Formulation and proximate evaluation of complementary diets from locally available foods in southwestern Nigeria

Objective: Complementary foods in Nigeria among low-income households are based on staple cereals. Malnutrition among the affected infants could be attributed to unfortified or poorly-fortified cereal-based complementary foods. The present study was conducted to formulate composite blends using locally available but cheap cereals and legumes, chemically evaluate their respective nutritive values, compare them with most traditionally used sieved maize pap ('ogi'), and also evaluate the acceptability of the composite blends.Methods: Four composite blends were formulated from common white bean, soya bean, groundnut, fluted pumpkin, bitter leaf, crayfish, dried tomato and palm oil with unsieved yellow maize and guinea corn as the project food base. Standard procedures of Association of Official Analytical Chemists were used to determine the proximate chemical composition while atomic absorption spectrophotometer was used to determine the mineral element composition. Sensory evaluation to test their acceptability was assessed with 25 panelists using four organoleptic attributes with a five point hedonic scale. Results: The results showed that protein, fat, ash, calcium, iron and zinc contents of the four composite blends were higher than in the traditionally most-used sieved maize pap. The results further showed that formulation with UYM + GC + GT + UG + BL + CF + O was the most acceptable composite blend by the panelists.Conclusion: We concluded that nursing mothers do not have to spend so much money to take care of the nutritional status of their infants by adopting these new formulations of complementary foods.Keywords: Complementary foods, malnutrition, proximate chemical composition, composite blends, sensory evaluation, organoleptic attributes

Reproductive indices and oxidative stress biomarkers of male Wistar rats prenatally exposed to cigarette smoke

Summary: The negative influence of cigarette smoking on developing fetus is well documented but reports of prenatal cigarette smoking on male reproductive hormones are controversial. However, shortened anogenital distance (AGD) has been established to be an indicator of potential male infertility. We therefore investigated the effects of prenatal exposure to passive cigarette smoke on AGD, reproductive hormones and oxidative stress biomarkers of Wistar rats. Female rats were randomly divided into two groups (n=5) and cohabited with male. Group 1 was exposed to smoke from an idling cigarette from day 1 of gestation till parturition, while Group 2 served as control (no-exposure). Morphometric variables of the litters were recorded on postnatal day 1 (PND1) and at 6th week postnatal life. The male offspring were then sacrificed by cervical dislocation. Testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) were analysed using ELISA. Serum levels of Catalase, sodium dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), lipid profile and liver function biomarkers were examined spectrophotometrically. On PND1, crown rump length and total body length of rats prenatally exposed to cigarette smoke were significantly shorter. Significantly shorter AGD and crown rump length were also observed at 6th week. Testosterone, LH and FSH were not significantly affected. Cigarette smoke exposure significantly decreased Catalase and SOD while MDA increased. Liver function biomarkers, HDL and LDL were not affected but serum levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride significantly increased. The observed decline in AGD and precipitation of oxidative stress by intrauterine cigarette smoke exposure may predispose to male infertility at adulthood.Keywords: Prenatal, Cigarette smoke, Anogenital distance, Sex hormones, Oxidative stres

In vitro antioxidant capacity and free radical scavenging evaluation of standardized extract of Costus afer leaf

Absolute methanol extract leaf of Costus afer was comprehensively investigated for free radical scavenging activities and antioxidant activities using battery of testing: 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging, hydroxyl radical scavenging, hydrogen peroxide radical scavenging, 2, 2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) scavenging, nitric oxide inhibition, anti-lipid peroxidation, ferrous chelating potential, reducing power potential, total antioxidant capacity, cupric reducing antioxidant capacity CUPRAC and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). The content of phenol, flavonoid, cupric, anthocyanin were also investigated. The results suggest that the antioxidant potentials of the extract may be responsible for its medicinal potentials. Cell viability assay revealed that up to12 μg/ml of the extract is safe for Chang liver cell and no sign of toxicity was observed after the extract treatment of 2000 mg/kg in albino rats. Keywords: Costus afer, Antioxidant, Toxicit

Inhibition of lipid peroxidation and free radical scavenging activities of methanolic leaf extract of Psidium guajava

Objectives: Studies have linked the generation of free radicals with the incidence of degenerative diseases. Antioxidants from plant origin have been proved to play a major role in mitigating against free radicals-induced oxidative damage. This study aimed at assessing the in-vitro and in-vivo antioxidant capability of Psidium guajava leafMethods: The leaves were collected and extracted with 70% methanol. Total phenolic, and flavonoids contents, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and Hydroxyl radicals scavenging activities, and inhibition of lipid peroxidation potential of the extract were assessed. Furthermore, rats (n=21) randomized into three groups were exposed to 50, 150, and 250 mg/kg body weight of the extract for 30 days. Control animals (n=7) received corn oil, after which blood and liver were excised for antioxidant assay.Results: The extract is rich in phenolic and flavonoid compounds. It scavenged DPPH and hydroxyl radicals and inhibits lipid peroxidation in-vitro. In-vivo, it increased the activities of hepatic superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and plasma paraoxonase, and the concentration of hepatic reduced glutathione and MDA.Conclusion: Psidium guajava leaf extract is a potential source of natural antioxidant compounds, capable of supplementing the body's antioxidant defense system

Hepato-toxicological and lipid profile of male Wistar rats following chronic carbamazepine, gabapentin, and carbamazepine-gabapentin adjunctive treatment

Aim: This study evaluated the hepatotoxicity and lipid profiles of male Wistar rats following chronic carbamazepine (CBZ), gabapentin (GBP) and carbamazepine-gabapentin (CBZ+GBP) adjunctive treatment. Methods: Twenty-eight male Wistar rats were randomized into 4 groups (n = 7) to receive daily oral administration of normal saline (0.2ml), or CBZ (25 mg/kg), or GBP (50 mg/kg), or the sub-therapeutic dose of CBZ (12.5 mg/kg) and GBP (25 mg/kg) combination for 56 days. Thereafter, blood and liver homogenate were subjected to biochemical analysis, while liver tissues were processed for the histomorphological investigation. Data were analysed statistically, while p< 0.05 was taken as level of significance. Results: Activities of alanine phosphatase and aspartate aminotransferase significantly increased in the CBZ and CBZ + GBP treated rat.  CBZ and CBZ + GBP treatments increased the plasma concentration of low-density lipoprotein and total cholesterol. The liver concentration of malondialdehyde increased significantly in all the treated groups relative to control. There were severe vascular congestions in theliver of the CBZ treated rats, this was moderate in the GBP and CBZ + GBP treated rats. Conclusion: Chronic use of CBZ may induce hepatotoxicity and lipid profile derangement, GBP and CBZ + GBP adjunctive treatment may be saver than treatment with CBZ.&nbsp