Anti-Diarrheal Activity of the Aqueous Leaf Extract of Ageratum Conyzoides in Wistar Rats

The leaves of Ageratum conyzoides had been reportedly used in traditional medicine in the treatment of diarrhea. Thus its aqueous leaf extract was investigated for its possible anti-diarrheal property using castor oil induced diarrheal, charcoal meal intestinal transit and castor oil-induced enteropooling models in Wistar rats to substantiate its folklore claim. In castor oil induced diarrheal model, 500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg body weight doses of the extract showed dose dependent remarkable anti-diarrheal activity evidenced by delay in diarrheal latency, reduction in the rate of defecation and consistency, although it was not comparable to that loperamide which elicited absent of diarrheal. In charcoal meal intestinal transit models, extract doses (500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg) also elicited dose dependent anti-diarrheal activity, evidenced by reduction in distance travelled by charcoal meal. Although, it was not also comparable to that of intraperitoneal injection of standard drug, Atropine sulphate at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg body weight. Experimental findings showed that aqueous leaf extract of Ageratum conyzoides possess anti-diarrheal activity and may be a potential source of anti-diarrheal drug in future. Higher doses may possess better anti-diarrhoeal properties.KEY WORDS: Ageratum conyzoides, anti-diarrheal activity, loperamide, castor oil, atropine sulphate. activated charcoal, enteropooling, Wistar rats

Awareness on the Prevention and Treatment of Malaria among Residents in Abraka, Delta State, Nigeria

Nigeria, the most populous nation in the Sub-Saharan African region, remains ravaged with a high occurrence of malaria infections which accounts for one-fourth of malaria cases globally. Communal awareness is important in the total eradication of malaria in Africa and the world at large. This study is to ascertain the awareness of individuals in Abraka communities on the transmission, prevention and treatment of malaria. A cross-sectional survey was carried out among people of Abraka, Delta State, Nigeria, using 200 structured questionnaires. Data was presented as percentage (%) using descriptive statistics. Majority of the respondents were females (51%), 83.5% practiced Christianity, 63% of the subjects are single, and a total of 60.4% either into business, employed or selfemployed with 38% being students. Eighty-nine percent (89%) of the respondents indicated that mosquito bite is the mode of transmission of malaria and 82.5% of the respondents stated that refuse dump is the major factor that breed mosquito. A large number of the respondents (95%) have been engaged in one or more malaria preventive (control) methods. A greater percent (30%) commonly used artesunate in treating malaria, while 25% took Coartem\uae (artemether/lumefantrine), 23% took Lonart\uae (artemether/lumefantrine), 10% took quinine and 12% had other drugs they took for the treatment of malaria. There was much awareness on the spread, prevention and treatment of malaria in Abraka, Delta State