Ivermectin-Albendazole Combination Therapy in Lymphatic Filariasis of the Upper Limb: Case Report

The commonest manifestation of lymphatic filariasis is lymphoedema, which on progression leads on to elephantiasis. Even though lower limbs are commonly affected, upper limbs involvement is rarely reported in West Africa especially in females. In the present report a 19 year old female (BMI 20.49 kg/m2) in the West-African subregion presented with swelling of the right upper limb of 4 weeks duration with associated pruritus and hyperpigmented lesions interspersed with hypopigmentation in the affected limb. There was a dramatic recession in the lymphoedema within 2 weeks following the administration of ivermectin and albendazole combination therapy. The adverse effect observed following the use of this combination was mild. This confirms the efficacy and safety of the above combination in the management of lymphatic filariasis.  Keywords: Lymphatic filariasis, Lypmhoedema, Combination therapy, Ivermectin, Albendazol

Anacin induced adverse drug reaction: A case report

Anacin; a brand of aspirin tablets (containing 300mg acetylsalicylic acid), is a widely used analgesics. It is recognized as one of the oldest brands of pain relievers. Its primary content is acetylsalicylic acid. Here we report a case of a 26-year old woman (64 kg in weight and 1.41m in height) who presented with adverse drug reaction secondary to Anacin ingestion following gum pain from fish bone injury. About 30mins after ingesting the drug, she presented with headache, excessive lacrimal gland secretion and facial swelling. Considering these presentations by inference, Anacin may have the potential to cause severe adverse drug reaction in some individuals. Hence, care should be taken by doctors, pharmacist and other health care providers when prescribing and monitoring patients placed on this medication. Additionally, a detailed history should be taken prior to prescribing and appropriate reporting should be made to relevant health authorities when such severe reactions are observed.Keyword: Anacin, adverse drug reaction, pain, Acetylsalicylic acid

Evaluation of hypoglycemic activities of hydroethanolic leaf extract of Nicotiana tabacum (Solanaceae)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the hypoglycemic activities of hydroethanolic leaf extract of Nicotiana tabacum. Acute toxicity was evaluated in Swiss albino mice using graded oral doses of the extract. Hypoglycemic properties of Nicotiana tabacum was assessed using oral glucose tolerance test and on normoglycemic rats that received single doses of the extract at 40 and 80 mg/kg body weight and blood glucose levels estimated at 2, 4 and 6 hours (single dose study). Phytochemical screening of the extract for the presence of secondary metabolites was performed with standard methods. Acute toxicity study revealed a median lethal dose (LD50) of 5.82g/Kg. the single-dose study showed that 40mg/Kg and 80mg/Kg body weight of the extract significantly (p<0.05) reduced blood glucose levels at 2h compared to control (27.35% and 28.37% respectively), while 80mg/kg body weight of the extract significantly (p<0.05) reduced blood glucose level at 6h compared to control (75.40%). The oral glucose tolerance test results also showed a significant reduction (p<0.05) in blood glucose levels. These findings suggest that the extract of Nicotiana tabacum has hypoglycemic properties which may be accounted for by the presence of secondary metabolites in the extracts -flavonoids, alkaloids, phenols and terpenoids.Key words: Nicotiana tabacum, Diabetes mellitus, Hypoglycemia, Oral glucose toleranc

Source of information on family planning among married men in Ekpoma, Edo state, Nigeria

Population in Nigeria is turning into an issue that needs public alertness. Informing men on family planning services and contraceptives is extremely necessary. For this will promote more favorable attitudes and increase their involvement. This study aimed at investigating the source of family planning information for married men. This is a questionnaire base study targeting 350 married men in Ekpoma. Participation was by choice and the collected data were analyzed for descriptive statistics using SPSS(version 16). While 2.0% reported their first source of information as the questionnaire use in this study, 98.0 were familiar with family planning services. The most prevalent single source of information was from television/Radio (34.01%). However, 16.3% got their information from more than one sources. Family planning information in Nigeria should increase to encourage men. However, efforts should be made by concerned bodies to increase information in stickers and encourage peer discussion. Conclusively, places of worship such as churches and mosques should talk about family planning and teach responsible parenthood

Postoperative Analgesia using Bupivacaine Wound Infiltration with Intravenous Tramadol or Dexamethasone Following Obstetric Spinal Anaesthesia

Context: Effective management of postcesarean section (CS) pain is important for the well‑being of mother and child; even in limited‑resource areas, there are drug options which can be explored to achieve this. Aim: This study aimed to compare the analgesic effects of a combination of bupivacaine wound infiltration with either intravenous (IV) dexamethasone or tramadol after CS. Setting and Design: This study was a randomized, double‑blind, comparative study in a tertiary hospital. Clearance obtained from the Institution’s Ethics and Research Committee. Methods: One hundred and twenty American Society of Anesthesiologists I or II pregnant women scheduled for CS under spinal anesthesia were recruited after giving consent. At the end of skin closure, all the patients received 20 ml of 0.1% plain bupivacaine for wound infiltration and IV dexamethasone 8 mg (Group BD) or tramadol 100 mg (Group BT). Outcome measures were time to first analgesic request, visual analog scale (VAS) scores, side effects, and patients’ satisfaction. Results: Time to first analgesic request was 3.2 ± 1.87 and 3.3 ± 2.01 h for BD and BT groups, respectively (P = 0.778). VAS scores for the first 2 h were lower in the bupivacaine/tramadol group compared to bupivacaine/dexamethasone group; the differences were statistically significant at 30 and 60 min (P = 0.027 and 0.008), respectively. Ninety percent versus 93% of the patients in BD and BT groups, respectively, expressed good to excellent satisfaction with pain relief. Conclusion: Combination of bupivacaine wound infiltration and IV tramadol provided better quality pain relief.Keywords: Bupivacaine wound infiltration, cesarean section, intravenous dexamethasone, intravenous tramadol, postoperative pai