12 research outputs found

    Sub-chronic Effect Of Rambo Insect Powder Contaminated Diet On Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) Activity In Wister Albino Rats

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    Studies of superoxide dismutase (SOD) induction in rats exposed to locally produced insecticide, "Rambo" of which the active chemical compound is permethrin (0.6% w/w) was performed. The rats were divided into three groups of five rats per cage. Each group of rats was fed with normal diet contaminated with 1 %, 5 % and 10 % (w/w) of the insecticide respectively. The control group was fed normal diet. The effect of insecticide at various concentrations on superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the blood plasma was not significantly different (P > 0.05) in the newly weaned rats (NWR). However, in the middle-aged rats (MAR) and aged rats (AR) groups, the results were significantly different (P < 0.05) against the parallel controls. Comparison of the effect of the insecticide on SOD induction at various concentrations among the groups based on age difference showed significantly different result (P < 0.05), especially among the groups fed with 10 % (w/w) of the insecticide in the diet. Results of this study show that in non-target organisms "Rambo" insect powder may induce superoxide dismutase activity thus suggesting oxidative-stress related toxicity

    Nutritional status, lifestyle and knowledge of predisposing factors on hyperlipedemia among outpatients in Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH), Nigeria

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    The growing trend of hyperlipidemia in most developing countries has resulted largely from changes in lifestyle, diet and lack of adequate exercise which have led to decreased life expectancy and burden of cardiovascular diseases. A purposive sample size of 206 out patients was selected for this study after obtaining their due consents. Out of these, 108 (52.84%) were female and 98 (47.6%) males. Validated structured questionnaires were administered to collect basic socio-economic data from the respondents. Information obtained include drinking habits, medical history, and dietary habits. Data were presented by using descriptive statistics: frequencies and percentages. The anthropometric variables (weight and height) were analysed by using mean and standard deviation tools. Body mass index (BMI) was determined using the weight and height measurements. About 39.8% of respondents were within the age bracket (29-39 years), 25.7% had family history of diabetes mellitus, 25.2% hypertension and 11.7% had hypercholesterolemia. More than half (66.5%) of the respondents consumed alcoholic drinks. About 65.1% of the alcoholics, drink 1-3 times weekly and 46.1% took alcohol 4-6 times weekly while 14.5% drink daily. Some respondents who consumed groundnut, banana with groundnut, biscuit, buns, bread, meat pies, cakes or chicken pies with malt, juice or soft drink were 63.5%. Less than half (40.2%) of the respondents were overweight and about 37.4% of them were obese. About 45.6% of the respondents had a fair knowledge of hyperlipidemia, 40.3% had poor knowledge while 14.1% had a good knowledge. This study showed a strong evidence of poor knowledge of hyperlipidemia among out-patients attending Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH), which may have influenced their lifestyle, dietary habit and subsequently their nutritional/health status.Keywords: Hyperlipidemia, nutritional status, diet, diabetes, cardiovascular disease

    Evaluating the Dermal Properties of Toilet Soaps Incorporated with Different Herbal Extracts

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    Toilet soaps were produced with the incorporation of three herbal extracts from basil, aloevera and guava leaves singly and in combination. Volunteers were drawn from Community Secondary School Ehandiagu, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria, to use the soaps and provide feedback on their qualities and various properties. The research was experimental, however the major instrument used in collecting information (data) needed was questionnaires. The population from which the data was drawn involved 400 students under which 150 students were used as the population sample size. The data collected was statistically analyzed by the use of percentage and mean values of user’s response. The findings in the experiment involved discovery of the effectiveness of various herbal soap on skin infection, smoothness of skin, the highest cleaning tendency and the best combination of local herbal extracts for quality toilet soap most suitable to various skin. The required information was gotten from the answers supplied by the voluntary users of these soaps. From the result of this research, the most effective herbal extract incorporated soap on skin infection was that containing guava leaves with percentage and mean values of positive respondents as 16.8% and 4.2 + 0.92, the best herbal extract incorporated soap responsible for skin smoothness was combined herbal extract soap (Guava, Aloevera & Basil leaves extract) with 16.79% positive response or mean + standard deviation value of 3.0 + 0.08. Moreover, in the cleansing aspect, it was observed that soaps incorporated with aloevera had the highest percentage positive response as the best cleansing soap with percentage and mean value of 14.11% and 3.5 + 0.74. Lastly, the soap produced by combination of the three local herbal extracts (guava, basil leaf and aloevera) was most suitable to various skin types with positive respondent values of 15.2% or 3.8 + 0.69 (mean + standard deviation). The toilet soaps containing herbal extracts generally gave better result than that without incorporation of the herb(s) (control) from the response of the users. Keyword: herbal soap, incorporated, extract, skin, aloevera, basil leaves, guava leaves

    Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the phytochemical contents in some selected green leafy vegetables in the Eastern part of Nigeria

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    Background: Leafy vegetables are sources of macro and micronutrients that play major role in maintaining healthy living. Phytochemicals are non-nutrient but bioactive compound with health protecting properties which play a variety of roles such as antioxidants, inhibition of tumor growth, antimutagens, enzyme modulators and free radical scavengers. In this study, the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the phytochemical contents of “Ahihara” (Corchorus, olitorius), “eriamionu” (Celosia argentea), Tree spinach (Cnidoscolusa conitifolius) and “ugu”(Telfairia occidentalis) consumed in the eastern part of Nigeria was carried out. Methods: Qualitative and quantitative screenings were carried out on the raw, cooked and shade dried leaves to determine the presence of alkaloids, anthocyanin, carotenoid, flavonoid, glycoside, saponin, oxalate and tannins using standard methods. Fisher's Least Significant Difference was used to compare the different means at p < 0.05. Results: The results showed that the plant materials used for this study contain most of the phytochemicals tested for. Alkaloid was found to be present in high amounts in the shade dried vegetable except “ugu” (1.91, 1.32, 1.25 and 0.95g/100g for “Ahihara”, tree spinach, “eriamionu” and “ugu” respectively) while glycoside was absent in “ugu” and tree spinach but present in “Ahihara” and “eriamionu”. “Ahihara” was found to also contain the highest amount of anthocyanin (0.11g/100g). Processing affected the availability of the phytochemicals differently. Shade drying significantly (p<0.05) increased the concentration of all the phytochemicals. Cooking decreased the content of the alkanoid, anthocyanins, flavonoid, glycoside, oxalate and saponin but did not affect the level of carotenoid and tannin. Conclusion: The phytochemicals were present in all the vegetables studied. Of all the treatments, shade drying was observed to be a good processing method as it increased the phytochemical contents of the vegetable

    Preliminary Investigation Into The Possible Endocrine Disrupting Activity Of Bonny Light Crude Oil Contaminated - Diet On Wistar Albino Rats

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    Many chemicals have recently been demonstrated to be Endocrine-disrupting compounds and may potential interfere with normal reproductive processes. In this study, we quantified the effect of Bonny-light crude oil contaminated diet on Wister albino rats. Forty-five rats (twenty male and twenty five females) were expose to Bonny \u2013light crude oil contaminated diet at concentrations of 1%, 5% and 10% (w/w). Throughout the experiment, we observed 20 % reduction in fecundity in the 1% experimental group but in 5% experimental group, it was observed that there was a 45% reduction in fecundity when compared with parallel control group. However, the 10% group did not liter at all. There was a significant increase (p<0.05) in the testosterone level of male rats fed with 1% contaminated diet but the testosterone level of 5% and 10% treated group showed a significant reduction (p<0.05). The estrogen level in the female rats showed a general significant increase (p<0.05) in all the groups when compared with the female control group. This preliminary result suggest that Bonny-Light crude oil may have the potential to alter reproductive activity and hence a possible endocrine disruptor

    Oxidative stress and superoxide dismutase activity in brain of rats fed with diet containing permethrin

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    Many pesticides have been reported to cause a lot of health problems in workers, users and non-target organisms in the environment. Permethrin containing insect pesticide has been reported to be toxic to non-target organisms. However, the underlying mechanism involved in the toxicity is not well understood. The present study was envisaged to investigate the possible role of oxidative stress in permethrin neurotoxicity and to evaluate the protective effect of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in brain homogenates of Wistar rats. Oxidative stress measured as thiobarbituric acid reacting substances (TBARS) was found to significantly increase (p < 0.05) in all the experimental groups compared with their parallel controls. Concomitantly, the activity of SOD was found to decrease or increase significantly (p < 0.05) in the experimental groups compared with their controls. Our result also showed that activity of SOD was aged and concentration dependent. Hence, the newly weaned rats appear to be more susceptible to the pesticide contaminated diet because the SOD activity decreased more in the brain homogenates compared with the middle aged rats or aged rats. Observed aggressive behaviour was noticed in the pesticide exposed rats, hence a possible neurobehavioral effect. The result demonstrated that the pyrethroid insect powder exerts its toxic effect by promoting oxidative stress in the brain and this may affect normal brain functioning and growth

    Levels of Heavy Metals in Street Vended Fried-Cocoyam (Xanthosoma Sagittifolium) Chips Sold along Sango - Oshodi Expressway Nigeria

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    Heavy metals have been reported to have positive and negative roles in human life. Eighty samples were purchased from vendors, twelve samples of raw materials and thirty six samples were collected along processing line. The samples were digested carefully and metal elements were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Analyzed iron, lead, cadmium and arsenic in raw materials used by the three processors ranged from 0.000 to 16.010, 0.000 to 0.013, 0.000 to 0.155 and 0.250 to 0.809mg/Kg respectively. Heavy metal contents of samples taken along the processing line ranged from 0.00, 0.222 to 0.226, 0.758 to 0.959 and 0.00 to 0.801 mg/Kg  for lead, arsenic, iron and cadmium respectively. The content of iron, cadmium and arsenic of street vended samples ranged from 0.653 to 0.8, 0.00 to 0.10 and 0.221 to 0.225 mg/kg respectively The results of the present study showed that metal elements except arsenic were within the NIS maximum permitted level (0.1mg/kg for lead, cadmium and arsenic; 1.5mg/kg for iron) by Nigerian Industrial Standard and Codex Alimentarius for street vended food. Keywords: Heavy metals, Street vended food, health, contaminants, Cocoyam, Xanthosoma sagittifolium

    Sub-chronic effect of Rambo insect powder contaminated diet on superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in Wister albino rats

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    Studies of superoxide dismutase (SOD) induction in rats exposed to locally produced insecticide, “Rambo” of which the active chemical compound is permethrin (0.6% w/w) was performed. The rats were divided into three groups of five rats per cage. Each group of rats was fed with normal diet contaminated with 1 %, 5 % and 10 % (w/w) of the insecticide respectively. The control group was fed normal diet. The effect of insecticide at various concentrations on superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the blood plasma was not significantly different (P > 0.05) in the newly weaned rats (NWR). However, in the middle-aged rats (MAR) and aged rats (AR) groups, the results were significantly different (P < 0.05) against the parallel controls. Comparison of the effect of the insecticide on SOD induction at various concentrations among the groups based on age difference showed significantly different result (P < 0.05), especially among the groups fed with 10 % (w/w) of the insecticide in the diet. Results of this study show that in non-target organisms “Rambo” insect powder may induce superoxide dismutase activity thus suggesting oxidative-stress related toxicity. Keywords: superoxide dismutase, permethrin , Rambo insect powder Biokemistri Vol. 17(2) 2005: 157-16

    Preliminary Investigation Into The Possible Endocrine Disrupting Activity Of Bonny Light Crude Oil Contaminated - Diet On Wistar Albino Rats

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    Many chemicals have recently been demonstrated to be Endocrine-disrupting compounds and may potential interfere with normal reproductive processes. In this study, we quantified the effect of Bonny-light crude oil contaminated diet on Wister albino rats. Forty-five rats (twenty male and twenty five females) were expose to Bonny –light crude oil contaminated diet at concentrations of 1%, 5% and 10% (w/w). Throughout the experiment, we observed 20 % reduction in fecundity in the 1% experimental group but in 5% experimental group, it was observed that there was a 45% reduction in fecundity when compared with parallel control group. However, the 10% group did not liter at all. There was a significant increase (p<0.05) in the testosterone level of male rats fed with 1% contaminated diet but the testosterone level of 5% and 10% treated group showed a significant reduction (p<0.05). The estrogen level in the female rats showed a general significant increase (p<0.05) in all the groups when compared with the female control group. This preliminary result suggest that Bonny-Light crude oil may have the potential to alter reproductive activity and hence a possible endocrine disruptor
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