EFFECTIVENES AND SAFETY ASSESSMENT OF MIST TONICA, A HERBAL HAEMATINIC

Anaemia is a widespread public health problem, and in Ghana it is the fourth leading cause of hospital admissions and the second factor contributing to death. Mist Tonica, an herbal haematinic produced by the Centre for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine (CSRPM), Ghana, was assessed for its effectiveness and safety in humans after Ethics Committee approval. Clinically established anaemic-patients aged, 13 years and above, with haemoglobin levels less than 11.5 g/dl and 13.5g/dl for females and males respectively were treated with Mist Tonica, 8.96 g/ 40 mls three times daily for two weeks . The mean haemoglobin rise per week caused by Mist Tonica was 1.92 (0.76) g/dl, range (1.66 - 2.55) g/dl/week and over 88 % of the patients on Mist Tonica had their appetite for food improved. Haematological profile, liver and kidney functions were not adversely affected by Mist Tonica. Results of the study suggest that Mist Tonica is an effective and safe herbal haematinic

Left ventricular hypertrophy and insulin resistance in adults from an urban community in The Gambia: cross-sectional study.

To determine the association between left ventricular hypertrophy and insulin resistance in Gambians.Cross-sectional study.Outpatient clinics of Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital and Medical Research Council Laboratories in Banjul.Three hundred and sixteen consecutive patients were enrolled from outpatient clinics. The data of 275 participants (89 males) were included in the analysis with a mean (± standard deviation) age of 53.7 (±11.9) years.A questionnaire was filled and anthropometric measurements were taken. 2-D guided M-mode echocardiography, standard 12-1ead electrocardiogram, fasting insulin and the oral glucose tolerance test were performed.The Penn formula was used to determine the left ventricular mass index, 125 g/m2 in males and 110 g/m2 in females as the cut-off for left ventricular hypertrophy. Using the fasting insulin and fasting glucose levels, the insulin resistance was estimated by the homeostatic model assessment formula. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between left ventricular hypertrophy and insulin resistance.The mean Penn left ventricular mass index was 119.5 (±54.3) and the prevalence of Penn left ventricular mass index left ventricular hypertrophy was 41%. The mean fasting glucose was 5.6 (±2.5) mmol/l, fasting insulin was 6.39 (±5.49) μU/ml and insulin resistance was 1.58 (±1.45). There was no association between Penn left ventricular mass index left ventricular hypertrophy and log of insulin resistance in univariate (OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.80-1.19, p = 0.819) and multivariate logistic regression (OR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.76-1.15, p = 0.516) analysis.No association was found in this study between left ventricular hypertrophy and insulin resistance in Gambians and this does not support the suggestion that insulin is an independent determinant of left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensives

Effectiveness And Safety Assessment Of Mist Tonica, A Herbal Haematinic

Anaemia is a widespread public health problem, and in Ghana it is the fourth leading cause of hospital admissions and the second factor contributing to death. Mist Tonica, an herbal haematinic produced by the Centre for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine (CSRPM), Ghana, was assessed for its effectiveness and safety in humans after Ethics Committee approval. Clinically established anaemic-patients aged, 13 years and above, with haemoglobin levels less than 11.5 g/dl and 13.5g/dl for females and males respectively were treated with Mist Tonica, 8.96 g/ 40 mls three times daily for two weeks . The mean haemoglobin rise per week caused by Mist Tonica was 1.92 (0.76) g/dl, range (1.66 - 2.55) g/dl/week and over 88 % of the patients on Mist Tonica had their appetite for food improved. Haematological profile, liver and kidney functions were not adversely affected by Mist Tonica. Results of the study suggest that Mist Tonica is an effective and safe herbal haematinic

The clinical characteristics of participants by sex.

<p>t  =  Two sample t test with equal variance.</p><p>P  =  Statistical significance of difference.</p><p>n  =  Number.</p><p>SD  =  Standard deviation.</p><p>BMI  =  Body Mass Index BMI ≥ 30 (kg/m²)  =  General obesity.</p><p>WHR  =  Waist hip ratio  =  Central obesity.</p><p>SBP  =  Systolic Blood Pressure.</p><p>DBP  =  Diastolic Blood Pressure.</p

Univariate analysis of variables with PVLMILVH as the outcome variable.

<p>P  =  Statistical test of significance of association.</p><p>CI  =  Confidence Interval.</p><p>OR  =  Odds Ratio.</p><p>BMI  =  Body Mass Index BMI≥30 (kg/m²)  =  General obesity.</p><p>WHR  =  Waist hip ratio  =  Central obesity.</p><p>SBP  =  Systolic Blood Pressure.</p><p>DBP  =  Diastolic Blood Pressure.</p><p>HIGH WHR  =  WHR>0.9 for males and >0.8 for females.</p

The biochemical characteristics of participants by sex.

<p>t  =  Two sample t test with equal variance.</p><p>P  =  statistical significance of difference.</p><p>n  =  Number.</p><p>SD  =  Standard deviation.</p

Multivariate analysis of variables with PVLMILVH as the outcome variable and log of Insulin Resistance as the explanatory variable.

<p>P  =  Statistical test of significance of association.</p><p>CI  =  Confidence Interval.</p><p>R  =  Regression Coefficient.</p><p>BMI  =  Body Mass Index BMI≥30 (kg/m²)  =  General obesity.</p><p>WHR  =  Waist hip ratio  =  Central obesity.</p><p>HIGH WHR  =  WHR>0.9 for males and >0.8 for females.</p

The echocardiographic characteristics of participants by sex.

<p>t  =  Two sample t test with equal variance.</p><p>χ ²  =  Pearson chi squared test.</p><p>P  =  statistical significance of difference.</p><p>n  =  Number.</p><p>SD  =  Standard deviation.</p><p>* Number.</p

Univariate analysis of variables with log of Insulin Resistance as the outcome variable.

<p>P  =  Statistical test of significance of association.</p><p>CI  =  Confidence Interval.</p><p>R  =  Regression Coefficient.</p><p>BMI  =  Body Mass Index BMI≥30 (kg/m²)  =  General obesity.</p><p>WHR  =  Waist hip ratio  =  Central obesity.</p><p>SBP  =  Systolic Blood Pressure.</p><p>DBP  =  Diastolic Blood Pressure.</p><p>HIGH WHR  =  WHR>0.9 for males and >0.8 for females.</p