Aqueous and ethanol leaf-extracts of Piliostigma thonningii (Schum) increase locomotor activity in Sprague-Dawley rats

Among other uses, aqueous and alcohol extracts of Piliostigma thonningii (Schum) have been claimed by traditional herbal medical practitioners in Nigeria to be effective tranquilizers. In our efforts toestablish some of the tradomedical uses of the plant, we designed the present study in order to test the effects of the extracts on the locomotor activity (LA) of rats. Male rats were administered 25 or 50 mg/kg of the aqueous (AE) or ethanol (EE) extracts with or without 2 mg/kg dexamphetamine (DEX). Results show that the lower doses of both extracts did not significantly increase LA but the higher doses significantly (P < 0.05) increased the 90 min cumulative locomotor score although far less than 2 mg/kg DEX alone. Doses of 50 mg/kg of EE but not AE also significantly (P < 0.05) increased the 90 min cumulative DEX-induced locomotor score. The increase in LA by 50 mg/kg of the extracts has led us to conclude that they may not have any tranquilizing potentials

Comparative study of analgesic effectiveness of single doses of paracetamol and ibuprofen in a dental pain model

Objective: The overall aim of this study is to evaluate the analgesic effectiveness of paracetamol and ibuprofen in the pharmacologic management of acute post-operative dental pain.Method: This study employed the visual analogue scale to measure the effectiveness of single doses of ibuprofen and paracetamol over a six-hour period, following a third molar surgery in a homogenous study population, matched for age, body mass index (BMI) and gender. Alarms were set to remind patients to score pain intensity at time point 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0 and 6.0 hours, post-dosing. A measure of the difference between the pain scores at the various time interval and that at the basal level (time 0) is the pain intensity difference (PID) at the various time intervals. Data obtained were analysed, using the SPSS version 16.0. (Chicago, IL, USA). Inferential statistics used include Chi squared test and a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). P&lt;0.05 was considered  significant.Result: Ibuprofen showed a statistically significant superiority over paracetamol from time 2.5 hours to the sixth hour (P&lt;0.05). There is no significant difference between paracetamol and placebo (P&gt;0.05). The difference per dose prices of ibuprofen and paracetamol is negligible. Probability of developing significant pain following use of paracetamol is greater than 0.9, the relative risk is 1.10 and the odds 10.3, C.I. 95%.Conclusion: This study concludes that ibuprofen is significantly more efficacious than paracetamol in the management of post-surgical dental pain and suggests that paracetamol should not be prescribed as a sole agent for analgesia after a third molar surgery.Key words: Analgesic effectiveness, dental pain, pharmacologic managemen

Analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of the aqueous leaf extract of Dichrostachys cinerea

In this present study, the analgesic activity of the aqueous extract of the leaves of Dichrostachy cinerea was investigated in mice using acetic acid-induced writhing and hot plate test, while the anti-inflammatory activity was investigated in rats using the carrageenan and dextran- induced paw edema. The extract (400, 800mg/kg) exhibited a dose dependent inhibition of abdominal writhing in mice compared to control. The effects of the extract were not significantly different from that of aspirin. The extract (800mg/kg) caused a significant (p&lt;0.01) increase in pain threshold, at 60th minute post treatment in the hot plate test and the effects of the extract were lower than that of morphine (4mg/kg). The extract (800mg/kg) and indomethacin (10mg/kg) at 1st hour and 2nd - 4th hour produced inhibitions of the carrageenan-induced paw oedema versus control. The results also showed that the extract (800mg/kg) produced inhibition of dextran- induced paw edema between 2nd hour and 4th hour compared to control. Overall, our data suggest that the extract possesses anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, which may be mediated solely by peripheral mechanisms. Keywbords: Dichrostachys Cinerea; analgesic, anti-inflammatory, hot plate, dextran, carragenan, edema, pai

Effects of Anthocleista Djalonensis (Chev.) methanol root bark extract on some fertility parameters in male rats

Background: Anthocleista djalonensis is a West African plant with several ethnomedicinal uses.Objectives: This study evaluated the effect of Anthocleista djalonensis methanol root bark extract on fertility parameters in male rats.Material and Methods: The rats were randomly allotted to four groups (n=5). Group A (control) received distilled water (10 ml/kg), groups B, C, D received oral doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg/day of the extract respectively for 28 days. The mean body, testicular, and epididymal weights; sperm indices; and serum testosterone level were assessed.Results: There were no significant changes on the body weights of the treated rats but their testicular and epididymal weights increased significantly (P˂0.05) at the dose of 400 mg/kg in comparison with the control group. Sperm indices such as sperm count, motility, morphology and viability increased significantly (P˂0.05) at the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg/day when compared to the control. There was also a significant (P˂0.05) increase in serum testosterone concentration at the dose of 400 mg/kg/day of the extract.Conclusion: The results suggest that the methanol root bark extract of A. djalonensis improves fertility parameters in male rats thereby justifying its use in ethnomedicine.Keywords: Sperm count, testosterone level, spermatogenesis, oxidative stres

Microbiological and toxicological studies on cellulose generated from agricultural wastes

A pharmaceutical excipient is required to meet certain minimum standards for use in the manufacture of dosage forms. In this study, two of such requirements, microbiological and toxicological suitability, was investigated in respect of cellulose powder derived from an agricultural waste, maize cob.Microbial count data were obtained by inoculating a suspension of the cellulose into various types of agar. We also studied some of the possible toxicological effects of sub-acute ingestion of the cellulose in 2% tragacanth mucilage on adult male Wistar rats given 1.6 g/kg per day for 14 days. Weight changes, locomotor activity, some haematological parameters and the presence of gastrointestinal lesions were evaluated. Microbiological results indicate a &lsquo;no growth&rsquo; status for yeast, fungi as well as for coliform and pseudomonas bacteria. The mesophilic bacterium, Bacillus subtilis returned a count of 100 cfu/g. Toxicological results show that animal weight was significantly (P &lt; 0.05) reduced on the 14th day compared to weights on the 1st and 3rd days. Locomotor activity increased in a similar pattern being significantly higher (P &lt; 0.05) on day 14 than on days 1 and 3. Platelet counts, white blood cell counts, and packed cell volume were not affected. There were no visible gastrointestinal (GI) lesions or morbidity and mortality in the animals. We conclude that the cellulose satisfied the BritishPharmacopoeia requirement for pharmaceutical grade starch that it should be free from the coliform bacterium, Escherichia coli. Furthermore, the results obtained showed that the cellulose neither exerted adverse effects on the haematological status of the animals nor is it associated with any other significant toxicological event

Effects of hydrochlorothiazide and furosemide on creatinine clearance in some hypertensive Nigerians

Hydrochlorothiazide and furosemide have been reported to alter the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and possibly the creatinine excretion by the kidneys. Also, therapy with these diuretics, especially in theelderly, can be complicated by volume depletion resulting in prerenal azotemia. Creatinine clearance (Clcr) is considered to be the most accurate test of renal function. Unfortunately, although thesediuretics are widely used in the treatment of hypertension and heart failure in the young and elderly Nigerians, their effects on renal function have been poorly investigated. We, therefore, evaluated theeffects of treatment with 21-day single daily oral doses of 25 mg hydrochlorothiazide or 40 mg furosemide on Clcr in this prospective randomized study of forty Nigerians with mild to moderateuncomplicated essential hypertension (20 males and 20 females) 32 to 80 years of age and 40 age and sex-matched healthy normotensive controls while on their usual diet. Blood and 24 h urine specimenswere collected at baseline and on days 7, 14 and 21. Specimens were assayed for creatinine and the corresponding Clcr for each day was calculated. Analysis of variance did not show a statisticallysignificant effect of the diuretic regimens on Clcr over the period. This study demonstrates that single daily doses of either of these diuretics do not have a significant effect on Clcr over a short-termmonotherapy

Antidiarrhoeal activities of aqueous extract of Stereospermum kunthianum (Cham, Sandrine Petit) stem bark in rodents

The antidiarrhoeal effect of the aqueous extract of Stereospermum kunthianum (Cham, Sandrine Petit) stem bark was investigated in in vivo experimentally-induced diarrhoeal models using mice and rats.The extract (100, 200 or 400 mg/kg) dose-dependently reduced castor oil-induced intestinal transit in mice, with the greatest effect observed with the 200 mg/kg body weight of the extract. The pretreatmentof mice with the extract (100, 200 or 400 mg/kg) caused a dose-dependent and significant (p < 0.05) delay in the onset of diarrhoea, frequency of stooling, decreased weight of wet stools and the general diarrhoeal score in mice. The effect of the extract on the normal intestinal transit in mice was not significant. However, in the phenol red meal test in rats, the extract (100, 200 or 400 mg/kg) in a doserelatedmanner, significantly (p < 0.05) decreased the normal intestinal transit in rats, without a significant effect on the gastric emptying compared to loperamide (5 mg/kg) treated rats. The extract produced no significant effect on the castor oil-induced fluid accumulation in rats. Also, the extract produced no mortalities in mice at a maximum oral dose of 8 g/kg; it is therefore well tolerated and relatively safe by oral route. The results indicate that the aqueous extract possesses antidiarrhoealactivity. This is a possible reason for its antidiarrhoeal use in traditional medicine

Antipyretic and Analgesic Effects of the Aqueous Extract of the Fruit Pulp of Hunteria umbellata K Schum (Apocynaceae)

Purpose: The aqueous fruit pulp extract of Hunteria umbellata K. Schum is used traditionally for the treatment of various fevers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extract for antipyretic and analgesic activity, and determine its probable mechanism of action.Methods: Pyrexia was induced in rabbits by intravenous injection of 105 CFU of E. coli/kg. Rectal temperature was monitored at 30, 60, and 90 min post-administration of 250 and 500 mg/kg of the extract. The analgesic effect of the extract was evaluated using acetic acid-induced mouse writhing test.  The extract was tested for antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pnuemoniae, Escherichia coli, and Psuedomonas aeruginosa using agar diffusion method. Phytochemical screening of the plant extract was also carried out.Results: Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of simple sugars, saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids and steroidal compounds. The extract (250, 500 mg/kg) and aspirin produced comparable antipyretic effects up to 60 min. The extract did not inhibit the growth of the microorganisms butsignificantly reduced the number of writhes in mice at 250 and 500 mg/kg with results comparable to ASA.Conclusion: The extract possesses antipyretic and analgesic activities which validate its use in the treatment of pains and fevers

Acute and sub-acute toxicological assessment of the aqueous seed extract of Persea americana Mill (Lauraceae) in rats

The aqueous seed extract of Persea americana Mill (Lauraceae) is used by herbalists in Nigeria for the management of hypertension. As part of our on-going scientific evaluation of the extract, we designed the present study to assess its acute and sub-acute toxicity profiles in rats. Experiments were conducted to determine the oral median lethal dose (LD50) and other gross toxicological manifestations on acute basis. In the sub-acute experiments, the animals were administered 2.5 g/kg (p.o) per day of the extract for 28 consecutive days. Animal weight and fluid intake were recorded during the 28 days period. Terminally, kidneys, hearts, blood/sera were obtained for weight, haematological and biochemical markers of toxicity. Results show that the LD50 could not be determined after a maximum dose of 10 g/kg. Sub-acute treatment with the extract neither affected whole body weight nor organ-tobody weight ratios but significantly increased the fluid intake (P < 0.0001). Haematological parameters and the levels of ALT, AST, albumin and creatinine were not significantly altered. However, the concentration of total proteins was significantly increased in the treated group. In conclusion, the aqueous seed extract of P. americana is safe on sub-acute basis but extremely high doses may not be advisable.Keywords: Persea americana seed, herbal medicine, safety profil

Assessment of the knowledge, attitude and practice of pharmacovigilance by pharmacists in two states in southeastern Nigeria

Purpose: To evaluate knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of  pharmacovigilance (PV) and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) reporting among community and hospital pharmacists in Abia and Imo States of Nigeria.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was done using a validated questionnaire distributed among hospital and community pharmacists in the two States.Results: Out of the 227 copies of the questionnaire administered, 169 (74.4%) were usable. Only 22% of all the pharmacists had postgraduate qualification but 78.0% had more than five years postqualification experience. All respondents were aware of the concept of PV; 73.4% had seen a patient with ADR while 17.7% had not seen the ADR reporting form in use in Nigeria. Only 24.3% had officially reported an ADR. Factors that affected reporting were lack of incentive (52.1%), role conflict (69.2%), and role overload (72.8%). Mean score for KAP-related questions was higher among hospital pharmacists than their community counterparts.Conclusion: The study has shown that while all pharmacists were aware of PV, the attitude and practice of many of them constituted a challenge and accounted for poor level of reporting.Keywords: Adverse drug reactions, Community pharmacists, Hospital pharmacists, National Pharmacovigilance Centr