Protective Effect of Mormodica balsamina Leaf Extract on the Gastric Morphology of Experimental Rats Against Ethanol Induced Gastric Ulcers / Efecto Protector de los Extractos de Hojas de Mormodica balsamina en la Morfología Gástrica de Ratas Experimentales Contra Úlceras Gástricas Inducidas por Etanol

SUMMARY: Mormodica balsamina is a valuable medicinal plant that is used to treat wounds and inflammation; its leaves are also used as an antibiotic and in the treatment of stomach pain. This study was conducted to determine the anti-ulcer activity of methanolic leaf extract of Mormodica balsamina on ethanol-induced ulcer in albino rats. A total of 32 rats were used for the study. Groups I and II served as the baseline and negative controls respectively, while groups III-VII served as the test groups. Group I was untreated, while group II received 1ml/kg body weight of the vehicle (2 % DMSO). Three test groups (III - V) received methanol extracts (75 mg, 150 mg, 300 mg/kg body weight respectively) while the other three test groups (VI - VIII) received aqueous extracts (75 mg, 150mg, 300 mg/kg body weight respectively) via oral gavage for seven days prior to ulcer induction. The rats were sacrificed, stomachs excised and ulcers scored. Histological sections were produced and examined. Findings revealed that M. balsamina extracts protected the rats' gastric epithelia from ethanol induced ulceration to varying degree with the high dose (150 and 300 mg/kg) of both extracts offering the best preservation (42 % and 50 % ulcer protective index respectively) when compared to untreated animals. Histological findings correlated with calculated ulcer indices, with treated animals having less severe gastric mucosal lesions. In conclusion, extracts of M. balsamina may possess reasonable antiulcer activities in rats against ethanol induced gastric ulcer.

Mormodica balsamina es una valiosa planta medicinal que se utiliza para tratar heridas e inflamaciones; sus hojas también se utilizan como antibiótico y en el tratamiento del dolor de estómago. Este estudio se realizó para determinar la actividad antiulcerosa del extracto metanólico de hojas de Mormodica balsamina sobre la úlcera inducida por etanol en ratas albinas. Se utilizaron un total de 32 ratas para el estudio. Los grupos I y II sirvieron como referencia y controles negativos respectivamente, mientras que los grupos III-VII sirvieron como grupos de prueba. El grupo I no se trató, mientras que el grupo II recibió 1 ml/kg de peso corporal del vehículo (2% de DMSO). Tres grupos de prueba (III - V) recibieron extractos de metanol (75 mg, 150 mg, 300 mg/ kg de peso corporal respectivamente) mientras que los otros tres grupos de prueba (VI - VIII) recibieron extractos acuosos (75 mg, 150 mg, 300 mg/kg de peso corporal respectivamente) por sonda oral durante siete días antes de la inducción de la úlcera. Se sacrificaron las ratas, se extirparon los estómagos y se puntuaron las úlceras. Se realizaron y examinaron secciones histológicas. Los resultados revelaron que los extractos de M. balsamina protegieron el epitelio gástrico de las ratas de la ulceración inducida por etanol en diversos grados, y la dosis alta (150 y 300 mg/kg) de ambos extractos ofreció la mejor conservación (42 % y 50 % de índice de protección contra úlceras, respectivamente) en comparación con los animales no tratados. Los hallazgos histológicos se correlacionaron con los índices de úlcera calculados, y los animales tratados tenían lesiones de la mucosa gástrica menos graves. En extractos de M. balsamina puede poseer actividades antiulcerosas razonables en ratas contra la úlcera gástrica inducida por etanol.

Knowledge and Experience of Sexual Violence among Female Adolescents in Public Schools in Enugu State during the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Sexual violence among female adolescents is a pervasive problem. This is even worse in periods of unrest such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which heighten the vulnerability of these female adolescents' victims to the potential perpetrators of sexual violence. This study assessed the knowledge and experience of sexual violence amongst female adolescents in public schools in Enugu State, Nigeria, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Three hundred twenty-five adolescents (aged 10-19 years with a mean age of 12.8 ±2.8) female school students were purposively recruited in this cross-sectional study to complete a scale designed to measure the knowledge and experience of sexual violence among female adolescents. Findings showed a high (90.8%) knowledge level of sexual violence among adolescents. The majority of the perpetrators were their uncles (40.4%) and cousins (28.6%). Among 9.8% of the participants who had forced to have sex, about two-thirds (65.6%) have been raped 2 to 5 times. A significant difference was noted only between the respondent's class levels and their knowledge of sexual violence (p < .05) with higher classes having better knowledge. Female adolescents showed a good knowledge level about sexual violence, which might explain the low prevalence of sexual violence in the sample population. The study also provides evidence that females are most at risk of sexual violence from closer relations during times of crisis. Thus, these study findings add evidence to the literature that would guide policymakers, health, and social workers toward making campaigns and interventions that would prevent female adolescent sexual violence.

Effects of a structured health education on prevention of HIV risky behaviours among adolescents in Nigeria - a pragmatic randomized controlled trial.

Infection with HIV/AIDS continues to be a major public health concern around the world, particularly in low- and middle-income nations. To assess the effectiveness of structured health education on the prevention of HIV/AIDS risky behaviours among adolescents in secondary school. A pretest-posttest-control group randomized controlled trial where a sample of 647 adolescents was drawn from the population of 2,890 secondary school students and was block-randomized into the intervention (n = 400) and control (n = 224) groups. Data were collected using a content-validated (CVI = 4.2/5) and reliable (k = 0.791) self-developed structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and with inferential statistics of independent and paired t-tests at α = 0.05. Pre-intervention risky behaviours in both groups were below average though lower in the intervention than in the control group. Pre-intervention risky behaviour was significantly higher among males than females in the rural school (p < 0.001) and in both schools together (p < 0.001). Health education significantly affected risky behaviour with the intervention group being associated with lesser risky behaviour than the control group. There was no significant difference in the post-intervention risky behaviour between males and females in the rural (0.285), urban (0.179) and both schools together (p = 0.956). Post-intervention reduced risky behaviours more significantly in the intervention than in the control groups. HIV/AIDS health education should be part of schools' curriculum, guidance and counsellor teachers should be trained as HIV counsellors.