Body mass index variations among adolescents from Kano Metropolis, Nigeria

Bodyweight and height measurements were carried out on 2, 100 healthy teenagers (1050 males and 1050 females) randomly selected in Kano metropolis. These measurements were used to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI) according to the formula weight (kg)/height2 (m). Mean BMI values increased with age in the subjects irrespective of sex. However, female subjects had higher mean BMI values than their male counterparts in all the age groups. Mean BMI values ranged from 17.0 to 20.9 in males and from 18.0 to 24.0 in females. These BMI ranges of values were used as the basis for classification of the subjects as underweight, normal and overweight. Key words: adolescence, body mass index, anthropometric assessment, nutritional statu

Marital Status and Occupation versus Serum Total Cholesterol and HDL – Cholesterol Levels in Healthy Adults from Kano Metropolis, Nigeria

The influence of marital status and occupation on serum total cholesterol (TC) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL – CH) concentrations was studied in sixty one (61) adult male and female Hausa subjects aged 20 – 50 years. Irrespective of marital status and occupation, female subjects had higher mean serum TC and HDL – CH levels than male subjects. Married subjects of both sexes had higher mean serum TC and HDL – CH levels than their non – married counterparts. Male subjects (students) had significantly (

Serum lipid profile in non-pregnant and prenant Hausa-Fulani women at second and third trimester of pregnancy in Kura local government area, Kano State, Nigeria

Serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-CH) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-CH) concentrations were determined in two hundred and fifty (250) apparently healthy females of child bearing age ( non pregnant, 127 and pregnant 123) who attended the antenatal and other clinics at Kura Comprehensive Health Centre, Kano State from August to December 2005. Body weight and height of each subject were taken to calculate body mass index (BMI). Mean serum TC, HDL-CH and BMI values were found to be higher in pregnant than in non pregnant subjects. When the pregnant subjects were classified on the basis of gestational age, 35.0% were in second trimester and 65.0% were in the third trimester. Mean serum TC, HDL- CH and LDL- CH values were significantly higher (p< 0.05) in second trimester subjects than third trimester subjects. Though a preliminary study, the result of this work will contribute in unraveling the serum lipid profile among pregnant and non pregnant Hausa - Fulani women in Northern Nigeria. Key word: serum lipoproteins, pregnant women, Hausa-Fulani, Northern Nigeri

Acute Toxicity Study of “Gadagi” Tea on Rats

Acute toxicity study was carried out on three most common types of &ldquo;Gadagi&rdquo; tea preparations, &ldquo;sak&rsquo;&rsquo;,&rdquo;sada&rdquo; and &ldquo;magani&rdquo;.. LD50 values of each type of the tea were determined. Results of phase I and phase II of the study showed no mortality was recorded in any of the experimental groups of rats in 24hours and up to four weeks after oral administration of 5000mg/kg of each type of the tea. Hence, oral administration of all the &ldquo;Gadagi&rdquo; tea preparations studied at a dose of less than or equal to 5000mg/kg (equivalent to 7.90cm3, 6.90cm3 and 8.20cm3 for &ldquo;sak&rdquo;, &ldquo;sada&rdquo; and &ldquo;magani&rdquo; respectively) could be safe.Keywords: Acute Toxicity, Lethal Dose, &ldquo;Gadagi&rdquo; tea

Effect of Oral Administration of “Gadagi” Tea on Lipid Profile in Rats

Effect of oral administration of “Gadagi” tea on lipid profile was assessed in 50 healthy male albino rats which were grouped and administered with different doses(mg/kg) i.e low dose (380mg/kg, 415mg/kg, 365mg/kg,315mg/kg for “sak”, ”sada” and “magani” respectively), standard dose (760mg/kg, 830mg/kg, 730mg/kg for “sak’, ”sada” and “magani” respectively) and high dose ( 1500mg/kg, 1700mg/kg and 1460mg/kg for “sak’’, ”sada” and “magani” groups respectively) for a period of four weeks. Animals that were not administered with the tea constitutedthe control group. At the end of fourth week, the animals were sacrificed and their serum Total Cholesterol (T. Chol), HDL–Cholesterol (HDL Chol), Triglyceride (TRIG), very low – density lipoproteins (VLDL) and Low DensityLipoproteins (LDL) levels were determined. Although no significant difference(P&lt;0.05) was found between the experimental groups and the control group using analysis of variance (ANOVA), mean serum LDL, T. Chol and TRIG levels were slightly lower in rats orally administered with “magani” at standard dose level than that of the control rats. Thus, it could be suggested that “magani” especially at standard dose could reduce some of the risk factors of cardiovascular disease.Keywords: “Gadagi” tea, Lipid profile, Cholesterol

Effect of oral administration of aqueous leaf extract of Momordica charantia (bitter melon) on serum glucose, and lipid profile in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

Momordica charantia (bitter melon) has been used extensively in herbal medicine as remedy for many disease conditions. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of Momordica charantia (MC) aqueous leaf extract on serum fasting blood glucose (FBG) and lipid profile (total cholesterol TC, triglyceride TAG, high density lipoprotein HDL, low density lipoprotein LDL) in alloxan-induced diabetic rat. The extract was administered orally at the dose of 200mg/kg, 400mg/kg, and 600mg/kg body weight either for a period of 2 or 4 week. A significant (p&lt;0.05) improvement in the biochemical parameters such as FBG, TC, TAG, HDL, and LDL levels was observed in MC treated rats as compared to diabetic control rats. The response to treatment was gradual and dose-dependent with maximum effect at higher dose of 600mg/kg body weight for 4 weeks.Keywords: Momordica charantia, blood glucose, Lipid profile, Diabetes

Nutritional status in pregnant women attending Kiru General Hospital in Kano state, Nigeria

The present study determined body weight and height (Body Mass Index-BMI) was calculated according to the formula weight (kg)/height2 (m), Blood Pressure (BP), Hemoglobin (Hb), Fasting Blood Glucose (FBS) and Total Cholesterol (TC) in pregnant women (PW) in the three trimestersand in non-pregnant women (NPW). Sixty apparently healthy pregnant women and twenty non pregnant non lactating women (age range 17-34 years) participated in the study. The results showed significant difference in BMI of the pregnant women (1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimesters) and thecontrol group (p&lt;0.05). There was an increase in BP levels in the pregnant women when compared to the non pregnant women. The results also showed that the levels of Hb decreased significantly (p&lt;0.05) as the pregnancy progressed through the three trimesters. However the results indicated that there was a significant increase (p&lt;0.05) in the FBS and TC levels between the non pregnant women and pregnant women through the trimesters.Keywords: Pregnant women, non pregnant women, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure,hemoglobin, serum fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol

Antioxidant effect of Citrullus vulgaris (watermelon) extract against lipid oxidation in fish during cooking

The Antioxidant effect of Citrullus Vulgaris (Watermelon) extract was evaluated against lipid oxidation in freshly caught fishes during cooking. GC-MS analysis of Hexane and total phenolic extract of Citrullus Vulgaris flesh reveals that the extracts contain 55 compounds which includes 5- hydroxymethyl furfural, 4H-Pyran-4-one, 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-, Hexadecanoic acid, ethyl ester and Palmitic acid ester that are reported as antioxidants. Muscle flesh of fifteen (15) samples of freshly caught fish comprising Group I (Tilapia zilli; n=5), Group II (Clarias hollandis; n=5) and Group III (Clarias gariepinus; n=5) were prepared and Sub Grouped each as Control, Treatment 1, Treatment 2, Treatment 3 and Treatment 4 which receives 0, 50, 150, 250 and 450mg of Citrullus Vulgaris extract per 100g fresh fish muscle weight respectively. Treatment 4 gave the highest protection against lipid oxidation in all groups, however the concentration of MDA in Treatment 3 of Group I and III were not significantly (p&gt;0.05) higher as compared to Treatment 4 of same Groups. The results clearly suggested that the extract effectively prevented lipid  oxidation in fish and that the rate of prevention is a factor of fish species and extract concentration.Keywords: Fish, citrullus vulgaris, lipid oxidation, Antioxidants, Malondialdehyde (MDA

Phytochemical composition and acute toxicity evaluation of aqueous root bark extract of Securidaca longipedunculata (Linn)

This study was carried out to determine the phytochemical constituents and acute toxicity of the aqueous root bark extract of Securidaca longipedunculata Linn. The result of phytochemical screening revealed the presence of some secondary metabolites of pharmacological significance in the aqueous root bark extract including alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, saponins and tannins with saponins and tannins in larger quantities. The extract was found to have an LD50 value of 771mg/kg body weight when it was orally administered to rats, which indicate the root bark to be slightly toxic to the experimental animals. The toxicity of the root bark is attributed to some of the phytochemicals present in the plant.Key words: Securidaca longipedunculata, root bark, aqueous extract, phytochemicals, acute toxicity

Effect of ingestion of ethanol extract of garcinia kola seed on erythrocytes in wistar rats

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of ingestion of crude ethanol extract of Garcinia Kola seed on erythrocytes. Fifty male Wistar rats with average weight of 200g were divided into 5 treatment groups of 10 rats per group. Group A, served as the control and was fed with standard animal feed only while groups B, C, D and E which were the treatment groups, in addition were force-fed 2g/kg/rat/day of the Ethanol extract of Garcinia Kola seed for 1,2,3 and 4 weeks respectively by means of an endogastric tube and syringe. At the end of the experimental period for each group the animals were sacrificed and the erythrocyte number, park cell volume (PCV), and heamogloin concentration values were determined. The result on analysis showed that erythrocyte-count, PCV and haemoglobin concentration values showed significantly decreased values (p0.05) when compared with Group A. None of the values fell below the normal physiological range of the experimental animals. This shows that Garcinia Kola seed which has flavonoids as its active constituent has no long term significant toxicological implication with respect to the concentration given on the erythrocytes of mammals. Keywords: garcinia kola, erythrocytes, wistar rats, flavonoid Nigerian Journal of Physiological Sciences Vol. 20(1&2) 2005: 30-3