Efficacy of Randia nilotica methanol extract against Schistosoma mansomi infection in mice

Introduction: Schistosomiasis is an important parasitic disease in the tropics. Emergence of praziquantel-resistence strains urged the need for new drugs. Objective: To scientifically evaluate the effectiveness of a plant (Randia nilotica) used traditionally to treat schistosomiasis. Methods: Albino mice were experimentally infected with single dose of 150 cercariae of the Sudan strain of Schistosom mansoni. All the cercariae penetrated the shaved tail of the mouse. The mice were treated with single i.p (intraperitoneal) dose of 1 ml of R. nilotica methanol extract (prepared from fruit part of the plant) in concentration of 5000 ppm and double doses through the same route of administration with 1 ml of R. nilotica methanol extract in concentrations of 1000 and 500 ppm. Results: This resulted in total worm burden reductions at 87% 76% 68% respectively. The reductions in female worm burden were 99%, 97%, and 95% respectively. Oral administration with the same concentrations (single dose of 5000 ppm and double doses of 1000 and 500 ppm) resulted in total and female worm burden reductions. There was obvious reduction in the number of eggs in liver and intestinal tissues of the treated mice and improvement of their health when compared with the control group Conclusion: We conclude that the methanol extract of R. nilotica is effective against S. mansoni. Sudan Journal of Medical Science Vol. 1 (2) December 2006: 103-10

Efficacy of artemether-lumfantrine (Co-Artesiane®) suspension in the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria among children under 5 years in eastern Sudan

Purpose: the aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of artemether-lumfantrine (Co-Artesiane®) suspension for the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in children (aged 6-59 months) in Kassala in eastern Sudan. Method: This was a prospective clinical trial where the artemether-lumfantrine (Co-Artesiane®) suspension was given for three days and the patients were followed-up for 28 days Results: Forty-eight patients were enrolled in the study and 43 of them completed the 28-days follow-up. Treatment rapidly cleared parasitemia and fever. The overall 28-day cure rate was 100% and no clinical or parasitological failures were observed among these patients. Mild side effects were observed in three (7%) children. Conclusion: Artemether-lumfantrine (coartem) suspension appears to be efficacious and safe for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria. Keywords: Artemether-lumfantrine, Co-Artesiane, children, falciparum, malaria, Sudan> Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research Vol. 5 (1) 2006: pp. 551-55

Effect of physical training on lung function and respiratory muscles strength in policewomen trainees

Background: Measurement of respiratory muscles strength has not been widely investigated in the context of physical training.Methods: This cross-sectional study has assessed pulmonary function and strength of respiratory muscles in two women groups: group I includes healthy policewomen (n=28) exposed to physical training 3 hours daily for at least 2 years and group II is a matched control group (n=31) of untrained apparently healthy second year medical students. Lung function tests including forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEF) were performed using a digital spirometer and maximum inspiratory and expiratory pressures (MIP and MEP) as indicators for respiratory muscle strength were measured using a digital respiratory pressure meter.Results: The mean FVC (L), FEV1 (L), PEF (L/min) values were significantly higher in the police-trained group (p=0.000, 0.000 and 0.003 respectively). Similarly, the mean MIP and MEP (cm/H2O) values were significantly higher among trained group (p=0.000 and 0.003 respectively).Conclusions: Long-term regular physical exercise improves lung function as well as respiratory muscle power and may delay the age-related decline in lung function.

Effect of Alkali Refining on Removal of Aflatoxins in Groundnut Oil and Quality Evaluation

The present study was investigated the effect of alkali refining on the removal of aflatoxins (AFs) in groundnut oil. Groundnut oil samples were collected from different expellers in Medani and Khartoum cities in Sudan. The samples were investigated for their fungal growth using potato dextrose agar (PDA) media and quantitation of the toxins was accomplished by the thin layer chromatography (TLC) technique. The results show that most of the oil samples were affected by A. flavus and other fungi as well as contaminated with AFs. The findings show that the alkali refining processes of the groundnut oil slightly effect on the removal of AFs in groundnut oil. In addition, there was significant difference in the physicochemical properties of the groundnut oil after treatment via alkali refining, these include the moisture content, peroxide value, acid value as well as the free fatty acids. On the other hand, there were no significant changes in the refractive index before and after alkali refining

Effect of Groundnut Pod Condition on the Microbial Content and Aflatoxin Contamination in the Groundnut Seeds

The present study was investigated the effect of groundnut pod condition on the microbial content and aflatoxin contamination in the groundnut seeds in Sudan, which collected from irrigated area (Gezira) and rain-fed area (Al-fao and Kordofan). The samples were investigated for their fungal growth using potato dextrose agar (PDA) media and for their aflatoxin contamination using thin layer chromatography (TLC) technique. High percentage of the groundnut seeds were found unshelled sound intact (53.33-63.00%), while the low percentage was unshelled shrink/damaged (10.33-19.34%). The infection by A. flavus and aflatoxins contamination were found to be high in the split samples either shelled or unshelled which collected from Gezira area (56.67%), whereas, the low percentage was (10.00%) in the unshelled shrink/damaged samples which collected from Kordofan area. Microbial content showed that the sound intact seeds either shelled or unshelled were free from A. flavus and aflatoxins, while the split and shrink/damaged samples either shelled or unshelled were infected by A. flavus and contaminated by aflatoxins. Moreover, High percentage of fungs infection other than A. flavus were obtained (40.00-43.33%) in split and shrink/damaged shelled samples, however, low percentage were obtained (10.00%) in intact samples either shelled or unshelled which collected from Gezira are

Evaluation of Oral Therapy of Mansonial Schistosomiasis in the Sudan Using Single and Multiple Doses of Hycanthone and Oxamniquine Drug&

ABSTRACT Magzoub, M. and S. E

2018 Ottawa consensus statement : Selection and recruitment to the healthcare professions

Acknowledgments: The authors thank Tom Kinirons and Sarah Stott of Work Psychology Group for supporting the consensus group discussions and workshops, and in preparing the final manuscript. We also gratefully acknowledge Professor Lambert Schuwirth for his helpful comments on an earlier draft of this paperPeer reviewedPostprin

Protein mimetic amyloid inhibitor potently abrogates cancer-associated mutant p53 aggregation and restores tumor suppressor function

Missense mutations in p53 are severely deleterious and occur in over 50% of all human cancers. The majority of these mutations are located in the inherently unstable DNA-binding domain (DBD), many of which destabilize the domain further and expose its aggregation-prone hydrophobic core, prompting self-assembly of mutant p53 into inactive cytosolic amyloid-like aggregates. Screening an oligopyridylamide library, previously shown to inhibit amyloid formation associated with Alzheimer\u2019s disease and type II diabetes, identified a tripyridylamide, ADH-6, that abrogates self-assembly of the aggregation-nucleating subdomain of mutant p53 DBD. Moreover, ADH-6 targets and dissociates mutant p53 aggregates in human cancer cells, which restores p53\u2019s transcriptional activity, leading to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Notably, ADH-6 treatment effectively shrinks xenografts harboring mutant p53, while exhibiting no toxicity to healthy tissue, thereby substantially prolonging survival. This study demonstrates the successful application of a bona fide small-molecule amyloid inhibitor as a potent\ua0anticancer agent

Non-Metabolic Membrane Tubulation and Permeability Induced by Bioactive Peptides

BACKGROUND: Basic cell-penetrating peptides are potential vectors for therapeutic molecules and display antimicrobial activity. The peptide-membrane contact is the first step of the sequential processes leading to peptide internalization and cell activity. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in peptide-membrane interaction are not well understood and are frequently controversial. Herein, we compared the membrane activities of six basic peptides with different size, charge density and amphipaticity: Two cell-penetrating peptides (penetratin and R9), three amphipathic peptides and the neuromodulator substance P. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Experiments of X ray diffraction, video-microscopy of giant vesicles, fluorescence spectroscopy, turbidimetry and calcein leakage from large vesicles are reported. Permeability and toxicity experiments were performed on cultured cells. The peptides showed differences in bilayer thickness perturbations, vesicles aggregation and local bending properties which form lipidic tubular structures. These structures invade the vesicle lumen in the absence of exogenous energy. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We showed that the degree of membrane permeabilization with amphipathic peptides is dependent on both peptide size and hydrophobic nature of the residues. We propose a model for peptide-induced membrane perturbations that explains the differences in peptide membrane activities and suggests the existence of a facilitated “physical endocytosis,” which represents a new pathway for peptide cellular internalization