Blood glucose lowering effect of aqueous extract of Graptophyllum pictum (Linn) Griff. on alloxan-induced diabetic rats and its acute toxicity in mice

This study was aimed at evaluating the claimed anti-diabetic property of the aqueous extract of Graptophyllum pictum leaf and to establish an effective dose for the extract. It also attempted to unravel if the extract could be acutely toxic to mice. The anti-diabetic study was carried out on alloxan-induced diabetic Wistar rats. After diabetic induction, the rats were divided into 5 groups. Groups 1 to 3 were orally administered 100, 150 and 200 mg/kg body weight extract by gastric probe for four weeks; group4 was administered 10 mg/kg body weight metformin, a well known hypoglycemic drug, while group 5 served as control and received the vehicle of administration (distilled water). The fasting blood glucose level (FBGL) of the rats was checked before commencement of treatment and weekly during the drug administration period using Roche Accu-chek Active Glucometer. The percentage change in FBGL before commencement of treatment and during the treatment period was calculated and expressedgraphically. The acute toxicity of the extract was studied in 4 groups of Swiss albino mice which were orally administered high doses (1 to 4 g/kg) of the extract. The results obtained from the anti-diabetic study showed a significant reduction (P < 0.05) in the mean fasting blood glucose level in all the three groups of animals treated with the plant extract when compared to the control; and it exhibited effective anti-diabetic potency when compared with metformin (a standard anti-diabetic drug); the effective dose was established at 100 mg/kg. The LD50 could not be determined as none of the treated mice died during the acute toxicity study. These findings suggest that the aqueous extract of the leaves of G.pictum possess hypoglycemic effect which is comparable to metformin and can be safely administered orally without any immediate unwanted effect. However, this calls for detailed studies to elucidate the therapeutic and long term toxicological profiles of the extract.Key words: Diabetes, Graptophyllum pictum, aqueous extract, hypoglycemic, metformin

Assessing plasma glucose and lipid levels, body weight and acute toxicity following oral administration of an aqueous ethanolic extract of Parinari curatellifolia Planch, (Chrysobalanaceae) seeds in alloxan-induced diabetes in rats

The study was aimed at evaluating the safety and hypoglycaemic effects of Parinari curatellifolia seeds used in the treatment of diabetes. The plasma glucose level and other biochemical parameters, bodyweight and liver, heart, renal and acute toxicities were assessed following oral administration of an aqueous ethanol (80%) extract of the seeds in alloxan-induced diabetes in rats. Toxicity of the extractwas evaluated in Swiss albino mice by feeding the animals with the graded doses of the extract between 1.0 to 2.0 g/kg body weight orally and observed continuously for the first 4 h and hourly fornext 24 h, then 6 hourly for 48 h (72 h, acute toxicity). Diabetes was induced in male and female Wistar rats with alloxan monohydrate (150 mg/kg) dissolved in normal saline and administered intraperitoneally (i.p). The plasma glucose levels of the induced animals were monitored with a glucometer after 72 h. The animals with plasma glucose level >300 mg/dl were classified as diabetic and were included in the study. The diabetic animals were treated with the extract and a reference drug,glibenclamide, respectively for 30 days. Their effects on plasma glucose levels and some biochemical parameters were evaluated at the end of the experiment as indices of their antidiabetic activity. Themedian acute toxicity value (LD50) of the extract was determined to be 7.27 g/Kg body weight. There was significant reduction (

Oxytocic and anti-implantation activities of the leaf extracts of Graptophyllum pictum (Linn.) Griff. (Acanthaceae)

This study was aimed at evaluating Graptophyllum pictum aqueous extract (GPAE) and ethanol extract (GPEE) in vitro for oxytocic and in vivo for anti-implantation activities. The oxytocic screening of the extracts was carried out on the isolated strip of gravid rat uterus in mid pregnancy and was compared with the activity of an agonist drug, oxytocin. GPEE exhibited oxytocic activity which is comparable to oxytocin while GPAE was found to reduce the normal contraction of the uterine strip. The antiimplantationinvestigation was done using three groups of eight week old virgin female Sprague-Dawley albino rats (eight rats/group). A selected dose (400 mg/kg) of GPEE was orally administered to a group of the rats. The same dose of GPAE was similarly administered to another group while the vehicle of administration (distilled water) was similarly administered to the third group as control. All administrations started on day one of pregnancy and were given daily for seven days. The rats were sacrificed on day 10 of pregnancy. Presence of foetus, implantation sites and number of corporal lutea in the autopsied rats were recorded and used to calculate the percentage anti-implantation effect. GPEE, GPAE and distilled water have percentage anti-implantation value of 93.8 ± 9.1, 16.8 ± 8.5 and 3.9± 5.4, respectively. The results support the use of this plant in folkloric medicine as a delivery aid and also suggest that the plant can be used very early in pregnancy as a contraceptive

The use of indigenous communication media for children's vaccination and immunization promotion in rural communities of Abia State, Nigeria

Background: In Nigeria, child survival is threatened by vaccine-preventable diseases, and routine immunization services do not reach many children, especially those living in rural communities. The non-use of indigenous communication has been identified as one of the barriers preventing immunization coverage and acceptance by mothers of children. Aims and Objectives: This study investigated the use of indigenous communication media for immunization promotion among mothers in rural communities of Abia State, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Using a descriptive survey design, the study was anchored on the development communication theory. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 394 participants across 10 rural communities in Abia State. A validated closed-ended questionnaire was used for the data collection and data were analyzed using the descriptive and inferential statistics at P < 0.05. Results: The findings showed that 53.8%, 25.6%, and 20.6% of the participants averred that indigenous communication media played the role of immunization information dissemination, reminder, and reinforcement, respectively. Most (73.6%) of the respondents opined that indigenous communication media are highly relevant in informing rural dwellers about immunization programs while 50.0% believed that the use of traditional media should complement health workers' efforts during health promotion and education on vaccination and immunization. The town crier was the most utilized indigenous communication media (89.3%). There was a statistically significant relationship between the use of indigenous media and vaccination/immunization communication (P = 0.001). Conclusion: This study revealed that indigenous communication media is crucial for the promotion of children's vaccination and immunization in rural communities. It is important that for effective health promotion efforts toward reaching rural dwellers, the use of indigenous communication media should be encouraged

A Spoonful of Math Helps the Medicine Go Down: An Illustration of How Healthcare can Benefit from Mathematical Modeling and Analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Objectives</p> <p>A recent joint report from the Institute of Medicine and the National Academy of Engineering, highlights the benefits of--indeed, the need for--mathematical analysis of healthcare delivery. Tools for such analysis have been developed over decades by researchers in Operations Research (OR). An OR perspective typically frames a complex problem in terms of its essential mathematical structure. This article illustrates the use and value of the tools of operations research in healthcare. It reviews one OR tool, queueing theory, and provides an illustration involving a hypothetical drug treatment facility.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>Queueing Theory (QT) is the study of waiting lines. The theory is useful in that it provides solutions to problems of waiting and its relationship to key characteristics of healthcare systems. More generally, it illustrates the strengths of modeling in healthcare and service delivery.</p> <p>Queueing theory offers insights that initially may be hidden. For example, a queueing model allows one to incorporate randomness, which is inherent in the actual system, into the mathematical analysis. As a result of this randomness, these systems often perform much worse than one might have guessed based on deterministic conditions. Poor performance is reflected in longer lines, longer waits, and lower levels of server utilization.</p> <p>As an illustration, we specify a queueing model of a representative drug treatment facility. The analysis of this model provides mathematical expressions for some of the key performance measures, such as average waiting time for admission.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We calculate average occupancy in the facility and its relationship to system characteristics. For example, when the facility has 28 beds, the average wait for admission is 4 days. We also explore the relationship between arrival rate at the facility, the capacity of the facility, and waiting times.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>One key aspect of the healthcare system is its complexity, and policy makers want to design and reform the system in a way that affects competing goals. OR methodologies, particularly queueing theory, can be very useful in gaining deeper understanding of this complexity and exploring the potential effects of proposed changes on the system without making any actual changes.</p

Post-intervention Status in Patients With Refractory Myasthenia Gravis Treated With Eculizumab During REGAIN and Its Open-Label Extension

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether eculizumab helps patients with anti-acetylcholine receptor-positive (AChR+) refractory generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) achieve the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) post-intervention status of minimal manifestations (MM), we assessed patients' status throughout REGAIN (Safety and Efficacy of Eculizumab in AChR+ Refractory Generalized Myasthenia Gravis) and its open-label extension. METHODS: Patients who completed the REGAIN randomized controlled trial and continued into the open-label extension were included in this tertiary endpoint analysis. Patients were assessed for the MGFA post-intervention status of improved, unchanged, worse, MM, and pharmacologic remission at defined time points during REGAIN and through week 130 of the open-label study. RESULTS: A total of 117 patients completed REGAIN and continued into the open-label study (eculizumab/eculizumab: 56; placebo/eculizumab: 61). At week 26 of REGAIN, more eculizumab-treated patients than placebo-treated patients achieved a status of improved (60.7% vs 41.7%) or MM (25.0% vs 13.3%; common OR: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.1-4.5). After 130 weeks of eculizumab treatment, 88.0% of patients achieved improved status and 57.3% of patients achieved MM status. The safety profile of eculizumab was consistent with its known profile and no new safety signals were detected. CONCLUSION: Eculizumab led to rapid and sustained achievement of MM in patients with AChR+ refractory gMG. These findings support the use of eculizumab in this previously difficult-to-treat patient population. CLINICALTRIALSGOV IDENTIFIER: REGAIN, NCT01997229; REGAIN open-label extension, NCT02301624. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class II evidence that, after 26 weeks of eculizumab treatment, 25.0% of adults with AChR+ refractory gMG achieved MM, compared with 13.3% who received placebo

Minimal Symptom Expression' in Patients With Acetylcholine Receptor Antibody-Positive Refractory Generalized Myasthenia Gravis Treated With Eculizumab

The efficacy and tolerability of eculizumab were assessed in REGAIN, a 26-week, phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive (AChR+) refractory generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), and its open-label extension

Effect of varying levels of palm oil sludge in broiler finisher rations

No Abstract Available E. Afr. Agric. For. J Vol.68(4) 2003: 213-21

Review of the practice of traditional bone setting in Nigeria

Background: The practice of traditional bone setting (TBS) is extensive in Nigeria and it enjoys enormous patronage by the populace. However, the outcome of the intervention of TBS treatment is usually poor with profound effects on the patient. There are many publications highlighting different aspects of this subject but none has summarized the entire practice and problems as a single publication. Objective: This work aims at reviewing the entire subject of traditional bone setting in Nigeria in a single article to enable easy understanding and appreciation of the practice and problems of traditional bone setting by orthodox practitioners. Method: A total of thirty-one relevant published original scientific research papers involving all aspects of the subject were reviewed and the practices and problems were documented. Results: The results showed that the origin of the practice is shrouded in mystery but passed on by practitioners from one generation to another. There is no formal training of bonesetters. Though the methods of treatment vary, the problems caused by them are usually similar with extremity gangrene being the worst. When attempts have been made to train the bone setters, improvement have been noted in their performance. Conclusion: In other to prevent some of the most debilitating outcomes like amputation, it is suggested that the TBS practitioners undergo some training from orthopaedic practitioners

Clinical profile, knowledge, and beliefs about diabetes among patients attending a Tertiary Health Centre in Lagos: A cross‑sectional survey

Introduction: Diabetes affects 347 million people worldwide; more than 80% of the affected live in low‑ or middle‑income countries. Patients’ beliefs about their medical conditions are important in helping physician focus on beliefs that needed to be changed or reinforced. The overall aim of this study was to improve the standard of care of patients with diabetes.Methods: The study designed was a cross‑sectional survey; adults with diabetes attending diabetic clinic of LASUTH took part in the survey. Participants were asked to fill a structured questionnaire which was used to assess clinical patterns, beliefs, and practice about diabetes.Results: One hundred and fifty patients with diabetes took part in the study. This study showed that more females presented with diabetes compared with males, type 2 diabetes is commonerthan type 1 and there is a highassociation of the disease with hypertension or being overweight. More than half of the participants do not know the cause of diabetes, 13% believed that disease is curable, and 30% admitted to use alternative medications in addition to the anti‑diabetic medications prescribed by the physicians.Conclusion: Knowing patients’ beliefs and knowledge about diabetes is important to impart overall care for them. Health education about a disease should be planned to address beliefs and knowledge of patients about their medical condition to address misinformation and misconceptions about their disease conditions.Keywords: Belief, diabetes, health education, Nigeria, practic