Frequency of ABO and Rhesus blood groups among blood donors in Lagos, Nigeria

Background: The ABO is a blood group system that is responsible for most blood transfusion reactions, transplant rejections and determining some forensic cases. The ABO and Rhesus blood group systems have been shown to show variations in different part of the world and race. Aim: The study is to show the frequency of ABO and Rhesus blood groups amongst blood donors in Lagos, Nigeria and confirm Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.Methods: This is a two-year retrospective study of all blood donors from the two major tertiary health institutions in Lagos State between July 2004 and June 2006. Data from the blood bank records were extracted and analysed using SPSS version 20. Hardy-Weinberg equation was used to confirm if the population is in equilibrium. Results: In all, 11,911 donors were analysed and showed A+ 20.4%, A- 0.97%, B+ 16.7%, B- 0.87%, AB+ 2.2%, AB- 0.17%, O+ 55.6%, O- 3.1% and RhD positive frequency is 95.6%. The allelic frequency in this study is O – 0.7631, A - 0.1303, B – 0.1066 and Rh – 0.7786. There is no significant difference between the blood group distributions from the two institutions. Conclusion: Blood group O was the commonest blood group seen followed by group A. This is at variance with other studies in Nigeria where blood group B was the second commonest. The population was also found to be in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The study provides important and reliable genogeographical information that can advance the fields of blood transfusion, organ transplantation and forensic medicine in Nigeria.Key words: Blood group, ABO, Rhesus, allelic frequency, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, transfusion reaction

Microanatomical and biochemical changes of the cerebellum following ethanol gavage in adult Wistar rats

Ethanol consumption has been linked with social and medical problems, coupled with damage of multiple organs including the cerebellum. The present study is aimed at investigating the histological and biochemical changes in the cerebellum of Wistar rats associated with ethanol exposure. The experimental animals were grouped into five groups designated as Group 1 which served as the control group and was given distilled water, Groups 2,3,4 and 5were given 40%, 25%, 12% and 5% v/v of ethanol respectively. Each of the experimental animals was administered 10mls/kg body weight of the stock solution for 42days after which the animals were sacrificed humanely. The cerebellum was removed, fixed in Bouins fluid for histological study while brain homogenates were prepared and used for the biochemical studies. Data was analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey HSD Post-Hoc comparison test was used to determine where the difference lies. Oxidative stress studies showed significant increase and decrease in some oxidative stress markers when compared to the control group (p<0.05). The sialic acid studies showed a dose dependent decrease in the mean sialic acid concentration of the cerebellum across the groups when compared to the control (p<0.05). The histological studies showed the following changes; necrotic Purkinje cells with reduced linear distribution of Purkinje cells, in section of the cerebellar tissue of rats in Groups 2 and 3 with sections from Groups 4 and 5 remaining relatively normal when compared to the slide from the control group. Exposure to ethanol from the present studies showed a dose dependent effect on the cerebellum, as manifested in the histological and biochemical studies.Keywords: Ethanol gavage, Histological, Biochemical changes, Cerebellu

Moringa oleifera ameliorates nephropathic changes in alloxaninduced diabetic adult wistar rats

Background: Diabetic nephropathy has been identified as a leading cause of chronic kidney disease which is a risk factor for kidney failure. Moringa oleifera (MO) is popularly known to possess various nutritional and health benefits. This study investigated the effects of crude aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera on the kidney of alloxan-induced diabetes in adult wistar rats.Methodology: Fifty six (56) adult wistar rats (150 – 200g) were randomly divided into 7 groups (n=8) with group A as control group, while animals in groups B, C, D, E and F were induced with multiple dosage of alloxan monohydrate (100mg/kgbw) intraperitoneally. Group B served as the diabetic group and animals in groups C, D and E were administered 100, 300 and 500 mg/kgbw of MO respectively. Further, animals in group F which received Diabinese (15mg/kgbw) served as the pharmacological control group. Group G animals were given 100mg/kgbw of aqueous extract of MO before induction of diabetes. The parameters assessed in this study include animals’ weight, blood glucose levels, serum creatinine levels, and kidney histology.Results: The results showed that serum creatinine levels were increased as a result of diabetic nephropathy but reduced with MO administration. Histologically, kidney sections from the diabetic group presented with glomerular sclerosis, wide capsular spaces, thickening of Bowman’s capsule, tubular necrosis, focal areas of massive inflammatory cells infiltration and acellular material. MO treated groups showed glomeruli and tubules in various stages of tissue repair varied on a dose dependent basis, higher concentrations being more effective. Sections from animals pretreated with MO showed that Moringa oleifera appeared to have slowed the action of Alloxan on the kidney.Conclusion: This study, therefore, concluded that treatment with Moringa oleifera ameliorated the acute effects of alloxan-induced diabetic complications on renal microarchitecture and probably contributed to the restoration of morphology and hence the functions of the kidney in adult Wistar rats.Keywords: Kidney, Alloxan, diabetes, nephropathy, Moringa oleifera, microarchitectur

Hepatoprotective role of Moringa oleifera ethanolic leaf extract on Liver functions (Biomarker) in cadmium chloride induced hepatotoxicity in Albino wistar rats

This study investigated the hepatoprotective role of ethanolic extract of Moringa oliefera (M.O) on liver function (Biomarkers) in cadmium chloride (CdCl2)-induced hepatotoxicity on the liver of albino Wistar rats. Sixty-six adult male albino wistar rats weighing between 130g – 180g were used. LD50 was determined for both CdCl2and MO using twenty-six (26) rats, while 40 rats were used for the experiment proper. The experimental rats were distributed into eight groups –A (control) and B, C, D, E, F, G and H, served as the treatment groups that received graded doses of CdCl2or MOor both simultaneously or at separate periods. The animals were then euthanized for sample collection and analysis using standard methods. The results showed significant increase (P<0.05) in the serum levels of Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (430.50 ± 149.20), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (421.10 ± 8.34) and Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) (515.60 ± 21.78) of animals in group B, but some protective effect of MO in the treatment groups with significant decreases in ALT, AST and ALP levels. The study therefore concludes that ethanolic extract of Moringa oleifera showed appreciable hepatoprotective values on liver functions (biomarkers) in CdCl2hepatotoxicity.Key words: Liver Functions, Cadmium, Moringa oleifera, Hepatoprotective, Hepatotoxici

Excessive exposure to sodium fluoride impaired spermatogenesis, induced hormonal and biochemical imbalance and testicular atrophy: Ameliorating potential of bioactive component of Solanum aethiopicum supplementation

Background: Sodium fluoride (NaF) causes testicular toxicity via an oxidative stress mechanism. Solanum aethiopicum (SAE) contains abundant antioxidant and androgenic properties. This study investigated the ameliorating potential of SAE extract against NaF-induced testicular damage in rats. Methods: Forty-eight (48) adult male Sprague Dawley rats (130–180 g, 7–9 weeks old) were randomized into six groups of eight rats (n = 8) each. A: Control received only deionized water, B: 20 mg/kg body weight (bw) NaF. C: 500 mg/kg bw SAE. D: 20 mg/kg bw NaF + 500 mg/kg bw SAE. E: 20 mg/Kg bw NaF + 30 mg/kg bw vitamin C (Vit. C). F: 20 mg/kg bw NaF + 500 mg/kg bw SAE + 30 mg/kg bw Vit. C orally for 8 weeks. Testicular histology, histomorphometry parameters, sperm parameters, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, testosterone, reduced glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde (MDA) and inflammation markers were analyzed. Results: Sodium fluoride significantly decrease sperm quality, hormones, antioxidants concentrations, and general body weights and significantly increased MDA, and cause disorientation of seminiferous tubules with a nearly empty lumen and vascular hemorrhage but was attenuated with SAE and Vit. C. Conclusion: Solanum aethiopicum possesses pro-fertility properties capable of ameliorating oxidative stress-induced testicular damage with the profound significance that comes with Vit. C combination