Solidified Reverse Micellar Solution (SRMS)-Based Indomethacin Sustained-Release Tablets: Formulation and In vitro Evaluation

Purpose: To formulate and evaluate sustained-release indomethacin tablets based on solidified reverse micellar solution (SRMS).Methods: SRMS consisting of mixtures of phospholipid (Phospholipon® 90H) and triglyceride (Softisan® 154) were prepared in the ratios of 1:1, 2:1 and 1:2, respectively. SRMS-based tablets containing 75 mg of indomethacin each were prepared using a validated plastic mould. The physicochemical properties of the tablet formulations were studied. In vitro release study was carried out in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF, pH 7.5).Results: The results showed that the physicochemical properties of the tablet formulations were significantly affected by the composition/ratio of the lipid matrix used (p < 0.05). Tablet hardness ranged from 5.00 ± 0.39 to 5.60 ± 0.36 kgf for tablets formulated with SRMS 1:2 and 2:1 (N3 and N2), respectively. The tablets exhibited friability of < 1 % (p < 0.05). Erosion time in SIF ranged from 124.0 ± 0.5 to 180.0 ± 1.1 min while drug release from the tablets reached a maximum in 8 – 11 h for all thebatches.Conclusion: Indomethacin tablets based on SRMS exhibited good sustained-release properties and can be further developed to achieve once daily administration for improved patient adherence to therapy.Keywords: Solidified reverse micellar solution, Phospholipid, Triglyceride, Indomethacin, Sustained release

Mushroom flora and associated insect fauna in Nsukka Urban, Enugu State, Nigeria

The mushroom flora and associated insect pests of mushrooms in Nsukka urban was studied. The abundance of mushrooms from sampled communites is indicaed with the family, Agaricaceae predominating “out of home” environment yielded more mushrooms (4.62) than the homestead environment (3.26). Insect pests associated with different mushrooms were Megasela aganic Musca domestica Pygmaephorous stercola Paychybolus ligulatus and Drosophilla melanogester among others.Keywords: Mushroom, Pest, environmen

Host-Vector-Parasite Relationship Among Inhabitants Of The Anambra River Basin Irrigation Project Area

No Abstract. Animal Research International Vol. 2 (2) 2005 pp. 336-34

Evaluation of Organic–PLUS Foliar Fertilizer in Combination with NPK 15-15-15 Fertilizer on the Growth and Yield of Chilli Pepper (Capsicum Frutescens)

A field experiment was conducted in the 2008 and 2009 farming seasons at the Faculty of Agriculture teaching and Research Farm of Enugu State University of Science and Technology, to evaluate the effect of Organic-PLUS foliar fertilizer combined with NPK 15-15-15 inorganic fertilizer on the growth and yield of Chilli pepper in an ultisol in Southeastern Nigeria. Five rates of application of Organic – PLUS foliar fertilizer (0,1200, 1400, 1600 and 1800 mls ha-1) combined with 100kg ha-1 of 15-15-15 fertilizer, respectively were set up in the field using Randonmized Complete Block Design and replicated four times. The statistical results of the study indicated that the different Organic- PLUS fertilizer treatments significantly (p=0.05) affected the plant height, number of leaves, leaf area index, number of fruits and fresh fruit weight of chilli pepper. These results suggest that among the different rates studied 1600 ml ha-1 of Organic - PLUS foliar fertilizer in combination with 100kg ha-1 of NPK 15-15-15 gave the best growth and yield of Chilli pepper

Helminth parasitic diseases status of school children within the Anambra River Basin irrigation project area

The incidence of the parasitic disease, especially infection with helminths, among school children within Anambra River Basin Irrigation Project Area in Ayamelum Local Government Area of Anambra State is reported. A cross section survey revealed the prevalence of hookworms, ascariasis, trichuriasis, trichuriasis, enterobiasis and taeniasis in school children. Analysis of the prevalence data showed that Ascaris lumbricoids (24%) is the dominant helminth parsite in the area while Taenia infection (6.7%) is the least prevalent helminth infection. Symptoms of many other parasitic diseases abound in the form of skin nodules (Onchocerciasis), itching, rashes, abdominal problems and elephantiasis. Age of children affected the level of prevalence of the parasitic diseases e.g. younger children were more infected that the older children in many cases (except hookworm disease and filariasis). Poor sanitary conditions emanating from poor sewage disposal facilitates, poor potable water supply, full participation in irrigated rice farming and poor housing are factors affecting the parasitic disease status of the school children and possibly the whole communities.Bio-Research Vol. 3(1) 2005: 93-9

Effect of Selection on Amylose and Amylopectin Concentration in Maize (Zea mays L.)

Two cycles of reciprocal recurrent selection at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka shifted the average percentage amylopectin of the eight populations of maize (Zea mays L.) from 74.50 to 81.30 per cent, 74.00 to 82.00 percent , 77.50 to 82.50 percent, 76.00 to 82.00 percent, 77.00 to 82.5 per cent, 74.50 to 82.05 per cent, 75.50 to 82.30 per cent and from 77.00 to 82.32 percent. Selection was not effective in developing high amylose strain. The average percentage amylose of the eight populations of maize decreased from 25.50 to 20.00 percent, 26.00 to 19.30 percent,22.50 to 20.00 percent, 24.00 to 20.10 percent, 23.00 to 19.31 percent, 25.50 to 19.40 percent, 24.50 to 20.41 percent, and 23.00 to 19.23 percent. The developed synthetics can be used as commercial varieties per se, as reservoirs of germplasm for further improvement, and for the extraction of superior inbred lines for use in hybrid maize production.Key words: Reciprocal Recurrent Selection, Amylopectin, Amylose, Maize synthetics, Germplas

Rapid Epidemiological Assessment of Onchocerciasis in a Tropical Semi-Urban Community, Enugu State, Nigeria

Background: This study was carried out in Opi-Agu a tropical semi-urban autonomous community comprising of three villages in Enugu State, Nigeria, between the months of April and June 2010. It was designed to determine the prevalence of Onchocerca volvulus infection and assess the perception of the disease among the inhabitants of this community.Methods: A total number of 305 individuals comprising of 148 males and 157 females were ex­amined for various manifestations of onchocerciasis symptoms using rapid epidemiological assess­ment (REA) method.Results: Out of this number, 119 (39.02%) individuals were infected. Prevalence of infection among age groups and villages varied. Age group 41 yr and above had the highest (31.00%) prevalence, while among the villages, Ogbozalla village ranked higher (45.71%) than the other villages. Overall the prevalence of infection among the sexes revealed that males were more infected (43.24%) than the females (35.03%). Lichenified onchodermatitis (LOD) was the most prevalent (35.29%) onchocercia­sis symptom among others identified in the area, while leopard skin (LS) had the lowest (20.17%) occurrence and blindness (0.00%) which is the most devastating effect of O. volvulus infec­tion was not observed. Questionnaire responses from 410 individuals revealed that 34.8% respon­dent from Idi village and 28.1% from Ibeku village believed that O. volvulus infection occurs through poor personal hygiene. Bite of blackfly ranked least (10.6%) among the respondent’s knowledge of the causes of onchocerciasis in Opi-Agu community.Conclusion: Opi-Agu community members had poor knowledge of onchocerciasis, the vector and of its etiologic organism. There is need for integration of community health education with mass chemo­therap

Reassessment of Onchocerciasis prevalence in Etteh, Nigeria, after a decade of mass mectizan chemotherapeutic intervention: Preliminary report

Areassessment of the prevalence of onchocerciasiswas carried out in Etteh community in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu state, Nigeria. The community has been known to be highly endemic for onchocerciasis. The assessment of endemicity was based on Rapid Assessment Method (RAM), which involved the use of two onchocercal indices namely the presence of palpable nodules and depigmentation (Leopard skin). Out o the 716 individuals examined consisting of 327 males and 389 females, the overal prevalence of palpable onchocercal nodules was 51.4%. The females had insignificanty (P>0.05) higher rate of onchocercomata (51.9%) than males (44.0%). The anatomical distribution of nodules in descending order of occurrence was pelvic regon (26.3%), head and neck regon (20.6%), thorax and lumbar (15.7%), upper limbs (14.5%), lower limbs (12.4%) and others (abdomen and shoulders, 5.9%). It is obvious that in spite of the decade-longannual free distribution of Mectizan in the area, onchocerciasis prevalence is still high.Keywords: Onchocerciasis, Mectizan, Reassessment, Nodules, Chemotherap

First Record of Co – Infection of Three Clinostomatid Parasites in Cichlids (Osteichthyes: Cichlidae) in a Tropical Freshwater Lake

The present study investigated the effects of first record of co-infection of three Clinostomum sp.; Clinostomum Complanatum (Rudolphi, 1819), C. tilapiae (Ukoli, 1966), and Euclinostomum hetereostomum (1809) in Tilapia zilii. There was differential parasitic effects resulting in selection for relatively better adaptiveness to hosts microhabitats, more population size, and frequent host location of these parasites during the one year survey (Nov 2007- Oct 2008) in Opi Lake, Nigeria. Prevalence of 9.4 % was recorded in C. complanatum, 10.4 % in E. heterostomum and 4.8% in C. tilapiae. The parasites were recovered from three major microhabitats of buccal cavity, skin and eye

Analgesic and micromeritic evaluations of SRMS-based oral lipospheres of diclofenac potassium

The objective of our work was to study the micromeritic properties of lyophilized diclofenac potassium-loaded lipospheres and to evaluate in vivo, the analgesic properties of diclofenac potassium in the lipospheres in addition to other in vitro properties. Solidified reverse micellar solutions were prepared by fusion using 1:1, 2:1, and 1:2% w/w of Phospholipon ® 90H and Softisan ® 154. Diclofenac potassium (1, 3, and 5% w/w) was incorporated into the solidified reverse micellar solutions. Solidified reverse micellar solutions-based lipospheres were formulated by melt homogenization techniques using Ultra-Turrax homogenizer, and thereafter lyophilized to obtain water-free lipospheres. The lipospheres were characterized in terms of particle size and morphology, stability, thermal analysis, drug content, encapsulation efficiency, and loading capacity. The flow properties of the lipospheres were studied using both direct and indirect methods of assessing flow. The analgesic properties of the lipospheres were studied using the hot plate method. Results obtained showed that the yield of diclofenac potassium-loaded lipospheres was high and the particle size ranged from 0.61±0.07 to 2.55±0.04 μm. The lipospheres had high encapsulation efficiency of 95%, which was affected by the amount of drug loaded, while the loading capacity increased with the increase in drug loading. Diclofenac potassium-loaded lipospheres exhibited poor flow. The formulations exhibited good analgesic effect compared with the reference and had 84 to 86% drug release at 13 h. The lipospheres based on solidified reverse micellar solutions could be used for oral delivery of diclofenac potassium