Evaluation of the histo - gastroprotective and antimicrobial activities of heliotropium indicum linn (boraginaceae).

Heliotropium indicum of the family Boraginaceae is used locally in Nigeria to treat ailments such as ulcer and fever. In this study, ulceration of the gastric mucosa in Wistar rats was induced via the oral administration of 80mg/kg/bodyweight of Indomethacin. Histological analyses of the stomach body wall in the rats of Groups 2 and 4 (which received 100mg/kg/bodyweight of extract before oral administration of 80mg/kg/bodyweight Indomethacin and 80mg/kg/bodyweight Indomethacin only respectively) showed erosion of the mucus-secreting cells, gastric pit, upper and middle parts of gastric glands and some of the parietal cells. Histological observations of the stomach body wall in rats of Group 5 (which received 200mg/kg/bodyweight of extract before oral administration of 80mg/kg/bodyweight of Indomethacin) showed erosion of the mucus-secreting cells, gastric pit and the upper most part of the gastric gland. Histological observations of the stomach body wall in rats of Groups 1, 6 and 3 (which received 50mg/kg/bodyweight of Ranitidine and 400mg/kg/bodyweight of extract before oral administration of 80mg/kg/bodyweight Indomethacin; and only 80mg/kg/bodyweight of Normal Saline respectively) showed normal morphological appearance of the different components of the mucosa layer. Thus, the aqueous extracts of the dried leaves of Heliotropium indicum have dose dependent histo-gastroprotective effects.

Sirenomelia in one of Nigerian monochorionic twins.

A 1,600 gm baby with sirenomelia (caudal regression syndrome) associated with extensive anomalies in the internal organs occurring in one of a set of monochromic twins delivered at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Shagamu, Nigeria is being reported. The baby lived for approximately twenty hours. The co-twin had no obvious malformation.

Hair distribution on the phalanges of the hand among Kanuris and Baburs/Buras of north-eastern Nigeria.

One thousand four hundred and seven Kanuri and Babur/Bura subjects of north-eastern Nigeria were selected randomly in order to determine the frequency and distribution patterns of midphalangeal hair of their hands. Of these, 25.2% possessed hair on the middle phalanges (approximately 26% of males and 24% of females). Therefore, the sex difference was not statistically significant (p < 0.2704). There was, however, a significant effect of age (p < 0.05), by which the incidence increased to a peak in the 10- to 15-year age group and, thereafter, decreased gradually to a maximum age of 35 years. The frequency order of occurrence of midphalangeal hair was 4 > 3 > 5 > 2. Eight patterns of hair distribution were found, but no subject had exclusive presence of hair on the middle phalanx of the index finger. The 3, 4, 5 finger combination was the most frequent. Hair on the proximal phalanx was absent in 8% of males and 7.6% of females. There was an ulnar rather than a radial shift in the distribution of midphalangeal hair, a phenomenon which might have been due to a shift in the morphogenetic gradient during development.

Chloroquine-induced retardation of foetal lung maturation in rats.

Chloroquine (CQ) is a widely used drug and its administration has been reported to increase surfactant- associated phospholipids in lungs. We have used histomorphometric techniques to study the effects of CQ on foetal lung maturation in rats. CQ (40mg/kg BW) or saline was administered to pregnant rats on days 20 and 21 of gestation. A third group received the same dose of CQ on days 20 and 21, and in addition, hydrocortisone (HD; 25 mg/kg BW) on day 21 of pregnancy. Foetuses were delivered by hysterotomy on day 22. The lungs were weighed, fixed in Bouin's fixative and embedded in paraffin. Morphometric studies were performed on 5 microns-thick sections. The lung weight/100g BW, the volume density of lung saccular spaces, and the cross-sectional area and volume of the saccular spaces were reduced but the numerical density of the saccules was not decreased in foetuses exposed to CQ. With the exception of lung weights, which were lower in the foetuses exposed to CQ and HD, there were no other differences between this group and that exposed to CQ only. The results suggest that CQ attenuates the expansion of saccular spaces which occurs in preparation for post-natal gaseous exchange, and thus CQ retards foetal lung maturation. Although HD further reduced lung weights as expected from its reported action on foetal lungs, it did not reverse the CQ-induced retardation in lung maturation.

Morphometric analysis of the effect of chloroquine on rat foetal lung maturation.

Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with chloroquine phosphate (40mg/kg b. wt 1.p) in the late canalicular (day 20) and early terminal-sac (day 21) and sacrificed in the late terminal sac (day 22 = term) stage of foetal lung development. The control animal received normal saline. Morphometric evaluation of the lungs by light microscopy revealed three important exposure-related lesions. They were: (a) reduction in the volume density of parenchyma and saccular space, (b) reduction in the volume of an average saccule and, (c) an increase in the number of saccules per unit volume (Numerical Density). The observations suggest that chloroquine retards foetal lung maturation by reducing the saccular expansion which takes place immediately preterm. However, the possible practical implications are unclear.

The effects of chloroquine on pulmonary saccular growth near term.

The Antimalaria drug, chloroquine is an amphiphilic cationic compound and might therefore be suspected to interfere with foetal lung maturity as previously observed with other amphilphilic cationic drugs. Single doses of chloroquine phosphate (40mg/kg b. wt) was administered to pregnant rats on days 20 and 21 of gestation (term = 22 days). Morphometric analysis revealed a decrease in volume density (Vv) of parenchyma, saccular space and average saccular volume. Concurrent administration of single doses hydrocortisone on day 21 increased the Vv of the Parenchyma saccules and average saccular volume. This result suggests that the retardation of foetal lung maturity induced by chloroquine could be reversed by a concurrent administration of hydrocortisone. Questions concerning the mechanism by which these effects are produced must remain open.

Standards of craniofacial dimension for an African population.

This is a study of 247 children, aged 1-5 years in whom Interpupillary distance (IP) and Cephalic Index have been estimated. A reference curve for UP was determined. The data were compared to those of other populations. It was concluded that the genetic component of the negro hypertelorism manifest with growth and not at birth. Secondly, the Nigerian child appeared to become dolicocephalic at an earlier age of two years than his caucasian counterpart. While the explanation for the relative hypertelorism is obscure, it is suggested that the earlier closure of the anterior fontanelle might be responsible for the early dolicocephalic skull shape.

The position of the vermiform appendix in Nigerians with a review of the literature.

This is a study of the positions of the appendix in 548 Nigerians 447 of whom were autopsies or cadavers while the rest (101) were appendicectomy patients. Overall, the retrocaecal appendix was the commonest because of its very high frequency in the surgical material. The pelvic appendix as distinct from the retrocaecal or retrocolic was the commonest in the nonsurgical cases and it also had an increasing frequency with age. When previous reports were reviewed, the retrocaecal position was moderately infrequent in blacks compared to causasians.

True hermaphroditism in older patients: problems of diagnosis and management.

Four new cases of true hermaphroditism in older patients are herein presented. The diagnosis was delayed in all 4 patients and not made in 3 until feminization had occurred. The clinical features, the sex of rearing, gonadal locations, sex chromosomes, treatment and fertility potentials of these patients are discussed. Problems encountered in the management of these older patients underscores the need to exclude at birth bisexuality in any patient with perineal hypospadias and crytorchidism.

Interpupillary and internipple distances and ear lengths in Nigerian newborns.

Two hundred and seventy-eight Nigerian, singleton full term neonates were investigated for interpupillary and internipple distances and ear length. The values were compared with standards derived from an American population. The study showed that the Nigerian neonate is hyperteloric, has a short ear, more closely spaced nipples and a lower ratio of internipple distance to chest circumference relative to the American neonate. It was concluded that local reference standards are needed before these anthropometric parameters can be safely used in the diagnosis of intrauterine growth retardation and dysmorphic states.