Comparative Screening of the Nutritive Composition and Serum Nutrient Levels of Rats Weaned with Rice (Oryza spp) - Beniseed (Sesame indicum) Flour Blends

Weaning foods should complement the nourishment the baby receives from milk. This study was carried out to evaluate the nutritional value of Rice-Beniseed (R-B) flour-blends in rats’ pups. The objective of the study was to determine the Nutritive value of Rice-Beniseed flour blends of rats’ pups weaned with different ratios of the flour-blends. First, mature female and male rats in the ratio of 2:1 were mated to produce pups used in the analyses. The pups were randomly distributed into five groups of five rats and were fed with the experimental (Rice-Beniseed) blends. Group 1 was fed with a standard weaning meal, groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 were fed ad lib with Rice-Beniseed blends (after proximate analysis for nutritive content) in the ratio of 30:70, 50:50, 60:40 and 70:30 respectively. All treatments lasted for 21 days, after which their blood was collected for haematological and biochemical analyses. The results showed carbohydrate (71.76 %) and moisture content (14.75 %) of rice to be higher than beniseed with values of 18.74 and 8.24 % respectively. The crude proteins (23.19 %), crude fibre (11.47 %) and fats (36.40%) content in beniseed was more than doubled compared to that in rice with 9.38 %, 1.339 % and 2.41 % for crude protein, crude fibre, and fats contents respectively. Percentage weight change in pups was highest (26.31 ± 1.03%) and least (8.69 ± 2,32%) in the 50:50 and 60:40 rice-beniseed groups on day 7. Percentage weight change of pups on day 14 showed that groups fed with 70:30 and 50:50 ratios with the highest (37.24 ± 0.47%) and least (6.16 ± 1.14%) weight gain respectively. Hence, 70:30 (Rice-Beniseed blend) meal produced the best growth index (weight increase) and was potentially viable for the formulation of infant weaning formula amidst appreciable performance of all other ratios

Repurposing of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine for the management of COVID-19

The Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted adversely on the global health and socio-economic activities. There is currently no evidence-based anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug for COVID-19 therapy. This review highlights some pharmacological properties of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine and prospects of repurposing them for the treatment of COVID-19. Google scholar was employed in searching relevant published journal articles (n=118) in English. The search was later narrowed down to SARS-CoV-2, pathophysiology of COVID-19, available drugs for the management of COVID-19, clinical trials on repurposing drugs for COVID-19 therapy, and the role of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of COVID-19. Documented evidence revealed that chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine have antiviral and immune-modulatory properties. Their antiviral effect is due to inhibition of the spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2 from binding to the cellular transmembrane receptors, angiotensin converting enzyme-2 thereby preventing viral infections. Also, sequestration of these drugs into the lysosomes elevates lysosomal pH thus inhibiting lysosomal enzymatic functions vital for viral replication in those cells. Whereas, their immune-modulatory activity averts the inflammatory complications of COVID-19, particularly acute respiratory syndrome, by preventing cytokine storm through suppression of the production and putative release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The adverse effects from these drugs, notably irreversible retinopathy and cardiac arrhythmia are rare but become life-threatening when they occur. These are minimal with hydroxychloroquine compared to chloroquine. Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine could be repurposed for managing COVID-19 cases because they are already extensively used for treating acute nonresistant malaria and auto-immune diseases. Also, a viable vaccine cannot be available in the near future while there is a pressing need for treatments to lower the daily rise in morbidity and mortality associated with the disease. Nevertheless, we suggest that emphasis should be on hydroxychloroquine because of its superior antiviral effect and clinical safety