Effects of Coleus Forskohlii Supplementation on Body Composition and Hematological Profiles in Mildly Overweight Women

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Purpose</p> <p>This study investigated the effects of <it>Coleus Forskohlii </it>(CF) on body composition, and determined the safety and efficacy of supplementation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In a double blind and randomized manner, 23 females supplemented their diet with ForsLean™ (250 mg of 10% CF extract, (n = 7) or a placebo [P] (n = 12) two times per day for 12-wks. Body composition (DEXA), body weight, and psychometric instruments were obtained at 0, 4, 8 & 12 weeks of supplementation. Fasting blood samples and dietary records (4-d) were obtained at 0 and 12-wks. Side effects were recorded on a weekly basis. Data were analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA and are presented as mean changes from baseline for the CF and placebo groups, respectively.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>No significant differences were observed in caloric or macronutrient intake. CF tended to mitigate gains in body mass (-0.7 ± 1.8, 1.0 ± 2.5 kg, p = 0.10) and scanned mass (-0.2 ± 1.3, 1.7 ± 2.9 kg, p = 0.08) with no significant differences in fat mass (-0.2 ± 0.7, 1.1 ± 2.3 kg, p = 0.16), fat free mass (-0.1 ± 1.3, 0.6 ± 1.2 kg, p = 0.21), or body fat (-0.2 ± 1.0, 0.4 ± 1.4%, p = 0.40). Subjects in the CF group tended to report less fatigue (p = 0.07), hunger (p = 0.02), and fullness (p = 0.04). No clinically significant interactions were seen in metabolic markers, blood lipids, muscle and liver enzymes, electrolytes, red cells, white cells, hormones (insulin, TSH, T3, and T4), heart rate, blood pressure, or weekly reports of side effects.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Results suggest that CF does not appear to promote weight loss but may help mitigate weight gain in overweight females with apparently no clinically significant side effects.</p

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the provision & utilisation of primary health care services in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kambia district, Sierra Leone & Masaka district, Uganda.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to determine whether the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on essential primary healthcare services at public primary healthcare facilities. METHODS: The number of weekly consultations for antenatal care (ANC), outpatient (OPD), immunisations (EPI), family planning (FP) and HIV services, between January 2018 and December 2020, were collected from 25 facilities in Masaka district, Uganda, 21 in Goma, and 29 in Kambia district, Sierra Leone. Negative binomial regression models accounting for clustering and season were used to analyse changes in activity levels between 2018, 2019 and 2020. RESULTS: In Goma, we found no change in OPD, EPI or ANC consultations, FP was 17% lower in March-July 2020 compared to 2019, but this recovered by December 2020. New diagnoses of HIV were 34% lower throughout 2020 compared to 2019. In Sierra Leone, compared to the same periods in 2019, facilities had 18-29% fewer OPD consultations throughout 2020, and 27% fewer DTP3 doses in March-July 2020. There was no evidence of differences in other services. In Uganda there were 20-35% fewer under-5 OPD consultations, 21-66% fewer MCV1 doses, and 48-51% fewer new diagnoses of HIV throughout 2020, compared to 2019. There was no difference in the number of HPV doses delivered. CONCLUSIONS: The level of disruption varied across the different settings and qualitatively appeared to correlate with the strength of lockdown measures and reported attitudes towards the risk posed by COVID-19. Mitigation strategies such as health communications campaigns and outreach services may be important to limit the impact of lockdowns on primary healthcare services

Obstacles à l’adoption de la planification familiale parmi les femmes dans l’est de la République Démocratique du Congo.

The objectives of this survey were to identify women’s level of KAP toward FP; identify possible barriers to using FP; determine pregnancy spacing pattern; and ascertain the level of FP promotion by health workers. This was a 2-weeks cross-sectional survey at all maternity units in Butembo of post-partum women. 572 women were interviewed. FP knowledge was high (76%), perception good (80%). Majority used traditional methods (65%), mostly Calendar method (72%). Barriers to using modern FP included lack of knowledge, fear of side effects, religious considerations and husband opposition. Unmet need for spacing and limiting was high (21 & 31%).For majority (56%), pregnancy spacing met WHO’s Healthy Timing and Spacing of Pregnancy recommendations. Promotion of FP was poor (42%). Training of health workers, advocating modern contraception, improving FP services in all public health facilities and promoting FP on each contact of women is highly recommended in this cityCette enquête avait pour objectifs d’identifier le niveau CAP du FP, les obstacles possibles à l’emploi de la FP, de déterminer les habitudes d’espacement des naissances et le niveau de la promotion de la PF par le personnel sanitaire. Il s’agissait d’une enquête transversale qui a duré deux semaines, auprès de toutes les femmes du post partum dans toutes les unités de soins maternels à Butembo. Nous avons interrogé au total 572 femmes. Le niveau de la connaissance de la PF était élevé (76%), la perception était bonne (80%). La plupart d’entre elles utilisaient les méthodes traditionnelles (65%) surtout la méthode du calendrier (72%). Les obstacles à l’utilisation des méthodes modernes comprennent le manque de connaissance, la peur des effets secondaires, des considérations religieuses et l’opposition par le mari. Les besoins non satisfaits de l’espacement et de la limitation des naissances étaient d’un niveau élevé (21% & 31%). Pour la majorité (56%), l’espacement de grossesse était conforme aux recommandations de l’OMS. Nous préconisons bien la formation du personnel de santé, le plaidoyer en faveur de l’usage des méthodes modernes, l’amélioration des services de la PF dans tous les établissements de santé publics et la promotion de la PF à chaque contact des femmes dans cette vill

Note d'ethnopharmacologie vétérinaire en cas de verminoses, diarrhée, coprostase et météorisme au Kivu et Kibali-lturi (Zaïre)

Veterinary ethnopharmacology in verminosis, diarrhea, coprostasis and meteorism in Kivu and Kibali-lturi. In veterinary medicine of african tradition in Kivu and Kibali-lturi (Zaire), we have identified 32 medicinal plants used alone or in association at the time of verminosis, diarrhea, coprostasis and meteorism. The parts of the plant intervene in the following proportions : leaves (59 %), fruits and seeds (12 %), whole plant (12 %), stems barks (9 %), roots, rhizoms and tubers (5 %), roots'barks (3 %). After maceration (51 % of cases), decoction (25 %) or without modification (20 %), the way of administration is oral in 90 % of cases and anal in 10 % of cases. Our data led us to suggest that plants previously submitted to a pharmacological screening could be introduced and maintained by management technics of paturages before pharmacotechnical studies or industrial production of medicaments

Supplementary Material from Can mass drug administration of moxidectin accelerate onchocerciasis elimination in Africa?

Epidemiological and modelling studies suggest that elimination of Onchocerca volvulus transmission (EoT) throughout Africa may not be achievable with annual mass drug administration (MDA) of ivermectin alone, particularly in areas of high endemicity and vector density. Single-dose Phase II and III clinical trials demonstrated moxidectin's superiority over ivermectin for prolonged clearance of O. volvulus microfilariae. We used the stochastic, individual-based EPIONCHO-IBM model to compare the probabilities of reaching EoT between ivermectin and moxidectin MDA for a range of endemicity levels (30% to 70% baseline microfilarial prevalence), treatment frequencies (annual and biannual) and therapeutic coverage/adherence values (65% and 80% of total population, with, respectively, 5% and 1% of systematic non-adherence). EPIONCHO-IBM's projections indicate that biannual (six-monthly) moxidectin MDA can reduce by half the number of years necessary to achieve EoT in mesoendemic areas and might be the only strategy that can achieve EoT in hyperendemic areas. Data needed to improve modelling projections include (i) the effect of repeated annual and biannual moxidectin treatment; (ii) inter- and intra-individual variation in response to successive treatments with moxidectin or ivermectin; (iii) the effect of moxidectin and ivermectin treatment on L3 development into adult worms and (iv) patterns of adherence to moxidectin and ivermectin MDA.This article is part of the theme issue ‘Challenges in the Fight Against Neglected Tropical Diseases’