Determination of heavy metal profiles in Neem leaves (Azadirachta indica A) along some major streets in Minna metropolis Nigeria

Neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves collected from some major streets in Minna metropolis were determined for their heavy metal contamination using Atomic Absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The results showed that the concentrations of analysed heavy metals along all the sampling route ranged from 14.5±1.15- 71.0 ± 6.17 µg/g Mn; 303.0±12.23-765.0 ± 19.27 µg/g Fe; 5.8± 0.55-40.0± 3.35 µg/g Cu; 59.4±3.50-361.0±12.53 µg/g Zn, with Fe > Zn > Mn > Cu along the various routes, while Cr, Cd and Pb were below detectable limit in all the samples. The result from this study indicate that the metal ion concentration in neem leaves along the various route studied were within the permissible level as recommended by WHO for plants to be used as food or for medicinal purposes and therefore will not contribute any toxicity or harmful effect to human health when taken orally or in the form of tea or for medicinal purposes or as part of diet. Keywords: Neem, Azadirachta indica, contamination, spectrophotometer, concentration toxicit

Liposuction assisted Brachioplasty, evaluation of its efficacy and safety

Arm deformity after massive body weight loss is a major concern for many people. Brachioplasty procedures to deal with such deformity are various but not without complications. In this study, a comparison between the liposuction assisted brachioplasty and the standard procedure regarding the complications and patients’ satisfaction. All consecutive brachioplasty procedures that were done from Jan of 2017 until Sep of 2019 were reviewed prospective. Two plastic surgery teams in two private hospitals did these operations. Data was collected regarding the complications, duration of surgery and patients’ satisfaction. The total number of cases was 37. Group (1), including 15 patients (40.5%), were operated as liposuction assisted brachioplasty, and group (2), including 22 cases (59.5%), were operated as standard method without liposuction. All the cases were female group (1) average of age 37.19 ± 4 years old and group (2) average of age 38.94 ± 4.9 years old. For the first group, the average body mass index at time of surgery was 25.94 ± 2.4 kg/m2, and the mean average body mass index was 26.99 ± 3 kg for the second group. Aesthetic and functional satisfaction were excellent in 25.5% and 62% of the patients respectively in the first group. On the other hand, in the second group, aesthetic and functional satisfaction were excellent in 9% and 18 % of the patients respectively. liposuction assisted brachioplasty has a lower complications rate than the standard procedure and has better aesthetic and functional satisfaction. No major difference regarding the duration of surgery of both procedures