Re-evaluating the effi cacy of the aqueous leaf extract of Bridelia ferrugenia and its potential combination with metformin in the management of diabetes mellitus

Herbal medicinal products play a significant role in the management of diabetes and other chronic diseaseseither as a monotherapy or in combination with allopathic treatments. The hypoglycemic activity of a Ghanaianherbal antidiabetic product (Bridelia Tea) prepared from the dried leaves of Bridelia ferrugenia [BRD] was reevaluatedin this study with the view of improving, its activity and explore the possible benefit of using theproduct in combination with metformin (MET). Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats (210-220 g) were renderedhyperglycemic by a single intraperitoneal administration of streptozocin (70 mg/kg) after an overnight fast. Thehyperglycemic rats then received one of the following treatments ([BRD 30 mg/kg or 300 mg/kg], [MET 250 mg/kgor 1000 mg/kg], [MET 250 mg/kg and BRD 30 mg/kg], [MET 1000 mg/kg and BRD 300 mg/kg]). The hypoglycemiceffect of BRD, MET, and the combination of the two products were not significantly different during an initial6 h of monitoring (P > 0.05). In the long-term study over 28 days, BRD 300 mg/kg had hypoglycemic effectscomparable to MET 1000 mg/kg p.o. and better than BDF 30 mg/kg p.o. (P < 0.05). However, the combination ofthe two products BRD and MET at the two doses reduced their therapeutic effect compared to animals receivingeither one of the two treatments alone

Mutations in Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter and multidrug resistance genes, and treatment outcomes in Ghanaian children with uncomplicated malaria.

The association between the clinical outcome of chloroquine treatment and mutations in the putative Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter (Pfcrt) gene at codon 76 and multidrug resistance gene 1 (Pf mdr1) at codon 86 were investigated among 406 children with uncomplicated malaria presenting at five sentinel health centres in Ghana. Presence of mutations in isolates taken at pre-treatment and on day of recurrence of parasites was detected using PCR followed by RFLP techniques. The prevalence of Pfcrt T76 mutants was 80% at Hohoe, 46% at Navrongo, 98% at Tarkwa, 61% at Sunyani and 46% at Yendi. The prevalence of the mutant Pfmdr1 at Hohoe, Navrongo, Tarkwa, Sunyani and Yendi were 78, 58, 95, 53 and 42%, respectively. Significant association between the Pfcrt mutation and treatment outcome was observed at Hohoe and Sunyani (p 0.05). Similarly, a statistical significant association between Pfmdr1 86 and treatment failures was observed at Hohoe and Sunyani (p < 0.05) but not at the other three sites. A positive correlation was found between mutant Pfcrt prevalence only and treatment failures with a Spearman's rho-value of 0.872 and a p-value = 0.027. All parasite isolates from samples taken at recrudescence from patients with chloroquine treatment failures were found to have both Pfcrt and Pfmdr mutations

High Levels of IL-10 and CD4+CD25hi+ Treg Cells in Endemic Burkitt’s Lymphoma Patients

Background: The interplay between Epstein-Barr virus infection, malaria, and endemic Burkitt’s Lymphoma is not well understood. Reports show diminished EBV-specific Th1 responses in children living in malaria endemic areas and deficiency of EBNA1-specific IFN-γ T cell responses in children with endemic Burkitt’s Lymphoma (eBL). This study, therefore, examined some factors involved in the loss of EBNA-1-specific T cell responses in eBL. Methods: T-cell subset frequencies, activation, and IFN-γ- or IL-4-specific responses were analyzed by flow-cytometry. Plasma cytokine levels were measured by ELISA. Results: CD4+ and CD8+ cells in age- and sex-matched healthy controls (n = 3) expressed more IFN-γ in response to all immunostimulants than in pediatric endemic BL (eBL) patients (n = 4). In healthy controls, IFN-γ expression was higher than IL-4 expression, whereas in eBL patients the expression of IL-4 by CD4+ cells to EBNA-1 was slightly higher than IFN-γ. Moreover, the blood levels of TNF-α was significantly lower (p = 0.004) while IL-10 was significantly higher (p = 0.038), in eBL patients (n = 21) compared to controls (n = 16). Additionally, the frequency of CD4+CD25hi+ T cells was higher in both age-matched acute uncomplicated malaria (n = 26) and eBL (n = 14) patients compared to healthy controls (n = 19; p = 0.000 and p = 0.027, respectively). Conclusion: The data suggest that reduced Th1 response in eBL might be due to increased levels of IL-10 and T reg cells

Patient characteristics and laboratory data at baseline.

<p>Values reported as median (minimum-maximum) and comparisons made using Wilcoxon sign rank test. Antibody levels are expressed as mean fluorescence intensity (MFI). #ICAM-1 levels were statistically significantly higher in CM than in UM (p = 0.0037).</p><p>Anti-VSA (CD36-binding) levels were statistically significantly higher in CM than in UM (p = 0.048).</p

Logistic regression data for association of sICAM-1 and anti-VSA antibodies with CM.

<p>UM is the reference patient category.</p

Acute and convalescent levels of antibodies to ICAM-1 selected parasites.

<p>Symbols linked by straight line represent anti-VSA antibody levels on days 0 and 7 for individual participants.</p

Acute and convalescent levels of antibodies to CD36- selected parasites.

<p>Symbols linked by straight line represent anti-VSA antibody levels on days 0 and 7 for individual participants.</p