Effect of aqueous extracts of Hibiscus sabdariffa and Zingiber Officinale on blood cholesterol and glucose levels of rats

The effect of aqueous extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa and Zingiber officinale on plasma cholesterol and glucose concentration in albino rats was determined. Thirty albino rats weighing between 225 – 270 gwere divided into six groups of five rats each. Group 1 (control 1) rats were fed 100% growers mash whereas group 2 (control 2) rats and other groups were fed 99% growers mash and 1% cholesterol.Subsequently, group 3 rats were given 0.8 ml/kg body weight of H. sabdarffa extract, while those in group 4 were given 0.2 ml Z. officinale extract/kg body weight. Rats in group 5 were given 1 ml of H.sabdariffa and Z. officinale mixture (17.2 mg/400 ml+ 8.6 mg/200 ml). Rats in group 6 were given the same treatment as those in group 5 but different concentration of the mixture (17.2 mg/200 ml+8.6mg/100 ml) respectively. The rats were treated with the extracts once a day, 7 days a week for 6 weeks. Groups 3, 4, 5, and 6 revealed a statistically significant (p < 0.05) decrease in plasma cholesterol. Also,plasma glucose was significantly reduced (p < 0.05) in groups 3, 4, 5 and 6. Group 6 had the greatest reduction in plasma glucose, test value (group 6) 0.60 ± 0.28 when compared with control value 5.14 ±0.89. Therefore, the plants H. sabdariffa and Z. officinale apart from being hypocholesterolemic are also hypoglycemic

Influence of Health Education on Prevention of Drug Abuse

The increasing scourge of drug abuse among adolescents is a major challenge facing mankind. As the importance of health education in disease prevention is enormous, drug misuse prevention programme requires introducing innovations, flexibility and reinforcement which will be effective in shortest possible time among the greatest number of people. This study was undertaken to investigate the influence of health education on prevention of drug abuse. 192 adolescents comprising of male and females, randomly selected from two secondary schools and a university were used as sample with ages ranging from 12-22years with a mean of 17years. The questionnaire, “DA Behaviour Inventory” was administered on the sample. Data was collected and analyzed using the t-test statistics at 0.05 level of significant difference. The findings showed that there is no significant difference in the pattern of drug abuse between adolescents with knowledge of drug education and those without knowledge of drug education. There is no significant difference in the pattern of drug abuse between male and female adolescents, there is no significant difference between the pattern of drug abuse of adolescents from upper and lower socio-economic background. Also there is no significant difference in the pattern of drug abuse of early and late adolescents. These findings were discussed and the implications as well. Recommendations and suggestions for further research were given.Keywords: Adolescents, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Education, Patter

Evaluation of Relative Blood Viscosity During Menstruation in Reproductive Females

The changes in blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, haematocrit and erythrocyte sedimentation rate before and during menstruation were evaluated. Forty (40) apparently healthy reproductive female subjects (between 15 and 28 years) and resident in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria were used for the study. The parameters were analyzed using standard laboratory procedures and the data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis (paired t-Test; correlation and regression). Blood samples were collected during two phases of the menstrual cycle – the premenstrual and the mid menstrual phase. Results show variations in the studied parameters before and during menstruation. Relative blood viscosity, relative plasma viscosity and hematocrit were significantly reduced (P&lt;0.001) during menstruation compared to the values before menstruation. The mean values of relative blood viscosity, relative plasma viscosity and hematocrit were 2.52±0.07, 1.15±0.01 and 0.37±0.004L/L respectively for menstrual phase and 3.86±0.07, 1.49±0.02, 0.43±0.005L/L respectively for premenstrual phase. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was significantly higher (6.78±0.18mm/hr) during the menstrual phase than during the premenstrual phase (4.61±0.10mm/hr) at P&lt;0.001. Blood viscosity thus decreases during menstruation and this may be reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases in premenopausal women.Keywords: Menstruation, Relative blood viscosity, Relative plasma viscosit

Public Health Implications of the Declining Calcium Intake in Female Adolescents from a Nigerian University

The importance of calcium for strong bones has long been recognized. It is now also known that adequate calcium intake helps reduce high blood pressure and lessens the symptoms of premenstrual tension as well as possibly protecting against bowel cancer. Over the last several decades, researchers have learnt a great deal about how a nutritionally balanced diet during childhood and adolescence works to prevent the onset of damaging adult diseases. One long – lasting effect of nutritional imbalance during adolescence is osteoporosis, a bone-crippling disease characterized by low bone mass and an increased bone fragility. Once recognized primarily as an elderly woman’s disease, osteoporosis is now being acknowledged as a partially preventable ‘adolescent’ disease because the occurrence of osteoporosis is influenced by bone mass attained during the first three decades of life, as well as the amount of bone lost after menopause. An optimal calcium intake during adolescence, when 50 percent of adult skeletal mass is formed decreases the risk of the crippling fractures caused by osteoporosis. This study examines the health implications on the declining calcium intake in female adolescents from the University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. Well-structured, in-depth questionnaires were distributed to 500 adolescent female students to access their calcium intake from the foods they eat. The results showed that many adolescent females avoid dairy products, the best source of calcium, because of the perception that all dairy products are fat – laden foods. Others replace milk with regular or diet soda, unconcerned about the “empty calories” or limited nutritional value of soda. Some are not aware of the serious, long –lasting health implications of inadequate calcium consumption. Most do not think they will ever become one of the 26 million women that suffer from osteoporosis today. Though the threat of osteoporosis may be in the far – off future for many female teens, this study recognizes the immediate need to reverse their inadequate calcium intake. A public health campaign geared toward increasing their calcium consumption by encouraging them to consume nature’s most calcium rich food: milk, is highly recommended

Effect of cement dust on lung function of adult cement loaders in Benin City, Nigeria

Cement is one of the important construction materials used for housing and infrastructure development. It is made from a mixture of clay and limestone that is calcined in kiln. The aim of this research is to investigate the effect of cement dust on lung function of adult cement loaders in Benin City using a total of 60 apparently healthy male and female subjects divided into two groups (experimental and control) of thirty subjects each between the ages of 25-40 years after ethical clearance. Anthropometric and Spirometry measurements were carried out on all subjects and data appropriately documented. Results obtained show reduction in the forced vital capacity of the experimental group(3.0L and 1.0L) compared to the control(1.0L).The forced expiratory volume in one second was reduced for the experimental group compared to the control(3.2L/Second and 1.0L/second respectively).The peak expiratory flow rate of the experimental group were reduced well when compared to the control (5.0L and 0.5L respectively).The results were statistically significant (P&lt;0.05), hence cement loaders are advised to wear protective gadgets.Keywords: Cement, Lung function, Spirometry, Peak Expiratory flow rat

Preliminary Phytochemical Analyses of Two Varieties of Adenia Lobata (Jacq) and the Antioxidant Activity of Their Various Solvent Fractions

Adenia lobata is a medicinal plant that is traditionally used for the treatment of various diseases such as cancer in some places in eastern Nigeria. Comparative phytochemical analyses were carried out on two varieties of Adenia lobata; Adenia lobata with cordate leaves (ALC) and Adenia lobata with palmate leaves (ALP). ALC was found to possess more phytochemical constituents than ALP. The antioxidant activity of the solvent fractions viz. hexane, dichloromethane (DCM), ethylacetate, butanol and aqueous fractions of each variety of the Adenia lobata was also determined. The highest antioxidant activity (63.87%) was found in the ethylacetate fraction of ALC. These results suggest that the therapeutic use of this plant in the treatment of cancer could be due to its antioxidant activity

Analysis of genetic variability among plantain cultivars (Musa paradisiaca L.) using arbitrarily primed PCR technique

The genetic variability among 6 cultivars of plantain (Musa paradisiaca L.) grown in Jamaica and Nigeria was studied, using arbitrarily primed PCR (AP-PCR) technique. The cultivars included Maiden plantainsand Horse plantain grown in Jamaica: Bini, Ayo and Igbiya plantains grown in Nigeria. DNA fragment band positions were obtained with fragment sizes ranging from 0.438 to 1.926 kb. The single distance matrix calculations and the generated dendrogram revealed a clustering together of plantain cultivars across sources of propagation. The analysis showed that the plantain cultivars studied, were split into two clusters, One group consisted of Maiden plantains and Horse plantain from Jamaica and thesecond contained Bini, Ayo and Igbiya of Nigeria. Cultivars Ayo and Igbiya were closest while Horse and igbiya were one of the farthest apart, in genetic relatedness