Are CardioVascular Diseases a Cause For Concern in People of African Ancestry?

vital:59356Professor Benedicta Ngwenchi Nkeh-Chungag’s BIO Professor Benedicta Ngwenchi Nkeh-Chungag is a Full Professor of Physiology and Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University. Professor Nkeh-Chungag is an NRF rated researcher, a scholar of the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), a Fellow of the International Hypertension Society, Deputy President and co-founder of the newly established Childhood Hypertension Consortium of South Africa, Deputy Chairperson of the South African National Committee for International Union for Physiological Sciences (ICSU-IUPS), Chairperson of the Cardiometabolic Research Niche Area – WSU and Chairperson of the Animal Research Ethic Committee. She oversees the Carrier Orientation and International Mentoring Program run by Harness Ideas Association (HIDAS).Professor Nkeh-Chungag has published extensively in the of cardiovascular research covering epidemiology and African medicinal plants. She has served as an Associate Editor for the journal Frontiers in Public Health and is on the editorial board of two journals, Bioinformatics and Clinical Interventions in Aging. She is a member of several knowledge bodies including the International Hypertension Society.As an accomplished and passionate scholar, Professor Nkeh-Chungag enjoys both national and international recognition in her field of research. Her focus on the risk for cardiovascular diseases in children of African ancestry has attracted interest and funding from both national and international organizations. Her research findings have been showcased at many scientific fora including as keynote addresses. Professor Nkeh-Chungag is married to Dr Anye Chungag and they are blessed with four boys.Inaugural Lecture (Prefessorial) -- Faculty of Natural Sciences, 202

Association of waist and hip circumferences with the presence of hypertension and pre-hypertension in young South African adults.

Background: Obesity is one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) including hypertension (HT) which is itself a risk factor for CVDs. Recent studies suggest that waist circumference (WC) may be more sensitive than Body Mass Index (BMI) in determining individual risk scores for CVDs. Objectives: The current study aimed at investigating the influence of various anthropometric variables on blood pressure status in a group of students from Walter Sisulu University. Methods: Informed consent was obtained from 216 male and female students from Walter Sisulu University with a mean age of 22.1\ub10.2 years. Anthropometric measurements were performed for each participant. Blood pressure was measured in triplicates after 10 minutes of rest and the average computed. Results: Just over 46% of the subjects were diagnosed with hypertension (HT) and pre-HT. The gender specific prevalence of HT/pre-HT was higher in the male (76.7%) compared to the female (30.5%) group. Waist circumference (WC) and total body fat (TBF) correlated significantly with blood pressure and HT/pre-HT in females but not males. ROC analysis showed that with the exception of waist-to-hip (WHR), all other anthropometric measurements and ratios studied can be used to discriminate blood pressure in young adult females not males. Conclusion: Increased WC and HC were associated with HT and pre-HT in young adult females in the Walter Sisulu University

Raphia australis: Acute toxicity, antioxidant capacity and antihypertensive effect in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Background & Aim: The fruits of R. australis are eaten as snacks in some West and Central African countries. This study was aimed at evaluating the safety, antioxidant capacity and antihypertensive effects of these fruits. Experimental: The acute toxicity of the extract of R. australis extract (RAE) was evaluated through single and short term oral exposure of mice to RAE. Total phenols and flavonoid contents were quantified followed by 1,1‑diphenyl‑2‑picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were treated with RAE and blood pressure (BP) was measured after once off treatment (phase I) and in the course of 4 weeks treatment (phase II). Results: The LD50 of RAE was greater than 5000 mg/kg. RAE had mild antioxidant capacity and significantly (P<0.001) decreased systolic and diastolic BP in both once off treatment and 4 weeks treatment while decreasing urine output and increasing feces output. Recommended applications/industries: These results indicate that Raphia australis is not toxic and thus is safe for consumption. Pharmaceutically, it has mild antioxidant and significant antihypertensive properties. It also has the ability to improve appetite, increase bulk thus aiding in peristalsis and waste removal

INVESTIGATION OF HYPOGYCEMIC AND HYPOLIPIDEMIC EFFECTS OF AN AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF LUPINUS ALBUS LEGUME SEED IN STREPTOZOTOCIN-INDUCED TYPE I DIABETIC RATS.

Background: Lupinus albus (LA) seed is a legume food used traditionally for the treatment of diabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an aqueous extract of LA on lipid and glucose levels in normal and STZ induced Type 1 diabetic rats. Methods: Aqueous extract of LA was prepared and used for animal treatments. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (60mg/kg body weight). Effects of LA on oral glucose tolerance in normal and diabetic rats were investigated by giving a single dose of distilled water (controls), 200 or 400mg/kg LA extract, metformin 300mg/kg or glibenclamide 500µg/kg after 12 hours of fasting (time 0 glucose). After 15 minutes, a glucose load (3g/kg) was given. Glucose levels were measured at 30, 60, and 120 minutes after glucose loading. To investigate long term effects, animals were given similar treatments daily for 4 weeks. At the end of the study, serum glucose, insulin, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL-C), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL-C) and high density lipoprotein (HDL-C) cholesterol levels were measured or calculated. Results: LA demonstrated significant (

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in adolescents living in Mthatha, south africa

Objective Metabolic syndrome (MetS), defined as the clustering of three of five risk factors (hypertension, obesity, triglyceridemia, dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia), is being increasingly mentioned among children and adolescents despite there being no consensus on how it should be defined in this set of population. Furthermore, very few studies have focused on MetS in children and adolescents in sub-Saharan populations. This study, therefore, aimed at determining the prevalence of the MetS and contributing risk in adolescents living in Mthatha, South Africa. Research design and methods Four hundred and ten adolescents (age range: 13–18 years, both sexes) were recruited into this cross-sectional study. In addition to a lifestyle questionnaire being administered, anthropometric measurements (weight, height and waist circumferences) were carried out for each participant. Fasting venous blood was collected for lipid profile and blood glucose assessments. Blood pressure was also measured. MetS was assessed using appropriate diagnostic criteria for children and adolescents. Results Complete data sets were collected from 371 participants. Females showed an elevation in the risk factors for MetS. Of the 371 participants, 40.2% were overweight/obese (47.5% females; 22.5% males). MetS was diagnosed in 3.1% female participants compared with 6.0% in male participants. Conclusions More risk factors for the MetS are seen among the overweight/obese as compared to lean adolescents. Given the fact that childhood overweight/obesity often continues into adulthood, it is important to address the causes of increased risk for MetS earlier in life to prevent the development of disease in adult life

Semisynthesis of Derivatives of Oleanolic Acid from Syzygium aromaticum

Oleanolic acid is a pentacyclic triterpenoid compound widely found in plants and well known for its medicinal properties. Oleanolic acid (OA) was isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of Syzygium aromaticum flower buds. Semisynthesis afforded both acetate and ester derivatives. The derived compounds were monitored with thin layer chromatography and confirmed with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, mass spectrometry (MS), Fourier infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and melting point (Mp). All these compounds were evaluated for their analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties at a dose of 40 mg/kg. Significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects were noted for all OA-derived compounds. In the formalin-induced pain test, the derivatives showed better analgesic effects compared to their precursor, whereas, in the tale flick test, oleanolic acid proved to be superior in analgesic effects compared to all its derivatives with the exception of the acetyl derivative. Acute inflammatory tests showed that acetyl derivatives possessed better anti-inflammatory activity compared to the other compounds. In conclusion, semisynthesis of oleanolic acid yielded several derivatives with improved solubility and enhanced analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties