Comparative Study of Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity of Leaf Extracts of Alstonia boonei and Eupatorium odoratum

This study investigated the in vitro antioxidant activity and phenolic content of aqueous and ethanol extracts of Alstonia boonei and Eupatorium odoratum leaves. Total phenol, flavonoid and flavonol content of the extracts were estimated to determine the levels of phenolics in the extracts. The antioxidant capacity of the extracts were assessed through diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and reducing power (RP). The results revealed that the DPPH radical scavenging ability of aqueous extract of E. odoratum (with IC50 = 0.07± 0.003mg/ml) compares favourably with that of the standard ascorbic acid (IC50 = 0.06 ± 0.01 mg/ml). There was a dose-dependent increase in FRAP and RP capacity in all the extracts. The ethanol extract of E. odoratum had the highest FRAP while the aqueous extract of A. boonei showed the highest RP ability when compared with the other extracts. However, flavonol content was highest in the aqueous extract of E. odoratum followed by ethanol extract of A. boonei. The phenolic and flavonoid contents of extracts of E. odoratum were higher than that of A. boonei extracts. This study, therefore, reveals that aqueous extract of A. boonei and ethanol extract of E. odoratum leaf are more effective free radical scavengers and antioxidants relative to the other extract forms. These findings support the use of these extracts as potential sources of natural antioxidants.Keywords: Alstonia boonei, Eupatorium odoratum, phenolics, antioxidant

Disk battery ingestion mimicking acute tonsillitis in a Nigerian child: A case report

There is a rising incidence of disc battery ingestion in children. This is due to their increased use in electronic devices (including toys) commonly found in the home setting. Children below the age of 6 years are mostly affected with peak incidence in the ages of 1 to 3 years. Although most disk batteries when ingested pass through the gastro intestinal tract harmlessly, they may be lodged in the oesophagus causing significant destructive injury within 4-6 hours of impaction due to their corrosive nature. Impaction of foreign bodies may present with specific symptoms, non specific symptoms or may be asymptomatic. We present an 11 month old child in whom an ingested disc battery had been lodged in the oesophagus for 6 days prior to retrieval by rigid endoscopy. The presence of a clinical history examination findings supporting a diagnosis of acute tonsillitis was misleading, causing regrettable delays in the diagnosis and management of this child, who subsequently developed a tracheoesophageal fistula. A high index of suspicion by clinicians is needed especially in the non verbal child for early identification and to prevent complications. Increased awareness by parents and other care givers of the hidden dangers of these innocuous looking batteries in homes and legislation directing the need for child safety locks on disk battery compartments of electronic gadgets and toys will help in reducing the incidence of battery ingestion cases in children

Five years after commencing the objective structured clinical examination: are we getting it right? Medical students\u2019 assessment as the measuring index

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess our use of OSCE from the perception of final year medical students. Materials and methods: This is a cross sectional survey of final year medical students undergoing the final examination in Surgery. All 102 medical students in the class were given the self-administered questionnaire to fill. The data were collated into excel spreadsheets and analysed using the SPSS version 21. Results: A total of 79 completed questionnaires were retrieved (return rate of 78%). All the students knew about and had participated previously in OSCE, 94.9% accorded the OSCE fair. 76(93.2%) wanted the examination as the main method of clinical assessment, 38(46.6%) had adequate preparation. In terms of the OSCE stations not mirroring real clinical scenarios, 38(48.1%) disagreed, and 26(20.5%) strongly disagreed. 34(43%) disagreeing that the logistics was poor. The students rating of the OSCE, on a scale of 1 - 10, gave a mean score of >8 for spread of the OSCE stations, detail of the questions and objectivity of the examination. The nearness to clinical reality was rated as 7.52 with artificiality of the stations rated as 4.12. Conclusion: The OSCE has gained acceptance amongst final year medical students

Inferior vena cava infiltration by renal cell carcinoma: Experience from Benin City

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Congenital intrapericardial diaphragmatic hernia presenting radiologically as massive cardiomegaly

Intrapericardial diaphragmatic hernia is uncommon condition in which abdominal content herniate into the pericardium. It is mostly of traumatic origin, sometimes it is congenital. Radiologically, the condition may be suspected when the bowel loops are seen. However, diaphragmatic hernia  may simulate acute gastrothorax, pneumotocelles and pneumothorax.The case of a 3-month-old infant with congenital diaphragmatic hernia in whom the bowel loops were not seen on chest radiograph and thus presented as massive cardiomegaly, is presented. The child had a successful surgery and was discharged home.Key words: Diaphragmatic hernia, intrapericardial, cardiomegal

Erratum: A 4 year review of hand injury in children: Experience from Benin City

BackgroundChildren are, by nature, very inquisitive, adventurous and often rebellious to authority. This behavior often puts them in harms way. The hand, being an organ of manipulatory activity is usually deployed to use and often gets involved in injurious circumstances. Prompt evaluation and treatment of these injuries is required to prevent or limit loss of function. Patients and MethodsThis is a 4-year retrospective study spanning from January 2010 to December 2013. It includes all consecutive cases of hand injuries seen in children presenting to the burns and plastic surgery unit of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City Nigeria during the 4-year period. ResultsA total of 20 patients were seen in the period under review with a male: female ratio of 1.1:0.9. The mean age was 8.2 SD 5.6. Majority (45%) of the injuries were domestic; followed by motor vehicular accidents (MVA) with 20%. The right hand was affected in 55% and 20% in the left hand. 75% of the patients had right hand dominance, and 15% were left hand dominant. Primary wound suturing sufficed as treatment for 65% of cases. Debridement was done for 15% of cases. 20% of cases required more complex surgical repairs. ConclusionPediatric hand injuries are a real hazard, especially in the domestic setting. Children need to be guided and properly monitored at play in order to limit the risk of potentially debilitating hand injuries. Prompt and efficient care will help to restore function speedily

Use of MousseauBarbin tube in the palliative management of advanced oesophageal carcinoma

Background: Oesophageal Cancer is a lethal malignancy with propensity for early spread, and late presentation. Quite a number of patients present late; necessitating palliation as the main aim of treatment. Palliation involves the restoration of luminal continuity. This may be achieved by dilatation, tumour fulguration, and or stent insertion or intubation. MousseauBarbin tube is one of the oesophageal traction tubes developed for use in these patients.Objective: This study was to highlight our use of MousseauBarbin tube for oesophageal intubation. To report our method and experience with itand to audit our practice in the last 11 years.Methods: All oesophageal cancer patients presenting within the period 2004-20011 were retrospectively reviewed, specifically selecting those who had oesophageal intubation.Results: A total of 76patients with features of carcinoma of the oesophagus were seen. Seventeen (17) had oesophageal intubation with MousseauBarbin tube. The Mean age was 61.3years (49- 75yrs). Nine (52.9%) patients had stage III disease whereas 8(47.1%) had stage IV disease with demonstrable spread to abdominal and thoracic organs. Patency following the procedure was 100%. There was no case of displacement. Operative Mortality was 1 who died from aspiration within the week of surgery.Keywords: Oesophageal cancer, oesophageal intubation, MousseauBarbin tub

Outcome of bronchoscopic biopsies in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital

Aim: Our study was done to evaluate our bronchoscopic techniques, sizes and diagnostic yield. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study comprising all cases of bronchial biopsies done in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital from 2007 to 2011. All patients who had flexible bronchoscopy under general anaesthesia during the period under review where enrolled in the study. Results: There were a total of 16 patients: Nine males and seven females, with a mean age of 46.9 years. The main indications were cough (87.5%), weight loss (62.5%), X-ray findings of a chest lesion (87.5%), chest pain (62.5%), difficulty with breathing (31.3%) and massive haemoptysis (25%). Histology results showed inadequate amples in six and Bronchogenic carcinoma in four patients. The histology was pivotal in eight patients. Conclusion: Bronchoscopic biopsies are fraught with problems and other clinical investigative tools would certainly be important in improving the results.Keywords: Biopsy, flexible bronchoscopy, outcomeNigerian Medical Journal | Vol. 54 | Issue 3 | May-June | 201

Effect of vitamin C premedicaton on dexmedetomidineketamine anesthesia in cat

The effect of ascorbic acid premedication on dexmedetomidine-ketamine anaesthesia was evaluated in five cats in two sets of experiments namely dexmedetomidine-ketamine (control) and ascorbic acid /dexmedetomidine/ketamine (test). The control group involved concurrent intramuscular administration of 10 mg/kg ketamine and 10 µg/kg dexmedetomidine to each cat. Selected anaesthetic indices and vital parameters were recorded at ten minutes’ interval for a period of 90 minutes using standard methods. A week later, the test experiment was conducted with the same cats used in the control experiment but the trial was preceded with intramuscular injection of 20 mg/kg ascorbic acid 10 minutes before the concurrent administration of the previously used doses of dexmedetomidine and ketamine. Vitamin C premedication did not produce any significant difference on heart and respiratory rates and rectal temperature of the treated cats. Onset of drug action was not influenced by premedication with vitamin C and was the same in both control and test groups (3.6 ± 1.50 min). The duration of analgesia was also similar for both control (45.6 ± 13.22 min) and test trials (44.4 ± 10.01 min). Ascorbic acid premedication produced a longer duration of anaesthesia (68.2±17.96 min) than the control (59.6 ± 21.51 min). It also produced a significantly (P < 0.05) shorter time to stand (2.2 ± 2.49 min) than the control (4.8 ± 5.34 min). It was concluded that vitamin C intramuscular administration at a dosage of 20mg/kg prior to dexmedetomidine-ketamine anesthesia in cats produced a longer duration of anaesthesia but hastened the time to stand from sternal recumbency.Keywords: Anaesthesia, Cat, Dexmedetomidine, Ketamine, Vitamin