed PHT to be relatively safe on acute toxicity with an estimated LD50 value greater than 5000 mg/kg/oral route. On prolonged exposure, PHT induced initial weight gain in the 1st 6 weeks followed by significant (P < 0.05) dose related weight loss in the latter 6 weeks. The extract also caused significant (P < 0.05) dose related elevation of the full blood count parameters, dose unrelated elevation of serum urea, liver enzymes, serum proteins, albumin, total and conjugated bilirubin. On histology, PHT induced dose dependent gastric mucosal denudation, bile ductal lining distortion, diffuse pulmonary interstitial fibrous proliferation and diffuse splenic lymphocytic proliferation. Thus, our results showed that PHT use may be relatively safe on acute exposure but toxic on chronic exposure to high doses, although reversibility of these toxic effects was not studied in the present study.

Effect of chronic co-administration of metformin and vitamin C on plasma glucose and lipid concentrations in normal rats.

In clinical setting, uncomplicated diabetes mellitus type 2 is managed with anti-oxidants (e.g. ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol, etc.) with standard oral hypoglycaemic agents, which is aimed at limiting its glucose auto-oxidation and lipid peroxidation complications. The current study is an experimental animal study aimed at investigating the effect of co-administration of metformin and ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) on plasma glucose and lipid levels in non-diabetic rats which could serve as a template for future studies in this area. The hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic activities of metformin, ascorbic acid, and metformin-ascorbic acid combination were studied in 4 groups consisting of 6 rats per group and weighing 120 - 155 g, by administering oral doses of 5, 10 and 15 (for co-administration) mg/kg/day of the drugs, respectively, for 30 days. The acute oral toxicity of the combination was also conducted using limit dose test of Up and Down Procedure of Acute Oral Toxicity test. Results of the study showed that metformin and metformin-ascorbic acid combination induced significant and comparable hypoglycaemia. The drug combination also lowered plasma total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c), very low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDL-c) significantly but had no effect on plasma high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c). The LD50 estimate of the drug combination was greater than 5000 mg/kg body weight/oral route. The results of this study suggest the drug combination could have hypoglycaemic and lipid-lowering effects.

Sub-chronic Toxicity Studies of the Aqueous Leaf Extract of Rauvolfia Vomitoria (Afzel)

The cumulative effects of the aqueous leaf extracts of Rauvolfia vomitoria on body tissues was studied. Six groups of male rats consisting of 5 rats per group were given doses of the leaf extract ranging from 0.03g kg-1-1.2g kg-1 to drink at will from their drinking bottles for 42 days. During the period of the study; weights of the animals were monitored weekly with their gross appearances. At the end of the 42nd day; the rats were killed by cervical dislocation. Post-mortem of each of the animals was performed. The liver; kidney; stomach; heart and lungs were excised. The organs from the groups given plant extract were compared with those of the controls. Body weight of both the treated and the control animals rose progressively as the period increased. The pathological features like oedema and hypertrophy noticed in the tissues are considered to be of no serious consequence as they disappeared after cessation of therapy. There abnormalities may possibly not develop with R. vomitoria used for a short period. It is therefore; considered to be non-hazardous

Analysis of Fallopian Tubes seen in the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital; Ikeja; Lagos; Nigeria:- An Histopathological Survey

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to appraise the major diseases of the fallopian tubes and causes of damage in this environment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study of a 4-year review of consecutive fallopian tube specimens received at the Department of Morbid Anatomy of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH); Ikeja; Lagos; conducted between 1st of May; 2001 and 31st July; 2005. RESULTS: Over the study period; a total of 237 fallopian tubes were studied. The ages of the patients range from 18 to 54 years with the peak incidence in the 21 to 30 years with the median age of 26. 85(46.4) of the specimens received from 183 patients had ages indicated. Ectopic pregnancy is the commonest indication for sending fallopian tubes to the laboratory for investigation in 63.9 of cases. No case of cancer of the fallopian tubes or tuberculous salpingitis was seen in this study. CONCLUSION: Tubal pregnancy is the commonest indication for sending fallopian tubes to the laboratories for analysis in 63.9 of cases. Malignant tumours of the fallopian tubes and tuberculous salpingitis are rare in this environment

Hypoglycemic and hypocholesterolemic activities of the aqueous leaf and seed extract of Phyllanthus amarus in mice.

The effect of the aqueous leaf and seed extracts of Phyllanthus amarus at oral dose of 150, 300 and 600 mg/kg was investigated for their antidiabetic and anti-lipidemic potentials. The extract produced a dose-dependent decrease in the fasting plasma glucose and cholesterol, and reduction in weights in treated mice. The results suggest that the extract could be enhancing peripheral utilization of glucose but the mechanisms on how this works remain unclear.