Effect and Management of acute dichlovos poisoning in Wistar Rats

Dichlorvos; organophosphorus pesticide is among the most widely used pesticides for insect control. In Nigeria and most other developing countries it is used indiscriminately by people with little or no knowledge of its toxic effects as a household and agricultural insecticide. The acute effect and antidotal therapy of dichlorvos was studied in laboratory animals. The LD50 in rats was determined to be 28.28 mg/kg i.p, with acute poisoning symptoms of micturation, restlessness, pupil constriction, respiratory distress and convulsion. Atropine was found to be the most effective antidote as it significantly (P < 0.05 – 0.001) reduced all symptoms of poisoning and gave 100% survival rate. There was however no significant difference between the animals treated with atropine alone and those treated with combination of atropine and diazepam. The results also showed that diazepam significantly reduced symptoms like restlessness (P < 0.05), pupil constriction and convulsion (P < 0.001). Key Words: Dichlorvos, Acute Poisoning, Antidotal Therapy, Atropine, Diazepa

Seven months retrospective study on Urinary Tract Infection among patients at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano - Nigeria

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is a significant health problem world wide, affecting all ages and both sexes. It is the most common infectious complication associated with serious risk in pregnancy and responsible for a high rate of morbidity in neonates and children. Most often antibiotics are prescribed in UTI before bacteriological results are available. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of the disease among different sexes and age groups as well as the predominant bacterial pathogens and their sensitivity to antibiotics so as to guide empirical antibiotic therapy. Data of 123 patients who had a positive urine culture at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital seen in December 2004 to July 2005 was collected retrospectively and evaluated. The results showed that Escherichia coli was the most encountered uropathogen accounting for 39.8%, Proteus sp 26%, Klebsiella 21.1% while Pseudomonas sp was the least accounting for 0.8%. Females (especially at the child-bearing ages) were found to have a higher frequency of UTI (54.5%) as against their male counter parts (45.5%) in the area studied. The isolated pathogens showed more sensitivity to cephalosphorins and flouroquinolones (31.3 and 40.6% respectively) and less to penicillins (13.6%). They may therefore be used as an alternative to penicillins. Key words: Urinary Tract Infection, Uropathogen, Retrospective Study, Kan

Median lethal dose (LD50) evaluation of some polyherbal formulations marketed in northern Nigeria

The polyherbal preparations reported here are traditionally used in Northern Nigeria for the treatment of wide range of illnesses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute toxicity potential of 70% ethanol extracts of forty polyherbal products by determining their median lethal dose (LD50) estimates intraperitoneally and orally using the Lorke’s method in mice. Overall 90% of the extracts indicated values that were either less toxic or slightly toxic intraperitoneally, while 10 % had values that were practically non toxic using the same route. Oral administration of the extracts showed that 25% had values that were only slightly toxic while 75 % of the herbal products had median lethal dose values that were practically non toxic. From our results this could imply that most of the extracts tested may be safe for oral use and this could explain the continuous use of the polyherbal preparations by the local people in traditional management of various ailments in the Northern part of Nigeria.Keywords: Herbal products, AcuteToxicity, Lorke’s method, Northern Nigeri

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting among Healthcare Workers in a Tertiary Centre in Northern Nigeria

Purpose: To determine the knowledge, attitude and practice of ADR monitoring and reporting among healthcare workers in a teaching hospital in Kano, Nigeria Methods: The study was cross-sectional and questionnaire-based involving mainly medical doctors, nurses and pharmacists working in different departments of the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital hospital. A total of 110 questionnaires were distributed to the respondents (60 doctors, 40 nurses, 10 pharmacists). The completion of the questionnaire by respondents was taken as their consent toparticipate in the study. Results: Only 65 respondents filled and returned the questionnaire within the stipulated time frame giving a response rate of about 59.1 %. The standard yellow reporting form for adverse drug reactions was only known to 35.9 % of the participating health care workers. Only 42.7 % of the respondents had ever reported an adverse drug reaction and the report was verbal in over 75 % of cases. Ignorance of the rules and procedures of reporting, lack of knowledge of the forms for reporting and which ADRs to report were some of the factors responsible for non-reporting of adverse drug reactions among respondents in the study Conclusion: Adverse drug reaction reporting using the yellow card reporting scheme is low among health care workers (doctors, nurses and pharmacists) in Kano, Nigeria. There is a need for regular training and re-enforcement of guidelines for ADR reporting among health care personnel. The inclusion of nurses in pharmacovigilance will go a long way in improving reporting of ADRs.Keywords: Adverse drug reactions; Knowledge, attitude and practice; Health care workers; Yellow card reporting schem

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting among Healthcare Workers in a Tertiary Centre in Northern Nigeria

Purpose: To determine the knowledge, attitude and practice of ADR monitoring and reporting among healthcare workers in a teaching hospital in Kano, Nigeria Methods: The study was cross-sectional and questionnaire-based involving mainly medical doctors, nurses and pharmacists working in different departments of the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital hospital. A total of 110 questionnaires were distributed to the respondents (60 doctors, 40 nurses, 10 pharmacists). The completion of the questionnaire by respondents was taken as their consent to participate in the study. Results: Only 65 respondents filled and returned the questionnaire within the stipulated time frame giving a response rate of about 59.1 %. The standard yellow reporting form for adverse drug reactions was only known to 35.9 % of the participating health care workers. Only 42.7 % of the respondents had ever reported an adverse drug reaction and the report was verbal in over 75 % of cases. Ignorance of the rules and procedures of reporting, lack of knowledge of the forms for reporting and which ADRs to report were some of the factors responsible for non-reporting of adverse drug reactions among respondents in the study Conclusion: Adverse drug reaction reporting using the yellow card reporting scheme is low among health care workers (doctors, nurses and pharmacists) in Kano, Nigeria. There is a need for regular training and re-enforcement of guidelines for ADR reporting among health care personnel. The inclusion of nurses in pharmacovigilance will go a long way in improving reporting of ADRs