Hyperglycemic effect and hypertotoxicity studies of stem bark of Khaya senegalensis and leaf extract of Camellia sinesis

Hepatotoxic properties of the aqueous leaves of highland tea (Camellia sinesis) and aqueous stem bark extract of Khaya senegalensis were studied in rats. This was done by assaying the serum activities of aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), glucose and bilirubin in rats administered with 6.5mg/Kg (group A), 4.35mg/Kg (group B) and 3.0mg/Kg (group C) of the extract for seven (7) days respectively. The serum AST, ALT, ALP, glucose, bilirubin (total) and bilirubin (direct) in the control rats (group D) were found to be 7.62 + 1.78U/L, 11.2 + 0.38U/L , 144.9 + 23.90U/L , 4.39 + 0.08mmol/l, 0.14 + 0.03mg/dl and 0.18 + 0.04mg/dl respectively. The serum AST, ALT, glucose, bilirubin (total) and bilirubin (direct) in group A rats showed significant increase (

The effect of “Gadagi” tea on liver function and serum glucose concentration in albino rats

Effect of oral administration of “Gadagi” tea on liver function and serum glucose concentration was assessed on thirty (30) healthy non – pregnant female albino rats. The animals were grouped and administered different doses (mg/kg) i.e. (low dose; 0.75mg/kg for “Sak,” 1.40mg/kg for “Sada” and 2.10mg/kg for “magani.” Standard dose; 1.50mg/kg for “Sak,” 2.80mg/kg for “Sada” and 4.20mg/kg for “magani.” High dose; 3.00mg/kg for “Sak,” 5.60mg/kg for “Sada” and 8.30mg/kg for “magani”) for a period of one week. Animals that were not administered the tea constituted the control group. At the end of one week, the animals were sacrificed and their serum alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bilirubin (total and direct) and glucose levels were determined. Mean serum glucose level of the control animals was significantly higher (

Hypolipidemic Activity of Solvents Extracts of Khaya senegalensis Stem Bark in Diet Induced Hyperlipidemic Rats

Introduction: Hyperlipidemia is a modifiable risk factor of an important killer disease “cardiovascular diseases”, which account for as much mortality as infectious disease, nutritional deficiency and maternal and prenatal disease combined together. Aim: To investigate the effect of oral administration of Aqueous-methanol stem bark extract of Khaya senegalensis and its solvents (hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate) extracts on lipid profile of hyperlipidemic rats. Methodology: Hyperlipidemia was induced in rats via feeding on high lipid diet (HLD) for 6 weeks. A total of fifty five (55) rats were divided into two phases: For phase one, twenty five (25) rats were placed into five groups (GI - GV) of five rats each. GI served as normal control, GII serves as hyperlipidemic control group, while GIII, GIV and GV were hyperlipidemic and administered with crude extract (E1) at a dose of 250mg/kg, 350mg/kg and 450mg/kg body weight respectively for two weeks. For the second phase, thirty (30) rats were placed into six (6) groups of five (5) rats. GI served as normal control, GII served as hyperlipidemic control group, while GIII, GIV GV and GVI were hyperlipidemic and administered with hexane extract (E2), chloroform extract (E3), ethyl acetate extract (E4) and the residue (E5) at a dose of 250mg/kg body weight respectively for two weeks. The animals from each group were euthanized and serum was collected for analysis lipid profile (Total Cholesterol, LDL-Cholesterol, HDL-Cholesterol and Triglyceride). Results: The research found that aqueous methanol extract of Khaya senegalensis possess hypolipidemic ability with the ethyl acetate extract showing the highest potency with a significant (p<0.01) decrease in serum total cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol level when compared to hyperlipidemic control. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that the ethyl acetate extract from the crude extract possesses the highest hypolipidemic activity. Keywords: High lipid diets; hyperlipidemia; lipid profile; Khaya senegalensis; sequential extraction

Effects of Aqueous and Chloroform Stem Bark Extracts of Alstonia boonei on Liver Function Indices of Plasmodium Berghei Induced Albino Mice

In a preliminary research, authors reported that solvents extracts of Alstonia boonei possess strong antimalarial activity against NK-65 Chloroquine sensitive Plasmodium berghei infected mice with aqueous extract having the highest decrease in mean percentage parasitaemia. This research was therefore aimed at evaluating the effects of most active stem bark extracts (aqueous and chloroform) of Alstonia boonei on liver function indices of Plasmodium Berghei-induced mice. A total of 42 albino mice were inoculated with Plasmodium berghei and left for 7 days for optimum parasitaemia development after which they were screened for malarial parasites using thin blood film. They were then randomly divided into 7 groups of 6 mice per cage. Group 1 served as normal control, Groups 2 served as negative control (malaria infected but untreated), group 3 were administered with Chloroquine, groups 4 and 5 animals were administered with aqueous extract at a dose of 150 and 250mgkg-1 per day for four weeks, Groups 6 and 7 animals were administered with chloroform extract at a dose of 150 and 200mgkg-1 per day for four weeks. On the 29th day, the mice were euthanized and blood sample was collected and centrifuged for analysis of Liver function indices (AST, ALT, ALP, DB, TB, TP and ALB), the animals were dissected and liver tissues were collected for histological analysis. A significant (p<0.05) increase in mean serum of ALT, AST, ALP, and total bilirubin was observed in both negative and positive control compared to normal control. On the other hand, a significant (p<0.05) decrease in mean serum of ALT, AST, ALP and total bilirubin was seen in extracts administered groups compared to negative control. Histopathological examination of the liver showed unremarkable liver architecture with a vein containing red blood cells and some malarial pigments and parasites in infected but untreated group (negative control) while no malarial pigment or parasite was seen in either the normal control group or groups administered with extracts, confirming the antimalarial activity of the plant extract. Keywords: Alstonia boonei, toxicity, malaria, liver Function Indices and histopathology

Estimating the prevalence of COPD in an African country:evidence from southern Nigeria

# BACKGROUND: Though several environmental and demographic factors would suggest a high burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in most African countries, there is insufficient country-level synthesis to guide public health policy. # METHODS: A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Global Health and African Journals Online identified studies reporting the prevalence of COPD in Nigeria. We provided a detailed synthesis of study characteristics, and overall median and interquartile range (IQR) of COPD prevalence in Nigeria by case definitions (spirometry or non-spirometry). # RESULTS: Of 187 potential studies, eight studies (6 spirometry and 2 non-spirometry) including 4,234 Nigerians met the criteria. From spirometry assessment, which is relatively internally consistent, the median prevalence of COPD in Nigeria was 9.2% (interquartile range, IQR: 7.6–10.0), compared to a lower prevalence (5.1%, IQR: 2.2–15.4) from studies based on British Medical Research Council (BMRC) criteria or doctor’s diagnosis. The median prevalence of COPD was almost the same among rural (9.5%, IQR: 7.6–10.3) and urban dwellers (9.0%, IQR: 5.3–9.3) from spirometry studies. # CONCLUSIONS: A limited number of studies on COPD introduces imprecision in prevalence estimates and presents concerns on the level of response available across different parts of Nigeria, and indeed across many countries in sub-Saharan Africa

The Conundrum of Low COVID-19 Mortality Burden in sub-Saharan Africa: Myth or Reality?

The burden of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has been substantially lower compared to other regions of the world. Extensive morbidity and mortality were not observed among countries in SSA during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. To explain this phenomenon, several hypotheses have been formulated, including the low median age of the population in most SSA countries, lack of long-term care facilities, cross-protection from other local coronaviruses, insufficient testing and reporting resulting in an undercounting of COVID-related deaths, genetic risk factors, or the benefit of early lockdowns that were extensive in many SSA countries. Early lockdowns in SSA have been some of the strictest and resulted in devastating economic and social consequences and increased mortality from other health-related problems including maternal deaths. We review the literature and rationale supporting the various hypotheses that have been put forward to account for relatively low hospitalization and death rates for COVID-19 in SSA. We conclude that the strongest evidence would support the demographic age structure with a very low median age as the primary factor in leading to the low mortality seen in the first wave of the pandemic. The impact of new variants of concern in SSA raises the risk of more severe waves. Nevertheless, furthering the understanding of the underlying explanations for the low morbidity and mortality seen across SSA countries may allow the adoption of unique strategies for limiting the spread of COVID-19 without the need for stringent lockdowns

Assessing readiness to implement routine immunization among patent and proprietary medicine vendors in Kano, Nigeria : a theory-informed cross-sectional study

Background: Patent and proprietary medicine vendors (PPMVs) are widespread in communities and can potentially be used to expand access to routine immunization especially in underserved areas. In this study, we aimed to assess their readiness to implement routine immunization in Kano, Nigeria and identify factors associated with it. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of PPMVs aged 18 years and above in Kano metropolis, Nigeria, using cluster sampling technique. A 10-item Likert scale-based measure was used to estimate readiness score. The relationship between selected factors and readiness score was examined using multilevel linear modeling technique. Results: A total of 455 PPMVs with median age of 36 years participated in the study. The median raw score for readiness was 4.7 (IQR: 4.3 – 4-8) (maximum obtainable was 5). The mean readiness score (obtained through factor analysis) was 5.28 (SD: 0.58). Readiness score was associated with factors such as knowledge of immunization and task demand, engagement by other public health programs among others. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the feasibility of measuring the level of readiness for implementing routine immunization among PPMVs. Given the high level of readiness, policy makers should consider the possibility of expanding access to immunization through PPMVs

High mortality among tuberculosis patients on treatment in Nigeria: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a leading cause of death in much of sub-Saharan Africa despite available effective treatment. Prompt initiation of TB treatment and access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains vital to the success of TB control. We assessed time to mortality after treatment onset using data from a large treatment centre in Nigeria. METHODS: We analysed a retrospective cohort of TB patients that commenced treatment between January 2010 and December 2014 in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital. We estimated mortality rates per person-months at risk (pm). Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine risk factors for mortality. RESULTS: Among 1,424 patients with a median age of 36.6 years, 237 patients (16.6%) died after commencing TB treatment giving a mortality rate of 3.68 per 100 pm of treatment in this cohort. Most deaths occurred soon after treatment onset with a mortality rate of 37.6 per 100 pm in the 1st week of treatment. Risk factors for death were being HIV-positive but not on anti-retroviral treatment (ART) (aHR 1.39(1 · 04-1 · 85)), residence outside the city (aHR 3 · 18(2.28-4.45)), previous TB treatment (aHR 3.48(2.54-4.77)), no microbiological confirmation (aHR 4.96(2.69-9.17)), having both pulmonary and extra-pulmonary TB (aHR 1.45(1.03-2.02), and referral from a non-programme linked clinic/centre (aHR 3.02(2.01-4.53)). CONCLUSIONS: We attribute early deaths in this relatively young cohort to delay in diagnosis and treatment of TB, inadequate treatment of drug-resistant TB, and poor ART access. Considerable expansion and improvement in quality of diagnosis and treatment services for TB and HIV are needed to achieve the sustainable development goal of reducing TB deaths by 95% by 2035

Deaths during tuberculosis treatment among paediatric patients in a large tertiary hospital in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Despite availability of effective cure, tuberculosis (TB) remains a leading cause of death in children. In many high-burden countries, childhood TB is underdiagnosed and underreported, and care is often accessed too late, resulting in adverse treatment outcomes. In this study, we examined the time to death and its associated factors among a cohort of children that commenced TB treatment in a large treatment centre in northern Nigeria. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of children that started TB treatment between 2010 and 2014. We determined mortality rates per 100 person-months of treatment, as well as across treatment and calendar periods. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to determine adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) for factors associated with mortality. RESULTS: Among 299 children with a median age 4 years and HIV prevalence of 33.4%; 85 (28.4%) died after 1,383 months of follow-up. Overall mortality rate was 6.1 per 100 person-months. Deaths occurred early during treatment and declined from 42.4 per 100 person-months in the 1st week of treatment to 2.2 per 100 person-months after at the 3rd month of treatment. Mortality was highest between October to December period (9.1 per 100 pm) and lowest between July and September (2.8 per 100 pm). Risk factors for mortality included previous TB treatment (aHR 2.04:95%CI;1.09-3.84); HIV infection (aHR 1.66:95%CI;1.02-2.71), having either extra-pulmonary disease (aHR 2.21:95%CI;1.26-3.89) or both pulmonary and extrapulmonary disease (aHR 3.03:95%CI;1.70-5.40). CONCLUSIONS: Mortality was high and occurred early during treatment in this cohort, likely indicative of poor access to prompt TB diagnosis and treatment. A redoubling of efforts at improving universal health coverage are required to achieve the End TB Strategy target of zero deaths from TB

Estimating the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Nigeria in 2020: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Targeted public health response to obesity in Nigeria is relatively low due to limited epidemiologic understanding. We aimed to estimate nationwide and sub-national prevalence of overweight and obesity in the adult Nigerian population. Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE, Global Health, and Africa Journals Online were systematically searched for relevant epidemiologic studies in Nigeria published on or after 01 January 1990. We assessed quality of studies and conducted a random-effects meta-analysis on extracted crude prevalence rates. Using a meta-regression model, we estimated the number of overweight and obese persons in Nigeria in the year 2020. Results From 35 studies (n = 52,816), the pooled crude prevalence rates of overweight and obesity in Nigeria were 25.0% (95% confidence interval, CI: 20.4–29.6) and 14.3% (95% CI: 12.0–15.5), respectively. The prevalence in women was higher compared to men at 25.5% (95% CI: 17.1–34.0) versus 25.2% (95% CI: 18.0–32.4) for overweight, and 19.8% (95% CI: 3.9–25.6) versus 12.9% (95% CI: 9.1–16.7) for obesity, respectively. The pooled mean body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were 25.6 kg/m2 and 86.5 cm, respectively. We estimated that there were 21 million and 12 million overweight and obese persons in the Nigerian population aged 15 years or more in 2020, accounting for an age-adjusted prevalence of 20.3% and 11.6%, respectively. The prevalence rates of overweight and obesity were consistently higher among urban dwellers (27.2% and 14.4%) compared to rural dwellers (16.4% and 12.1%). Conclusions Our findings suggest a high prevalence of overweight and obesity in Nigeria. This is marked in urban Nigeria and among women, which may in part be due to widespread sedentary lifestyles and a surge in processed food outlets, largely reflective of a trend across many African settings