Amlodipine besylate impairs the morphology of bone marrow in adult male wistar rats

Amlodipine is a long-acting calcium channel blocker used in the treatment of hypertension and angina. In adult man, the treatment regimen is 5 or 10 mg daily. This study evaluated the effects of prolonged oral administration of Amlodipine Besylate on the morphology of bone marrow in adult male Wistar rats. Sixteen rats (140 - 190 g) comprising of four groups were employed in the study. Rats of Control Group I received physiological saline orally while rats of Experimental Groups II - IV received oral administrations of 5, 10 and 15 mg/kg bodyweight of Amlodipine Besylate respectively for nine weeks. Histo-pathological examinations of the bone marrow showed normal cytoarchitecture of erythrocytes and leukocytes in rats of Control Group I. However, dose-dependent degeneration and lyses of erythrocytes and leukocytes were observed in amlodipine-treated rats. In conclusion, impaired morphology of the bone marrow were observed in amlodipine-treated adult male Wistar ratsKey words: Amlodipine Besylate, bone marrow, morphology, rats

Identification of the Anthropometric Index that Best Correlates with Fasting Blood Glucose and BMI in Post-Pubescent Female Nigerians

The association between anthropometric indices and the incidence of metabolic disturbances varies between age groups and races. In this study, we report the relationship between fasting blood glucose (FBG) and some anthropometric markers of body mass and central obesity in a population of postpubescent female Nigerians (16-23 years). After obtaining written consent from each of the 178 subjects; and the completion of a questionnaire on individual demographics, we collected the following anthropometric data: waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), height (H), and weight (W). We also estimated the body mass index (BMI), waist to hip ratio (WHR), and waist to height ratio (WHtR). Fasting blood glucose (FBG) was estimated using a glucometer. The mean FBG was 83.65 mg/dl and this was best positively and significantly correlated with BMI (r=0.15; P<0.05) in this population. Besides, among other obesity markers, WHtR was most strongly and significantly correlated with BMI (r=0.70; P<0.05). Our data shows that in young (post-pubescent) female Nigerians, the best anthropometric indicator of FBG (and thus of metabolic status), is the BMI, and this is most strongly correlated with WHtR in this particular population.Key words: Fasting blood glucose; Anthropometric index; Post-pubescent Nigerians; BMI; WHR; WHt

Cephalometric Study of Mouth Morphology among Major Nigerian Tribes

We tested the hypothesis that Nigerians of the three major tribes of Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo are of similar cephalometric parameters  (morphological patterns) of the lips and mouth. 300 subjects were selected from each of Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba tribe. A total of nine hundred (900) randomly selected volunteered subjects aged 18 . 30 years (450 males and 450 females) who were of Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba tribe by both parentand grandparents were, therefore, used in the study. Cephalometric parameters measured include: width of the philtrum, width of the mouth (length of the labial fissure), height of the upper lip, height of the cutaneous upper lip, height of the cutaneous lower lip, height of the lower lip, depth of the body of mandible and the vermilion heights of upper and lower lips. The statistical significance of the differences between the tribes was determined by using the studentfs t-test at p.0.05. No statistically significant differences exist between the cephalometric parameters of the tribes studied. Our findings are, therefore, consistent with the stated hypothesis.Key words: Mouth, Morphology, Anthropometr

Effects Of Telfairia occidentalis On The Heamatological Parameters, Liver And Spleen Of Pregnant Wistar Rats

Telfairia occidentalis is a dioecious perennial vine widely used for its medicinal and dietary benefits. The study was designed to evaluate the effect of T. occidentalis on haematological parameters of pregnant rats following oral administration, as well as its effects on the liver and spleen of these rats. Fifteen pregnant Wistar rats weighing between 110-130 g were used for the study. The rats were divided into 3 groups: Group A was the control, Group B was the treatment group given T. occidentalis twice daily for 4 days, while Group C received the extract twice daily for 10 days. Findings showed increase size in hepatocytes of the treated groups and increase in the trabeculae and white pulp of the treated group non-statistically significant increases in haematological parameters (RBC, PCV haemoglobin level and lymphocyte count) of treated animals. These increases in blood parameters observed in this study were not as pronounced as those obtainable in non-pregnant and male rats. Keywords: Telfairia occidentalis, haematlogical parameters, cytoarchitecture, liver, spleen