Acute and Sub-chronic Toxicity Studies of Methanol Leaf Extract of Cassia singueana F. (Fresen) in Wistar Rats

The aim of this study was to evaluate the toxicity profile of methanol leaf extract of Cassia singueana (fabaceae) in wistar rats. Fresh leaf of the plant was shade dried and pulverized to powder after which it was subjected to maceration with methanol and 9.2% yield was obtained at end of the extraction process. An acute toxicity study was carried out using lork’s method and sub-chronic toxicity study was also carried out using OECD guideline. In the acute toxicity study, the first phase of the method, nine (9) wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups (1-3) of three (3) animals each and they received 10,100 and 1000 mg/kg (po) Cassia singueana methanol leaf extract respectively and in the second phase four (4) animals were divided into four groups of one animal each which received 1200, 1600, 2900 and 5000 mg/kg (po) of extract respectively. In the sub-chronic toxicity study twenty (20) animals were divided randomly into four group each containing five animals, the first, second, third and fourth group received distilled water, 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg extract (po) respectively. There was no mortality observed in phase 1 of acute toxicity and in phase II there was mortality at 2900 and 5000 mg/kg group. The oral administration of methanol leaf extract of Cassia singueana for 28 days did not produce significant alteration in the renal function indices. The histological section of the rats indicates normal glumeruli and regular renal tubules. Also, this study reveals no significant increase in the level of liver enzyme. Also, the histology section reveals normal central vein and regular hepatocyte separated by sinusoid. The haematopoetic indices reveal no destruction of Red Blood Cell and no change in the rate of production of the RBCs and other haematopoetic parameters. The histology of the rat’s brain revealed no deleterious effect. It can be concluded that, the methanol leaf extract of Cassia singueana is relatively non- toxic

ARTESUNATE PLUS AMODIAQUINE (AS+AQ) VERSUS ARTEMETHER -LUMEFANTRINE (AL) FOR THE TREATMENT OF UNCOMPLICATED PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM MALARIA IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA-A META-ANALYSIS

The purpose of this study is to summarize the available data on the efficacy of Artesunate plus Amodiaquine (AS+AQ) versus Artemether -Lumefantrine (AL) for the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in sub-Saharan Africa using uncorrected parasitaemia as a clinically relevant endpoint. Studies and conference abstracts identified through Pubmed, Medline, Embase, Ansinet, AJOL, Bioline, Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group trials register, The Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, Science Citation Index, Lilacs, African Index Medicus, Clusty, Google, Yahoo and Microsoft search engines. Randomized controlled clinical trials comparing Artesunate-Amodiaquine versus Artemether–Lumefantrine, in Sub-Saharan Africa from January 2004 to June 2009, and which had at least 30 patients per study arm. The authors independently applied the inclusion criteria, assessed methodological quality and extracted data into a pre-designed form. The outcome of interest was uncorrected day 28 parasitological failure. Data were then checked for agreement and double entered into RevMan version 5 for further analyses. Fifteen trials (4265 participants) met the inclusion criteria. Day 28 parasitological failure was lower for AL (286 of 2201 participants or 13.0 % failures) when compared with AS+AQ (446 of 2424 participants or 18.4% failures). The relative risk of parasitological failure with AS+AQ was higher when compared with AL (RR 1.65, 95% CI, 1.18-2.32). There were significant heterogeneity and inconsistencies in the studies. AL appears more effective at avoiding parasitological failure at days 28 than AS+AQ

Metabolic syndrome in urban city of North-Western Nigeria: prevalence and determinants

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Sokoto metropolis of North-Western Nigeria.Methods: A cross-sectional community based study was carried out. Four hundred and ten subjects (201 males and 209 females) were recruited for the study using a multi-stage sampling technique. Demographic and the life style data was obtained from the participants. Evaluation of anthropometric variables, fasting blood sugar, lipid profiles, insulin resistance and blood pressure was performed. The classification of metabolic syndrome was based on the NCEP ATP III guidelines.Results: The mean (SD) age of the sample population was 39.6 (14.4) years. The mean (SD) age of the male subjects was 38.4(14.9) years and that of the females was 40.8(13.9) years (p> 0.05). The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 35.1% with the females having 42.83% and the males 27.36%. The frequencies of metabolic syndrome parameters in the study subjects were low HDL (56.1%),  hypertension (46.1%), dysglycemia (32.7%), central obesity (28%), and elevated triglycerides (22.4%). Most of the women had low HDL (62.2%) and central obesity elevated (49.8%). Conclusion: Metabolic syndrome is common in residents of North- Western Nigeria, commoner in the females than males. Risk factors for metabolic syndrome should be detected in normal individuals for implementing effective preventive measures.Key words: Metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia, obesit

Oxidative stress and outcome of antioxidant supplementation in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)

Background: PCOS is a condition with significant decrease in antioxidant with an increased risk of oxidative stress. Antioxidant supplementation has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity in PCOS and may improve outcome of management of PCOS. Objectives of this study were to determine the oxidative stress level of PCOS patients, to assess the effect of antioxidant supplementation on the outcome of management of PCOS and to compare with a control group.Methods: The study was a single blind randomised control trial involving 200 patients with PCOS. The study was conducted at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital Sokoto. They were randomly divided into intervention and control groups and base line serum levels of oxidative stress marker, antioxidant enzymes, vitamins and minerals were determined. Antioxidant supplementation and placebo were given to the intervention and control groups respectively. All the patients had ovulation induction with clomiphene citrate and were followed up for 6 months. Outcome measures were clinical pregnancy or menstrual regularisation. Level of significance was <0.05.Results: There was statistical significance in the serum levels of oxidative stress marker, antioxidant enzymes, vitamins and minerals between the two groups (post intervention). Glutathione peroxidase (p = 0.001), superoxide dismutase (p = 0.0001), catalase (p= 0.0369), melondialdehyde (p= 0.007), Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E (p = 0.0001), zinc and copper (p = 0.0001). The clinical pregnancy outcomes were 22 (22%) versus 2 (2%); live births 18 (18%) versus 2 (2%) and menstrual regularisation 48 (48%) versus 46 (46%) in the intervention and control groups respectively.Conclusions: Antioxidant supplementation in this study significantly affected pregnancy rate in patients with PCOS. Larger studies are suggested to revisit the conclusion of the Cochrane review that antioxidants supplementation had no significant role in female infertility

Coal Exploration using Electrical Resistivity Method in Some Parts of Benue Trough, Nigeria

Geoelectrical resistivity sounding technique was used to delineate the occurrence and extents of coal seam. Fifteen points were sounded with Schlumberger configuration in the suspected coal deposit site bounded by longitudes 7.344° E and 7.366° E, and latitudes 7.318° N and 7.33° N. The vertical electrical sounding (VES) data were analyzed and the corresponding geo-electric parameters at various depths were modeled. The earth model within the study area was correlated with available lithology of a nearby mine site. The sounding signatures are KQHK and KHK curve types which revealed five to six distinct geo-electrical equivalent layers. The wet to dry sandy topsoil has resistivity range of 300–1000 Ωm and average thickness of 1.5 m. Next is a layer with higher resistivity range (1000–20000 Ωm). This layer, which extends to 14 m depth, is considered probably to be laterite, patched with sand in some places. Underlain this is a shale formation that laterally sandwiched the coal seam. The thickness and resistivity range of the coal seam is 1.5–3.4 m and 778–103000 Ωm, respectively, while the shale domain has resistivity range of 99–898 Ωm. Therefore, it could be concluded that the coal seam occurrence take shale as host rock in the area and the largest deposit appeared at the Eastern part of the area. Keywords: Benue trough; Resistivity; Electrical sounding; Coal seam; Overburde

Non-communicable diseases among prison inmates in North-West Nigeria

Background: There is paucity of data on prevalence of non-communicable diseases in prison inmates. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and pattern of non-communicable diseases in inmates of Sokoto Central Prison, North-West Nigeria.Methodology: Cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out. Interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to obtain demographic data. Height, weight and blood pressure were measured following standard guidelines, and casual blood glucose was obtained in all the inmates.Results: The mean (SD) age was 31.2 (9.7)years with age range 18-82years. Of the 373 inmates screened, 60 (16.1%) inmates were found to have systemic hypertension, 2 (0.5%) diabetes mellitus, 16 (4.3%) obesity and 24 (6.4%) underweight.Conclusion: The prevalence of non-communicable diseases, especially hypertension in Nigerian prison is high. There is the need for health policy makers and other stakeholders to come up with strategies aimed at reducing the burden of diseases in Nigerian prisons.Keywords: Health policy, males, systemic hypertension, underweigh

Safety perception and knowledge of commonly used complementary and alternative medicine among physicians in Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital Sokoto, North-Western Nigeria

Background: Knowledge and safety perception of physicians concerning commonly used complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) may have influence on decisions of treatment and life of patients. This study determined the knowledge and safety perception of CAM among physicians in an Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), a tertiary institution in Sokoto, North-Western Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A survey based on an anonymous questionnaire was performed among 221 doctors of UDUTH Sokoto, North-Western Nigeria using a 30-item validated questionnaire to examine their level of awareness and safety perception on CAM. Results: The lifetime prevalence of CAM use among doctors was 69.3% while current CAM use was about 12%. About half (47.5%) of the doctors think CAM use is unsafe. About 84.6%, 86.4%, and 64.3% of doctors think CAM use can cause adverse reactions/side effects, drug interactions, and noncompliance, respectively. Residents/consultants (84.5%) were more likely to correctly identify the standard definitions of CAM compared with house officers/medical officers (77.3%) (P = 0.02). A significantly higher percentage of consultants/residents were found to associate the use of CAM with poor adherence to conventional drugs compared with HO/MO (P = 0.02). Conclusion: This study demonstrates high degree of concern about the safety of CAM as it relates to adverse reactions/side effects, drug interactions, and noncompliance to orthodox medicine among physicians in UDUTH. There was an acceptable level of knowledge of CAM

Hepatitis B Therapeutic Vaccine: A Patent Review

Viral hepatitis has long been underrated as a danger to global health. The UN only recently called for worldwide action to tackle viral hepatitis and lessen the disease burden in its “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. Hepatitis B virus (HBV), which causes liver cirrhosis and malignancy, is a main cause of death globally. This review analyses innovative HBV therapeutic vaccine candidates for which a patent was filed between January 2010 and March 2022 and presents future improvement techniques for vaccine efficacy. Although there is a preventative vaccine for HBV infection, over 3% of people worldwide have the disease on a long-term basis and can no longer benefit from it. Most people will have chronic HBV infection for the rest of their lives once it has been diagnosed. Moreover, only a small percentage of treated patients experience a functional cure with persistent hepatitis B surface antigen reduction. A significant proportion of deaths are caused by liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular cancer, which are both caused by chronic hepatitis B infection. Hence, there is an urgent need for novel medications due to the inadequacies of the current therapies

Prevalence of diabetes mellitus and its risk factors among the suburban population of Northwest Nigeria

>Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) was previously considered to be rare in sub-Saharan Africa. However, the prevalence is on the increase mainly because of urbanization and changes in lifestyle.Aim: The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of DM and its correlates in the suburban population of Northwest Nigeria.Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional community-based study was carried out. Two hundred and eighty participants were recruited using a multistage sampling technique. Interviewer-administered questionnaire was utilized in obtaining demographic data from the participants. Anthropometric variables, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and blood pressure measured using standard guidelines. The diagnosis of DM was based on the WHO guidelines.Results: The mean age was 42.3 ± 10.7 years. The overall prevalence of DM was 4.3% (males 4.5% and females 4.0%). The mean FPG was higher in the females (5.9 ± 1.2 mmol/L) than males (5.8 ± 2.5 mmol/L) though the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.81). Obesity and increasing age were the major risk factors for DM among the suburban population.Conclusion: DM is common in suburban areas of Northwest Nigeria. We recommend increased awareness of the epidemic potential of this public health problem even in suburban areas