Effects of Roasted Yam (Discorea rotundata Poir.) on Erythrocyte Osmotic Fragility and Other Haematologic Values in Male Albino Rats

The effects of roasted yam (Discorea rotundata Poir.) were studied on some hematologic parameters in male albino rats. Twenty four (24) adult male rats were divided into three groups of eight rats per group.Group I served as the control group, in which the rats were given normal rat chow. Group II rats served as the sham control and received normal rat chow mixed with 25% of finely ground yam, while group IIIserved as experimental group and received normal rat chow mixed with 25% of finely ground roasted yam. At the end of the experimental period (6 weeks), animals in all the groups were sacrificed and bloodsamples were taken for the determination of red blood cell (RBC) count, hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, and packed cell volume (PCV) and erythrocyte osmotic fragility. It was observed that roasted yamingestion reduced RBC count, PCV, and Hb concentration while it increased erythrocyte osmotic fragility rats (

Serum testosterone and heart rate response to short-term intense exercise in young-athletic subjects

The serum testosterone and heart rate responses to short strenuous physical exercise were studied in twenty-one non-athletic male students. The body mass index was also determined. Serum testosterone rose significantly (

Effects of chronic administration of Vitamin C on haemodynamic responses to postural stress or cutaneous cold stimulation in healthy young men

No Abstract.Tropical Journal of Health Sciences Vol. 14 (2) 2007: pp.42-4

Effect of acute folic acid ingestion on blood pressure, haemorheological and plasma lipid variables in healthy young men

The increased viscosity of blood has been associated with increased incidence of cardiovascular diseases and blood rheology has been shown to be influenced by nutrition. This study was designed to elucidate whether acute folic acid ingestion has any effect on blood pressure (systolic and diastolic), haemorheological variables (haematocrit, relative plasma viscosity, and total plasma proteins), plasma cholestrol, triglyceride, LDL-and HDL-cholesterol in twenty normotensive healthy young men. Ingestion of folic acid (10mg) after 60min was found to cause significant (

Antipyretic activities of the leaf extract of chromolaena odotara

No Abstract.Tropical Journal of Health Sciences Vol. 14 (1) 2007: pp.1-

Analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of Allium Ascalonicum

The methanol and aqueous extract of Allium ascalonicom were investigated for analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Thermal and chemical models of pain assessment were used while albumin was used to induce inflammation. The extracts were administered at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg. The methanol extract produced analgesic activity at all the doses tested by reducing significantly (P< 0.05) the early and the late phases of formalin induced paw licking in rats, while the aqueous extract reduced the early and late phases of paw licking at a dose of 200mg/kg and only the early phase at a dose of 100mg/kg. In the thermally induced pain, both the methanol and aqueous extract showed significant (P< 0.05) inhibition only at a dose of 200 mg/kg for temperatures of 45oC and 50oC but no significant inhibition at 55oC and 60oC. Both the methanol and aqueous extracts significantly (P< 0.05) exhibited dose dependent inhibition of albumin-induced paw oedema in rats (at 3 hours post treatment with the extracts). In conclusion this study has shown that the aqueous and methanol extracts of Allium ascalonicum have mild analgesic activity and strong anti-inflammatory activities. Keywords: Allium ascalonicum, anti-inflammatory activity, analgesic activity, oedema The Tropical Journal of Health Sciences Vol. 13(1) 2006: 28-3

Analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects of the ethanol extract of Acalypha wilkesiana leaves in rats

The leaves of Acalypha wilkesiana are commonly used for the treatment of pain, fever and ulcer by traditional medical practitioners without any scientific data to evaluate the appropriateness of some of the practices. Therefore, this study was carried out to determine whether the ethanol extract of Acalypha wilkesianahas analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic as well as anti-ulcer effects. The hot plate latency assay and formalin- induced paw licking models were used to evaluate analgesic effects. Animals were divided into groups comprising of five rats each. There were control (administered saline) and reference (administered indomethacin) groups. Also there were three extract groups administered 25, 50 or 100 mg/Kg body weight of extracts. Ulcer was induced using absolute ethanol followed by pylorus ligation in all animals; inflammation was induced using carrageenan while pyrexia was induced by injecting brewer’s yeast intramuscularly into the dorsal part of the abdominal cavities of the rats. Different sets of rats were used for the anti-ulcer, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic studies although animal grouping for extract administration were as in analgesic studies. The results show that the extract produced dose-dependent and significant (p&lt;0.05) analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. The extract also significantly protected against ethanol induced ulcer. Likewise, the extract significantly (p&lt;0.05) reduced the pyretic states of the animals. This study has therefore further provides evidences that may support the ethnomedicinal uses of the ethanolic extracts of Acalypha wilkesiana leaves.Keywords: Acalypha wilkesiana, Analgesic, Anti-inflammatory, Antipyretic, Anti-ulcerNig. J. Physiol. Sci. 26(June 2011) 077 – 08

Effect of Vitamin C on Glutathione Peroxidase Activities in Pregnant Nigerian Women - An Ilorin Study

Glutathione peroxidase is one of the most important antioxidant enzymes in humans. We studied the relationship between serum glutathione peroxidase activity and vitamin C ingestion during normal pregnancy in women attending antenatal clinic in the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin. Glutathione peroxidase activity was determined at entry in early second trimester and six weeks later within the same trimester involving sixty women. Twenty non-pregnant women served as controls, while forty pregnant women were divided into two groups of twenty each. One group of the pregnant women did not receive vitamin C, while the other group received 100mg of vitamin C. All the pregnant women were on their routine antenatal drugs of folic acid and ferrous sulphate. During pregnancy, glutathione peroxidase activity reduced significantly between entry and six weeks later in normal pregnancy, from 240.25±14.41 to 231.05±8.63 (p0.05). Statistically significant associations (all positive) were observed between glutathione peroxidase activity in normal non-pregnant women and all the pregnant groups (

Influence of the phases of menstrual cycle on haemorheologic markers in healthy women

No Abstract. The Tropical Journal of Health Sciences Vol. 12(2) 2005: 6-