Detection of microfilariae with counting chamber technique in some Nigerian rural communities

The conventional stained thick smear technique (TS) has innate possibility of underestimation of microfilariae (mf) in microfilaraemic subjects. The usability of counting chamber (CC) technique in the detection of mf was determined in three Nigerian rural communities where Loa loa and Mansonella perstans are endemic. Blood samples were collected by finger-pricking method from 612 subjects (334 males, 278 females), between February 1996 and July 1998. Each blood sample was examined for mf using TS or/and CC technique(s). CC technique had statistically higher sensitivity (79.3%) than TS technique (39.1%). For both techniques, the microfilarial range was 1 to 20 mf/50 μl of blood. There was no statistically significant differences between the microfilarial geometric mean intensities with both techniques.African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (4), pp. 367-370, 200

Sensory Evaluation of Meat of Broiler Poultry Birds Fed with Tomato-supplemented Feed

Tomato is often used as a convenient feed alternative because of its high protein, mineral and vitamin content and also because of its relative low cost. With a steady increase in the demand for poultry products in Nigeria due to increase in population, urbanization, export drive and improved standard of living, it is important that serious attention with regard to the quality of chicken meat available to the Nigeria population be paid. The higher demand for poultry meat has necessitated the need for higher production, and with tomato as a more financially viable alternative in feedstuff for chickens with no adverse effect, there is need to test the general acceptability of broiler chicken meat produced through the replacement in diets of tomato as feed ingredients. This study aims to assess the effect of the use of alternate feeding material (tomato) on the sensory attribute of poultry meat. The experiment was carried out in Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo Ogun State, Nigeria using nine (9) different varieties of tomatoes: dried and blended together to make dried tomato powder. One hundred and fifty (150) broiler chickens were allocated into five (5) feeding groups of 30 birds each. Tomato powder was used as a replacement for premix in the following variations Diet A (40%tomato, 60% premix), Diet B (60% tomato, 40% premix), Diet C (80% tomato, 20% premix) and Diet D (100% tomato, 0% premix). There were significant (p>0.05) differences in colour, texture, taste and odour of broiler meat.The overall acceptability showed significant (p<0.05) differences, with diet C having the highest value which might be attributed to the lycopene and other bioactive components in the tomato powder. Findings revealed that the texture of the meat was the most significantly affected followed by taste and colour, indicating that tomato as alternate feedstuff material may produce more palatable poultry meat with increased texture, richer colour and improved taste

In Vitro and In Vivo Antimalarial Activity of Ficus thonningii Blume (Moraceae) and Lophira alata Banks (Ochnaceae), Identified from the Ethnomedicine of the Nigerian Middle Belt

Drug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum requires that new drugs must be developed. Plants are a potential source for drug discovery and development. Two plants that used to treat febrile illnesses in Nigeria were tested for in vitro and in vivo antimalarial activity and cytotoxicity in cancer cell lines. Methanol, hexane, and ethyl acetate leaf extracts of Ficus thonningii and Lophira alata were active in in vitro assays against P. falciparum NF54 (sensitive) and K1 (multiresistant) strains. Hexane extracts of F. thonningii and L. alata were the most effective extracts in in vitro assays with IC50 of 2.7±1.6 μg/mL and 2.5±0.3 μg/mL for NF54 and 10.4±1.6 μg/mL and 2.5±2.1 μg/mL for K1 strain. All extracts were nontoxic in cytotoxicity assays against KB human cell line with IC50 of over 20 μg/mL, demonstrating selectivity against P. falciparum. In vivo analysis shows that hexane extracts of both plants reduced parasitaemia. At the maximum dose tested, L. alata had a 74.4% reduction of parasitaemia while F. thonningii had a reduction of 84.5%, both extracts prolonged animal survival in mice infected with P. berghei NK65 when compared with vehicle treated controls. The antiplasmodial activity observed justifies the use of both plants in treating febrile conditions

Contribution of indigenous health care givers to the herbal managament of febrile illnesses in Rivers state, South-south, Nigeria

This study was carried out in two rural communities: Kaani and Boue, in Khana Local Government Area (LGA) and, in one urban community, Eleme, in Eleme LGA, all in Rivers State, South-South Nigeria. The investigations involved in-depth interviews conducted with 104 health care givers comprising indigenous healers: herbalists, sellers of herbal remedies and community elders. Information was obtained on types of fevers (febrile illnesses) treated, symptoms and methods of establishing illnesses, and traditional herbs used in the prevention and treatment of febrile illnesses. On types of febrile illnesses treated, respondents presented the following: malaria (78.8%), typhoid (23.1%), yellow fever (21.2%), high fever (19.2 %), convulsion (15.4%), and pregnancy fever (2.9%). Other illnesses treated were yellow eyes (4.8%) headache (11.5%), waist pain (14.4%), and joint pains, (8.7%). Respondents determined whether a person had fever by the following: physical examination (85.4 %), listening to patients' complaints (9.4 %), through divination and inspiration (9.4 %), while others (0.2 %) were not quite explicit on their methods of diagnoses. On the treatment of febrile illnesses, respondents used herb teas (88.5%), herb powders (42.3%), incantation (3.3 %), and performance of sacrifice (4.8%) or use of special fluids (27.9%). Majority of the respondents, in describing the best herbal medicines for the treatment of febrile illnesses, 62.5 % said that dogonyaro (Azadiracta indica) was the best medicine. Other responses were: lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratys, 51.9 %), mango (Mangifera indica) bark (29.8 %); lime (Citrus limetta) juice (30.0 %), paw paw (Carica papaya) leaf/fruit (20.2 %); guava (Psidium guajava) leaf (18.3 %), akpagbogoro (Salacia nitida), 7.7 %, plantain (Musa sapientum) sucker (6.7 %), Lipton tea (3.8 %) and scent leaf (Ocimum gratissimum), 1.9%. Keywords: Malaria, fever, febrile illness, herbal remedies, NigeriaWest African Journal of Pharmacology and Drug Research Vol. 21 (1&2) 2005: pp. 48-5