Invitro and in Vivo Trypanocidal Activitiy of Combretumracemosum Leaves

Combretumracemosum P. Beauv (Combretaecea) is folklorically used as an antiulcer, trypanocidal, antihelminthic and antimicrobial agent. A study was conducted to determine the trypanocidal activity of crude methanolic extract of Combretumracemosun leaves against Trypanosomabruceibrucei both in vitro and in vivo. The extract exhibited in vitro activity against T. brucei by immobilizing the trypanosomes and rendering them uninfective to mice at concentrations ranging from 125 mg/ml – 0.2559 mg/ml. The extract also demonstrated in vivo trypanocidal effect by reducing parasitaemia and improving packed cell volume in T brucei infected mice at 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight when administered intraperitoneally. Intraperitoneal administration of the extract to mice at 2,000 mg /kg body weight did not result in deaths during the acute toxicity study. This study provides evidence of the ethno pharmacological use of C. racemosum in trypanosomosis. Keywords: Combretum racemosum, leaves, methanolic extract, trypanocidal activity, Trypanosoma bruceiNigerian Veterinary Journal, VOL:32 (4) 342-34

In vitro and in vivo trypanocidal activity of Combretum racemosum leaves

A study was conducted to determine the in vitro and in vivo trypanocidal activity of crude methanolic extract of Combretum racemosum leaves against Trypanosoma brucei brucei. The extract exhibited in vitro activity by immobilizing the trypanosomes and rendering them uninfective to mice at 125 to 0.2559 mg/ml. The extract also reduced parasitaemia and improved packed cell volume in infected mice at 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight when administered intraperitoneally. Intraperitoneal administration of diaminazene aceturate to infected mice completely cleared the parasites from the blood. In addition, intraperitoneal administration of the extract to mice at 2,000 mg /kg body weight did not result in deaths during the acute toxicity study. This study therefore provides evidence of the ethnopharmacological use of C. racemosum in trypanosomosis.Keywords: Combretum racemosum, leaves, methanolic extract, trypanocidal activity, Trypanosoma bruce

Linear regression models for quantitative assessment of left ventricular function and structures using M-mode echocardiography

Changes in left ventricular structures and function have been reported in cardiomyopathies. No prediction models have been established in this environment. This study established regression models for prediction of left ventricular structures in normal subjects. A sample of normal subjects was drawn from a large urban population. Echocardiographic end diastolic diameters, end systolic diameters, posterior wall thicknesses in both systole and diastole, septal wall thicknesses in both systole and diastole were used to calculate left ventricular mass, left ventricular mass index, relative wall thickness and fractional shortening. Heights, weights, ages, and blood pressures of subjects were obtained. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were computed. Tests were two tailed with P < 0.05 indicating statistical significance. Three hundred and twenty two normal subjects of Ibo descent were enrolled in this study as volunteers between June, 2006 and April, 2007. Correlation coefficients between measured left ventricular structures and functions, and some anthropometric variables were computed. Linear regression models for the prediction of left ventricular structures were established. Prediction models for left ventricular structures have been established and could be useful inassessing morbidity in cardiomyopathies

Physiologic Evidences Of Good Tolerance Of Concurrent Rumen Fistulation And Duodenal Cannulation In West African Dwarf Sheep

Twelve adult West African Dwarf (WAD) sheep of mean age and body weight of 18 ± 1.19 months and 14.69 ± 256 kg body weight respectively were used to study the compatibility of concurrent rumen fisulation and duodenal cannulation with normal life. The compatibility with norma life was assessed by differences in body weight, voluntary feed intake, rectal temperature and some haematological and biochemical parameters for a period of eight weeks between test and contro groups. During the sudyperiod, all the six animals survived the surgery. There was no significant (p < 0.05) dfference in body weight between the test and control groups for the entire study period (week 1-8). The mean rectal temperature of the test group was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than the control group on week 1(44.6 ± 3.150C), week 2 (43.26 ± 414 0C) and week 3 (41.15 ± 6620C) after implantation. Packed cell volume (PCV) and erythrocyte count (EC) were significantly reduced in the test group within the frst three weeks (33.19 ± 141 to 24.45 ± 1.39%and 7.01 ± 134 to 437 ± 1.58 x 106μl) respectively. On the contrary, total leukocyte count (TLC), and neutrophils were significantly higher in the test group between weeks 1 to 3 (12.48 ± 435 and 31.09 ± 3.67 respectvely) compared to the control (8.06 ± 0.95 and 23.41 ± 2.09 respecvely. Lymphocytes were insignificantly higher in the test group while voluntary feed intake was insigniicantly reduced in the test group throughout the eight weeks. Biochemical analyses revealed that serum creatinine was signicantly higher in the test group at week 1 (3.62 ± 1.18) and week 2 (3.08 ± 1.44) afer surgery. There was however, no significant difference in serum total proteins during the study period. Serum potassium concentrations were sgniicantly decreased inthe test group at week 1 (4.96 ± 1.03 to 1.34 ± 0.04). Sodum was also signcanty reduced (146.08 ± 3.78 to 96.03 ± 6.21) but on week 3 post impantation (PI). On the other hand, serum globulin was significantly higher in the test group throughout the study period. Gross observationsof incision sites showed adhesions characterized by coalesced tissue granulations. The study has shown that the use of polymetric materials in fabricating rumen fistulae and duodenal cannuale could pave way for increased routine nutritional studies in ruminants particularly in developing countries where the availability of these materials constitute great limitationto research involving rumen studies. Keywords: Duodenal cannulation, Rumen fistulation, West African Dwarf shee

Antimicrobial activities of methanolic extract of Gongronema latifolia stem on clinical isolate of Escherichia coli from diarrhoea patients

This study was carried out to investigate the antimicrobial activities of Gongronema latifolia stem extract on clinical isolates of Escherichia coli from diarrhoea patients. Twenty five isolates of E. coli were obtained from stool samples of diarrhoea patients within the ages of 1-5 in Nsukka Health Centre, Nsukka. The antimicrobial activity of the methanolic extract was then carried out using agar cup diffusion technique. The result of the study showed that the E. coli was moderately sensitive to methanolic extract of G. latifolia stem. This shows that in the treatment of infections caused by E. coli, methanolic extract of G. latifolia stem may be used

Improving equity in malaria treatment: Relationship of socio-economic status with health seeking as well as with perceptions of ease of using the services of different providers for the treatment of malaria in Nigeria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Equitable improvement of treatment-seeking for malaria will depend partly on how different socio-economic groups perceive the ease of accessing and utilizing malaria treatment services from different healthcare providers. Hence, it was important to investigate the link between socioeconomic status (SES) with differences in perceptions of ease of accessing and receiving treatment as well as with actual health seeking for treatment of malaria from different providers.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Structured questionnaires were used to collect data from 1,351 health providers in four malaria-endemic communities in Enugu state, southeast Nigeria. Data was collected on the peoples' perceptions of ease of accessibility and utilization of different providers of malaria treatment using a pre-tested questionnaire. A SES index was used to examine inequities in perceptions and health seeking.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Patent medicine dealers (vendors) were the most perceived easily accessible providers, followed by private hospitals/clinics in two communities with full complement of healthcare providers: public hospital in the community with such a health provider and traditional healers in a community that is devoid of public healthcare facilities. There were inequities in perception of accessibility and use of different providers. There were also inequity in treatment-seeking for malaria and the poor spend proportionally more to treat the disease.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Inequities exist in how different SES groups perceive the levels of ease of accessibility and utilization of different providers for malaria treatment. The differentials in perceptions of ease of access and use as well as health seeking for different malaria treatment providers among SES groups could be decreased by reducing barriers such as the cost of treatment by making health services accessible, available and at reduced cost for all groups.</p

The changing global distribution and prevalence of canine transmissible venereal tumour.

BACKGROUND: The canine transmissible venereal tumour (CTVT) is a contagious cancer that is naturally transmitted between dogs by the allogeneic transfer of living cancer cells during coitus. CTVT first arose several thousand years ago and has been reported in dog populations worldwide; however, its precise distribution patterns and prevalence remain unclear. RESULTS: We analysed historical literature and obtained CTVT prevalence information from 645 veterinarians and animal health workers in 109 countries in order to estimate CTVT's former and current global distribution and prevalence. This analysis confirmed that CTVT is endemic in at least 90 countries worldwide across all inhabited continents. CTVT is estimated to be present at a prevalence of one percent or more in dogs in at least 13 countries in South and Central America as well as in at least 11 countries in Africa and 8 countries in Asia. In the United States and Australia, CTVT was reported to be endemic only in remote indigenous communities. Comparison of current and historical reports of CTVT indicated that its prevalence has declined in Northern Europe, possibly due to changes in dog control laws during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Analysis of factors influencing CTVT prevalence showed that presence of free-roaming dogs was associated with increased CTVT prevalence, while dog spaying and neutering were associated with reduced CTVT prevalence. Our analysis indicated no gender bias for CTVT and we found no evidence that animals with CTVT frequently harbour concurrent infectious diseases. Vincristine was widely reported to be the most effective therapy for CTVT. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide a survey of the current global distribution of CTVT, confirming that CTVT is endemic in at least 90 countries worldwide. Additionally, our analysis highlights factors that continue to modify CTVT's prevalence around the world and implicates free-roaming dogs as a reservoir for the disease. Our analysis also documents the disappearance of the disease from the United Kingdom during the twentieth century, which appears to have been an unintentional result of the introduction of dog control policies.This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final version of this article has been published by BioMed Central: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1746-6148/10/168

Differential responses of osteoblasts and macrophages upon Staphylococcus aureus infection

Background Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is one of the primary causes of bone infections which are often chronic and difficult to eradicate. Bacteria like S. aureus may survive upon internalization in cells and may be responsible for chronic and recurrent infections. In this study, we compared the responses of a phagocytic cell (i.e. macrophage) to a non-phagocytic cell (i.e. osteoblast) upon S. aureus internalization. Results We found that upon internalization, S. aureus could survive for up to 5 and 7 days within macrophages and osteoblasts, respectively. Significantly more S. aureus was internalized in macrophages compared to osteoblasts and a significantly higher (100 fold) level of live intracellular S. aureus was detected in macrophages compared to osteoblasts. However, the percentage of S. aureus survival after infection was significantly lower in macrophages compared to osteoblasts at post-infection days 1–6. Interestingly, macrophages had relatively lower viability in shorter infection time periods (i.e. 0.5-4 h; significant at 2 h) but higher viability in longer infection time periods (i.e. 6–8 h; significant at 8 h) compared to osteoblasts. In addition, S. aureusinfection led to significant changes in reactive oxygen species production in both macrophages and osteoblasts. Moreover, infected osteoblasts had significantly lower alkaline phosphatase activity at post-infection day 7 and infected macrophages had higher phagocytosis activity compared to non-infected cells. Conclusions S. aureus was found to internalize and survive within osteoblasts and macrophages and led to differential responses between osteoblasts and macrophages. These findings may assist in evaluation of the pathogenesis of chronic and recurrent infections which may be related to the intracellular persistence of bacteria within host cells