Histologic and Biochemical Effect of Balanite aegyptiaca Fruit Extract on Alloxan-Induced Diabetes in Wistar Rats.

Background: Diabetes mellitus is among the most prevalent and costly chronic diseases in the world. Unfortunately, immediate prospects for a cure are not available. We aimed to determine the in vivo antidiabetic activity, histologic, and biochemical effect of Balanites aegyptiaca fruit extract on alloxan-induced diabetes in Wistar rats. Methods: Thirty-six Wistar rats were allotted into six groups (n=6). Group I was normal control. Group II was induced with diabetes but not treated.Groups III-V were induced with diabetes and treated with 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg extracts while Group VI was treated with Metformin once daily for 14 days. Animals were euthanized, and blood samples were collected for biochemical assays. The liver, kidney, pancreas, and testis were excised and processed by the paraffin wax method. Result: Oral administration of BA extract significantly (P<0.05) reduced blood glucose, liver enzymes, and creatinine levels in diabetic animals. The extract also improved the body weights of diabetic animals and microscopic anatomy of the pancreas, testis, liver, and kidney parenchyma compared to the control. Conclusion: Balanites aegyptiaca phytochemicals reduced blood glucose level and improved the histology of the liver, kidney, pancreas, and testis. Further study is recommended to identify the phytochemicals and mechanism of action.

Commercial motorcycle operators pose high risk for community transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in South-South Nigeria.

COVID-19 has become a threat to the existence of man as no method of effective treatment has been found. Although the WHO has given guidelines that include social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19, it cannot be practiced in a commercial motorcycle operation, which is a major source of income and means of transportation in Nigeria. We examined the COVID-19 knowledge, awareness, and preventive practices among commercial motorcycle operators (CMOs) and the potentials for community transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the South-South region of Nigeria. Data used was collected from a cross-sectional survey of 777 CMOs operating in the South-South region of Nigeria. The instrument captured information on their biodata, knowledge, awareness, and preventive practices of COVID-19. The data obtained were subjected to both descriptive and inferential statistics using SAS JMP Statistical Discovery™ software version 14.3 (SAS Institute, Cary, North Carolina, USA). The majority of the CMOs were of age category 26-35 years (36.4%), married (82.1%), under a monogamous union (83.8%), had 3-4 children (43.4%) and resided in rural areas (60.8%). The mean years of experience of the CMOs was 4.9 ± 2.45 years with most depending on daily income of N1,000-2,000 (87.6%). All the CMOs were aware of the existence of COVID-19, but 93.3% of them did not believe it existed in their state. Only 37.8% of them put on facemasks while on duty, although they were aware that they could be infected or infect others in the community. Prevention practices among CMOs were significantly predicted by age category, type of family, number of dependents, and place of residence. We conclude that CMOs have high potentials for transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the communities because the business does not permit social distancing. It is recommended that guidelines requiring mandatory screening of operators and riders be implemented.

Commercial Sex Work During Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) Era in the Niger Delta Region: Relationships Between Knowledge, Preventive Practice, and Transmission Potential.

BACKGROUND: Sex workers, like others, are facing economic hardships and anxiety about their health and safety due to coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), an infectious disease caused by a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Universally, most sex work has largely reduced, moved online, or undertaken covertly because of lockdown measures and need for social distancing to break the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. However, the ability of sex workers to protect themselves against COVID-19 depends on their individual and interpersonal behaviors and work environment. In this study, we sought to determine the relationships between COVID-19 knowledge, awareness and prevention practice (KAP) among female commercial sex workers (FCSW) in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria to inform the development of prevention interventions for this vulnerable population. METHODS: Data used in this study were obtained from a cross-sectional survey of 604 FCSW operating in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. We used descriptive and inferential statistics to assess their socio-demographic characteristics and COVID-19 KAP adopted against the novel coronavirus. Latent class analysis was used to systematically classify participants' attributes and behaviors into the most likely distinct clusters or risk groups. RESULTS: The majority of the FCSW were singles (86.8%) of childbearing ages, 21-35 years (86.2%), with almost three quarters (73.2%) of them having sex with 3-4 clients per day during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, almost three quarters of the participants had both good knowledge and awareness about COVID-19 but less than half of them (41.1%) implemented good practice to prevent the spread of the disease. However, a highly significant and positive relationship was recorded between COVID-19 knowledge (r=0.90, p<0.0001) and awareness (r=0.65, p<0.0001), and preventive practice of FCSW, respectively. About 89.1% of the participants were not very familiar with the symptoms of COVID-19 (p<0.0001). Only 10.9% of the FCSW indicated that they wear facemask at all times, while 45.2% of them do not wear facemask during sexual intercourse with their clients (p<0.0001). Based on the FCSW attributes and behaviors, we identified three distinct clusters or risk groups (p<0.0001), namely, low-risk takers (Cluster 1), high-risk takers (Cluster 2) and very high-risk takers (Cluster 3) with latent class prevalence rates (γc) of 41.13% (95% CI: 37.26-45.10), 33.17% (95% CI: 29.53-37.02) and 25.71% (95% CI: 22.38-29.34), respectively. CONCLUSION: Sex work has high transmission potentials for SARS-CoV-2 because of its operational nature, which does not permit social distancing, and thus, renders certain preventive measures practically ineffective. This is a major challenge in the fight against COVID-19 in this high-risk group and calls for the development of operational guidelines and targeted intervention strategies to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the Niger Delta region.

Landolphia owariensis Attenuates Alcohol-induced Cerebellar Neurodegeneration: Significance of Neurofilament Protein Alteration in the Purkinje Cells.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol-induced cerebellar neurodegeneration is a neuroadaptation that is associated with chronic alcohol abuse. Conventional drugs have been largely unsatisfactory in preventing neurodegeneration. Yet, multimodal neuro-protective therapeutic agents have been hypothesised to have high therapeutic potential for the treatment of CNS conditions; there is yet a dilemma of how this would be achieved. Contrarily, medicinal botanicals are naturally multimodal in their mechanism of action. AIM: The effect of L. owariensis was therefore assessed in alcohol-induced neurodegeneration of the cerebellar cortex in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two groups of rats were oro-gastrically fed thrice daily with 5 g/kg ethanol (25% w/v), and 5 g/kg ethanol (25% w/v) plus L. owariensis (100 mg/kg body weight) respectively in diluted nutritionally complete diet (50% v/v). A control group was correspondingly fed a nutritionally complete diet (50% v/v) made isocaloric with glucose. Cytoarchitectural study of the cerebellar cortex was examined with H&E. Immunocytochemical analysis was carried out with the use of monoclonal antibody anti-NF in order to detect alterations in the neuronal cytoskeleton. RESULTS: After 4 days of binge alcohol treatment, we observed that L. owariensis supplementation significantly lowered the levels of histologic and biochemical indices of neurodegeneration. The level of neurodegeneration and cytoarchitecture distortion of the cerebellar cortex of rats exposed to ethanol was reduced by L. owariensis. Neurofilament-immunoreactivity (NF-IR) was evoked in the Purkinje cells of rats that received L. owariensis supplement. CONCLUSIONS: L. owariensis attenuates alcohol-induced cerebellar degeneration in the rat by alleviating oxidative stress and alteration of NF protein expression in the Purkinje cells.

Hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity evaluation in Wistar albino rats exposed to Morinda lucida leaf extract.

BACKGROUND: Aqueous extract of Morinda lucida benth leaf is consumed in Southern Nigeria in the treatment of malaria without any regard for its safety. AIM: The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of ingestion of the ethanolic leaf extract of the plant on liver and kidney functions in Wistar albino rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Acute oral toxicity test was performed to determine the LD(50); sub-chronic toxicity study was then carried out by oral administration of different doses of the extract on daily basis to different groups of rats for 42 days. The animals were subsequently sacrificed, and liver and kidney functions assessed biochemically using standard techniques. RESULTS: The acute oral toxicity result, LD(50,) revealed Morinda lucida leaf extract to be non-lethal at 6400mg/kg body weight. The results obtained for liver and kidney function parameters indicated that ingestion of Morinda lucida leaf extract has no toxic effect on liver and kidney functions. CONCLUSION: The results can form the basis for clinical trials in humans.

Histopathological changes in Wistar albino rats exposed to aqueous extract of unripe Carica papaya.

BACKGROUND: Exposure of animals to xenobiotics may or may not trigger adverse response at cellular levels. Aqueous extract of unripe Carica papaya is consumed by sickle cell patients as antisickling agent in Western Nigeria. AIM: This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of Carica papaya on certain organs in Wister albino rats exposed to aqueous extract of unripe Carica papaya. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Different doses of aqueous extract of unripe Carica papaya were administered orally daily for 42 days to six groups of rats. At the end of exposure, the animals were sacrificed and tissue sections were prepared from livers, kidneys, hearts and small intestines using standard techniques. RESULTS: Histopathological results showed that no pathological changes were observed in tissue sections of experimental animals when compared with tissue sections of the same organs in control animals. CONCLUSION: No pathological changes were elicited in the organs of rats exposed to aqueous extract of unripe Carica papaya.

Histological and biochemical markers of the liver of Wistar rats on subchronic oral administration of green tea.

BACKGROUND: Few articles have linked the consumption of green tea to certain liver diseases but several articles have disputed these assertions and the consumption of green tea has been on the increase. AIMS: The effects of oral administration of green tea on the liver of Wistar rats were studied in order to compare biochemical findings with histological findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 36 male and female Wistar albino rats were grouped into 6, consisting of 6 rats in each group. They were given 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% concentration of green tea in tap water for 42 days. The 6(th) group was on normal diet and received 0% of the tea. Their blood samples were analyzed for total and conjugated bilirubin, total protein, albumin, globulin, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase. The liver tissues were also processed for histological examination. RESULTS: The liver tissues were essentially normal and similar to the control tissues. The biochemical parameters studied were also normal and similar to the results obtained from the control animals. CONCLUSION: Sub chronic consumption of green tea has no injurious effects on the liver of Wistar rats.

Tongue rolling and tongue folding traits in an African population / Rasgos de lengua enrollada y lengua doblada en una población africana

Genetic variations that occur in humans are usually as a result of a plethora of factors which are of enormous value from physical anthropological window especially in studying population variation and human diversity. This study was conducted amongst unrelated volunteer students of Delta State University, Nigeria who were all of Urhobo tribe (71 males) and (72) females aged between 18 years and over to determine their ability to roll or fold the tongues. The frequency of folders (120) and rollers (87) were more common than non-folders (23) and non-rollers (56).The incidence of tongue rolling was higher in females than in their male counterparts. These differences did not however show any statistical significance, p > 0.01. The frequency of R-F was observed to be highest in both males and females (38 and 43) respectively. 22 males and 17 females were observed to be capable of fold but unable to roll their tongue. None rollers and none folders were 9 males and 7 females respectively while rollers and none-folders were the least with frequencies of 2 males and 3 females respectively.

Las variaciones genéticas que ocurren en los seres humanos son, por lo general, resultado de una suma de factores de enorme valor en la antropología física, sobre todo en el estudio de variación de población y diversidad humana. Este estudio se realizó en estudiantes voluntarios no vinculados de la Universidad del Estado de Delta, Nigeria. Todos pertenecientes a la tribu Urhobo, 71 varones y 72 mujeres de 18 y más años de edad. El objetivo del estudio fue determinar su capacidad de plegamiento y enrollamiento lingual. La frecuencia de las lenguas dobladas (120) y enrolladas (87), fue mayor que las no dobladas (23) y no enrolladas (56). La incidencia de la lengua enrollada fue mayor en mujeres. Estas diferencias sin embargo, no fueron estadísticamente significativas, p> 0,01. La frecuencia de RF se observó más alta en hombres y mujeres (38 y 43), respectivamente. 22 hombres y 17 mujeres eran capaces de doblar la lengua pero no de enrollarla. 9 hombres y 7 mujeres no fueron capaces de enrollar la lengua ni de doblarla, mientras que 2 hombres y 3 mujeres fueron capaces de enrollar la lengua pero no de doblarla.