14 research outputs found
Tissue dyslipidemia in salmonella-infected rats treatTissue dyslipidemia in salmonella-infected rats treated with amoxillin and pefloxac
Background: This study investigated the effects of salmonella infection and its chemotherapy on lipid metabolism
in tissues of rats infected orally with Salmonella typhimurium and treated intraperitoneally with pefloxacin and
amoxillin.
Methods: Animals were infected with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium strain TA 98. After salmonellosis was
confirmed, they were divided into 7 groups of 5 animals each. While one group served as infected control group, three
groups were treated with amoxillin (7.14 mg/kg body weight, 8 hourly) and the remaining three groups with
pefloxacin (5.71mg/kg body weight, 12 hourly) for 5 and 10 days respectively. Uninfected control animals received
0.1ml of vehicle. Rats were sacrificed 24h after 5 and 10 days of antibiotic treatment and 5 days after discontinuation of
antibiotic treatment. Their corresponding controls were also sacrificed at the same time point. Blood and tissue lipids
were then evaluated.
Results: Salmonella infection resulted in dyslipidemia characterised by increased concentrations of free fatty acids
(FFA) in plasma and erythrocyte, as well as enhanced cholesterogenesis, hypertriglyceridemia and phospholipidosis in
plasma, low density lipoprotein-very low density lipoprotein (LDL-VLDL), erythrocytes, erythrocyte ghost and the
organs. The antibiotics reversed the dyslipidemia but not totally. A significant correlation was observed between fecal
bacterial load and plasma cholesterol (r=0.456, p<0.01), plasma triacyglycerols (r=0.485, p<0.01), plasma phospholipid
(r=0.414, p<0.05), plasma free fatty acids (r=0.485, p<0.01), liver phospholipid (r=0.459, p<0.01) and brain phospholipid
(r=0.343, p<0.05).
Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that salmonella infection in rats and its therapy with pefloxacin and
amoxillin perturb lipid metabolism and this perturbation is characterised by cholesterogenesis
Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in the treatment of animal diarrhoea in Plateau State, Nigeria
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The use of medicinal plants in the treatment of diseases has generated renewed interest in recent times, as herbal preparations are increasingly being used in both human and animal healthcare systems. Diarrhoea is one of the common clinical signs of gastrointestinal disorders caused by both infectious and non-infectious agents and an important livestock debilitating condition. Plateau State is rich in savannah and forest vegetations and home to a vast collection of plants upheld in folklore as having useful medicinal applications. There is however scarcity of documented information on the medicinal plants used in the treatment of animal diarrhoea in the state, thus the need for this survey. Ten (10) out of 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs), spread across the three senatorial zones were selected. Farmers were interviewed using well structured, open-ended questionnaire and guided dialogue techniques between October and December 2010. Medicinal plants reported to be effective in diarrhoea management were collected using the guided field-walk method for identification and authentication.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 248 questionnaires were completed, out of which 207 respondents (83.47%) acknowledged the use of herbs in diarrhoea management, while 41 (16.53%) do not use herbs or apply other traditional methods in the treatment of diarrhoea in their animals. Medicinal plants cited as beneficial in the treatment of animal diarrhoea numbered 132, from which 57(43.18%) were scientifically identified and classified into 25 plant families with the families Fabaceae (21%) and Combretaceae (14.04%) having the highest occurrence. The plant parts mostly used in antidiarrhoeal herbal preparations are the leaves (43.86%) followed by the stem bark (29.82%). The herbal preparations are usually administered orally.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Rural communities in Plateau State are a rich source of information on medicinal plants as revealed in this survey. There is need to scientifically ascertain the authenticity of the claimed antidiarrhoeal properties of these plants and perhaps develop more readily available alternatives in the treatment of diarrhoea.</p
Phytochemical analysis and in-vitro anti-African swine fever virus activity of extracts and fractions of Ancistrocladus uncinatus, Hutch and Dalziel (Ancistrocladaceae)
BACKGROUND: African swine fever (ASF), a highly contagious fatal acute haemorrhagic viral disease of pigs currently
has no treatment or vaccination protocol and it threatens the pig industry worldwide. Recent outbreaks were
managed by farmers with ethnoveterinary preparations with various claims of effectiveness.
RESULTS: We identified 35 compounds using GC-MS protocol and ASF virus (NIG 99) was significantly reduced by
some extracts and fractions of the plant. However, the plant was poorly extracted by water and cytotoxicity was
found to be a major problem with the use of the plant since its extracts also reduced the primary cells used in the
assay.
CONCLUSION: It is confirmed that the plant has antiviral potentials against ASF virus and farmers’ claims seem to
have certain degree of veracity, but finding the best means of exploring the potential of the plant while reducing
its cytotoxic effect in-vitro and in-vivo will be necessary.The Executive Secretary, Agricultural Research
Council of Nigeria, Abuja for part funding of this project under the Project
Code 025060410100000 (Development of rapid and effective Diagnostic and
Control tools for African Swine Fever)http://www.biomedcentral.com/1746-6148/9/120ab201
Amelioration of Hyperglycaemia, Oxidative Stress and Dyslipidaemia in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Wistar Rats Treated with Probiotic and Vitamin C
Clinical and experimental evidence suggests that hyperglycaemia is responsible for the oxidative stress in diabetes mellitus. The study was designed to investigate the comparative effects of probiotic and vitamin C (Vit-C) treatments on hyperglycaemia, oxidative stress and dyslipidaemia in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Type 1 diabetes (T1DM) was induced in male Wistar rats by a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of alloxan (150 mg/kg). Six groups of the animals received the following treatment regimens for four weeks: (1) Normal saline, per os; (2) alloxan (150 mg/kg, i.p.); (3) alloxan (150 mg/kg) + insulin (4 U/kg, subcutaneously); (4) alloxan (150 mg/kg) + probiotic (4.125 × 106 CFU/100 mL per os); (5) alloxan (150 mg/kg) + Vit-C (100 mg/kg, i.m.); (6) alloxan (150 mg/kg) + probiotic (4.125 × 106 CFU/100 mL per os) + Vit-C (100 mg/kg, intramuscularly). Probiotic + Vit-C decreased (p < 0.05) blood glucose concentration in diabetic treated group, when compared with the untreated diabetic group. Probiotic + Vit-C reduced malondialdehyde concentration, in the serum, brain and kidneys, respectively, but increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Probiotic and Vit-C may be more effective than Vit-C alone, in ameliorating hyperglycaemia, oxidative stress and dyslipidaemia in alloxan-induced diabetic rats
Bacterial isolates of Tonsillitis and Pharyngitis in a Paediatric Casualty Setting
A prospective study was carried out to determine the pattern of
bacterial isolates and their antibiotic sensitivity amongst children
with tonsillopharyngitis. Consecutive children presenting with
sorethroat, difficulty with swallowing, fever and/ or evidence of
inflamed pharynx and/ or tonsils at the paediatric casualty of the
University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, between February and
October 2006 were recruited for the study. The patient's biodata were
obtained and socioeconomic status was determined. Throat swabs were
taken for microbiologic analysis. Seventy three throat swabs were
analysed. Bacteria were isolated from 39 patients. Of which 19 (48.72%)
were ß haemolytic Streptococcus (BHS). others were S. aureus
five (12.83%), seven (17.95%) were Klebsiella mirabilis and three
(7.69%) each of Pseudomonas aeroginosa and Proteus mirabilis . BHS
and S. aureus showed 100% sensitivity to cefuroxine, azithromycin,
ceftazidine and genticin. All the isolates had little or no sensitivity
to ampicillin and cotrimoxazole. BHS is a significant cause of
pharyngitis and tonsillitis in our environment and therefore poses a
potential danger of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease, a
non-suppurative sequalae of BHS. Ampicillin and cotrimoxazole two
affordable and commonly available drugs are ineffective in tonsillitis
and pharygitis
Purification and biochemical characterization of pullulanase produced from <i>Bacillus sp.</i> modified by ethyl-methyl sulfonate for improved applications
Strain improvement via chemical mutagen could impart traits with better enzyme production or improved characteristics. The present study sought to investigate the physicochemical properties of pullulanase produced from the wild Bacillus sp and the mutant. The pullulanases produced from the wild and the mutant Bacillus sp. (obtained via induction with ethyl methyl sulfonate) were purified in a-three step purification procedure and were also characterized. The wild and mutant pullulanases, which have molecular masses of 40 and 43.23 kDa, showed yields of 2.3% with 6.0-fold purification and 2.0% with 5.0-fold purification, respectively, and were most active at 50 and 40 °C and pH 7 and 8, respectively. The highest stability of the wild and mutant was between 40 and 50 °C after 1 h, although the mutant retained greater enzymatic activity between pH 6 and 9 than the wild. The mutant had a decreased Km of 0.03 mM as opposed to the wild type of 1.6 mM. In comparison to the wild, the mutant demonstrated a better capacity for tolerating metal ions and chelating agents. These exceptional characteristics of the mutant pullulanase may have been caused by a single mutation, which could improve its utility in industrial and commercial applications.</p
Topical GZ21T Inhibits the Growth of Actinic Keratoses in a UVB-Induced Model of Skin Carcinogenesis
Actinic keratoses (AKs) are premalignant intraepidermal neoplasms that occur as a result of cumulative sun damage. AKs commonly relapse, and up to 16% undergo malignant transformation into cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. There is a need for novel therapies that reduce the quantity and surface area of AKs as well as prevent malignant transformation to cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas. We recently showed that GZ17-6.02, an anticancer agent composed of curcumin, haramine, and isovanillin, inhibited the growth of H297.T cells. This study evaluated the efficacy of a topical formulation of GZ17-6.02, known as GZ21T, in a murine model of AK generated by exposing SKH1 mice to UVR. Treatment of mice with topical GZ21T inhibited the growth of AKs by decreasing both lesion count (P = 0.012) and surface area occupied by tumor (P = 0.002). GZ21T also suppressed the progression of AKs to cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma by decreasing the count (P = 0.047) and surface area (P = 0.049) of lesions more likely to represent cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. RNA sequencing and proteomic analyses revealed that GZ21T suppressed several pathways, including MAPK (P = 0.025), phosphoinositide 3-kinase–protein kinase B (P = 0.04), HIF-1α (P = 0.016), Wnt (P = 0.025), insulin (P = 0.018), and ERBB (P = 0.016) signaling. GZ21T also upregulated the autophagy-promoting protein AMPK while suppressing proteins such as PD-L1, glutaminase, pAkt1 S473, and eEF2K
Table_1_Extracellular matrix and dermal nerve growth factor dysregulation in prurigo nodularis compared to atopic dermatitis.DOCX
Prurigo nodularis (PN) is a chronic, pruritic, inflammatory skin disease characterized by hyperkeratotic nodules on the trunk and extremities. While there is growing research on the immunological basis of PN, the neuropathic and structural components of PN lesions are unknown. This study examines the inflammatory, neuropathic, and structural pathways in PN compared to atopic dermatitis (AD) using RNA-sequencing of the lesional and non-lesional skin tissue of PN and AD patients, as well as immunohistochemistry analysis of nerve growth factor (NGF), a neurotrophic factor that regulates nerve development. Transcriptomic analysis of skin biopsies revealed that compared to lesional AD skin, lesional PN skin had significantly increased expression of NGF, matrix metalloproteinases, OSM, MCEMP1, IL1α, IL1β, CXCL2, CXCL5, CXCL8, and insulin-like growth factors in PN compared to AD, and decreased expression of CCL13, CCL26, EPHB1, and collagens (COL4/6). Gene set enrichment analysis demonstrated higher enrichment of keratinization, cornified envelope, myelin sheath, TGF-beta signaling, extracellular matrix disassembly, metalloendopeptidase activity, and neurotrophin-TRK receptor signaling pathways in PN. On immunohistochemistry, PN lesions demonstrated higher dermal NGF expression compared to AD. We present novel findings demonstrating increased neurotrophic and extracellular matrix remodeling signatures in PN compared to AD, possibly explaining the morphological differences in their lesions. These signatures may therefore be important components of the PN pathogenesis and may serve as therapeutic targets.</p