Effect of growth media on the early performance of Prosopis africana (Guill. and Perr.) Taub. seedlings

This study examined the performance of Prosopis africana seedlings raised under different growth media. The experiment was laid in a completely randomized design with three treatments (topsoil, mixture of topsoil and poultry droppings, and mixture of topsoil and cow dung). Each treatment was replicated 4 times and each replicate had 10 potted seedlings making a total of 120 seedlings. The seedling growth variables; heights (cm) collar diameters (cm), number of leaves data were collected every 3 days for 12 weeks. The data collected were subjected to analysis of variance and significant means were separated using Duncan multiple range test at 0.05 significant level. The result showed significant difference (p=0.005) in the height of seedlings. No significant difference existed in the seedlings collar diameter (p=0.306) and number of leaves (p=0.957). The follow-up result indicated that there was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the height of seedlings raised in mixture of topsoil and poultry droppings (Mean ± standard error =105.87±5.40a) and topsoil (105.18±4.27a). However, a significant difference (p>0.05) existed between both treatments and mixture of topsoil and cow dung (86.36±4.90b). Seedlings raised in the mixture of topsoil and poultry droppings had the best performance. The study therefore, recommended raising Prosopis africana seedling with topsoil for reduced cost of production. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.398093

Lead-induced Oxidative Stress and Chemoprotective Role of Dietary Supplements on Wistar Albino Rats

The heavy metal lead (Pb) is a common environmental pollutant with widespread distribution, and oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of its toxicity. The ameliorative effect of nutritional contents of palm oil and cod liver oil (dietary supplements) following exposure to sublethal concentration of Pb on adult Wistar albino rats was studied. Toxicity was induced by administering intraperitoneally, 30 mg/kg body weight of lead acetate at alternate days for 21 days. Groups treated with supplements received daily oral dose of 2.5 ml palm oil or cod liver oil or 1.25 ml palm oil and 1.25 ml cod liver oil (synergy). Increased activities of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, decreased activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and increased concentrations of total bilirubin and lipid peroxidation product were observed in Pb exposed rats without nutritional supplement treatment. However, these negative oxidative states were ameliorated in rats by the concomitant administration of nutritional supplements, singly and in combination. Furthermore, non-significant changes were observed in the haematological parameters determined. These observations indicate potential therapeutic benefits in the use of palm oil and cod liver oil in the management of lead-induced toxicity

Comparison of Pawpaw (Carica Papaya) and Mango (Mangifera Indica) Leaves Extracts for Antitrypanosomal Activites

These studies aimed at confirming our former work on antitrypanosomal effects of Mangifera indica (mango) and Carica papya (Pawpaw) leaves in experimental animals infected with T. brucei and identify which one of them is superior as an antiparasitic agent. It was also designed to carry out further fractionation of the better of the two to identify the chemical component responsible for the observed activity. There is evidence from our data that the pawpaw extract has a greater antitrypanosomal effect then the mango extract. On further fractionation of the pawpaw extract, the bulk of the antiparasitic effect was found to be located in the alkaloid fraction. NQJHM Vol. 14 (3&4) 2004: pp. 294-29

Breastfeeding knowledge, exclusive breast-feeding duration, and perception of insufficient breast milk supply among lactating mothers in Ikwuano LGA of Abia State

Background: The rate of exclusive breastfeeding in Nigeria is still suboptimal Mothers' breastfeeding knowledge and perception of breast milk supply is integral to achieving optimum breastfeeding. Objective: This study determined exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) knowledge, duration, and Perception of Insufficient Milk Supply (PIMS) among lactating mothers in Ikwuano LGA. Methods: Three hundred and fifty lactating mothers were randomly selected from five Primary Health Care centers in Ikwuano LGA. A semi-structured questionnaire that comprised of socio-demographic characteristics, EBF knowledge and practice questions and Perceived Insufficient Milk Supply scale was used to elicit information from mother and infant (0-9 months) pairs. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: Results revealed that 58% of mothers had a good EBF knowledge. The mean duration of exclusive breastfeeding was 3 months and only 24.1% practiced exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months. About 54% of the respondents perceived insufficient milk supply Mothers used less sensitive indicators such as infant satiety cues and enough breast milk in the breast to identify PIMS, while sensitive indicators like weight gain and wet diapers were less reported. Inadequate food and drink intake was found to be responsible for most (65%) of mothers perceived reason for insufficient milk supply. Conclusion: The duration of exclusive breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding rate was below the national target. Improving mothers' breastfeeding knowledge and educating them on the correct way of identifying insufficient milk supply are important determinants in achieving the six months EBF practices.&nbsp

Computational studies of potential antiviral compounds from some selected Nigerian medicinal plants against SARS-CoV-2 proteins

The challenges posed by COVID-19's emergence have led to a search for its therapies. There is no cure for COVID-19 infection yet, but there is significant progress in vaccine formulation for prophylaxis and drug development (such as Paxlovid) for high-risk patients. As a contribution to the ongoing quest for solutions, this study shows potent phytocompounds identification as inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 targets using in silico methods. We used virtual screening, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the interaction of some phytochemicals with 3CLpro, ACE2, and PLpro proteins crucial to the SARS-CoV-2 viral cycle. The predicted docking scores range from −5.5 to −9.4 kcal/mol, denoting appreciable binding of these compounds to the SARS-CoV-2 proteins and presenting a multitarget inhibition for COVID-19. Some phytocompounds interact favorably at non-active sites of the enzymes. For instance, MD simulation shows that an identified site on PLpro is stable and likely an allosteric region for inhibitor binding and modulation. These phytocompounds could be developed into effective therapy against COVID-19 and probed as potential multitarget-directed ligands and drug candidates against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The study unveils drug repurposing, selectivity, allosteric site targeting, and multitarget-directed ligand in one piece. These concepts are three distinct approaches in the drug design and discovery pipeline