Hypoglycaemic activity of ethyl acetate fraction of the leaf extract of Telfairia occidentalis.

The leaf of Telfairia occidentalis has been found to possess hypoglycemic or antihyperglycemic effect. The hypoglycemic principle of the leaf is yet to be isolated. The aim of this study is to evaluate the hypoglycemic activity of some fractions of ethanolic leaf extract of Telfairia occidentalis in rat as a step toward activity directed isolation of the hypoglycemic component. Ethanolic leaf extract was successively extracted with ethyl acetate, butanol and ethanol to obtain ethyl acetate, butanol and ethanol fractions (I-III). The residue was taken as fraction IV. 250 mg/kg of the various extracts were orally administered to normoglycaemic and alloxan-induced diabetic albino rats. Blood glucose concentration was evaluated at 0, 1, 2 and 4 hours after treatment with One Touch glucometer. None of the fractions reduced glucose concentration in the normoglycaemic rats, while only ethyl acetate fraction lowered glucose concentration significantly at 2 and 4 hours (49.7 and 39.0%) compared to control value of 74.9 and 69.7%, respectively, in the diabetic rats. The results showed that the hypoglycemic component of the ethanolic leaf extract of the plant is contained in the ethyl acetate fraction.

Local cytokine profiles in knee osteoarthritis: elevated synovial fluid interleukin-15 differentiates early from end-stage disease.

OBJECTIVE: Much of what is known about the inflammatory response in the synovial membrane (SM) of patients with osteoarthritis (OA) comes from studies of synovial tissues from end-stage disease. In this study, we sought to better characterize the inflammatory infiltrate in symptomatic patients with early signs of knee OA, and to determine how inflammatory cell populations relate to the pattern of cytokine and degradative enzyme production. METHODS: Study populations comprised patients with degenerative meniscal tears and early cartilage thinning undergoing arthroscopic procedures (early OA) and patients undergoing total knee replacement for end-stage OA. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to measure expression of SM cytokines and enzymes implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory arthritis and OA, as well as cell lineage-specific markers. We quantified synovial fluid (SF) cytokines and enzymes by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and SM cell populations by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: We found increased levels of SF interleukin-15 (IL-15) protein in the early knee OA patients when compared to end-stage OA. Both SF IL-15 protein and numbers of CD8 cells within SM correlated with matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and three levels. TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-21 were also detectable in the SF of the majority of patients, and IL-15 levels were associated with IL-6 levels. CONCLUSION: IL-15 is elevated in early knee OA, suggesting activation of an innate immune response in the SM. The association of IL-15 expression with CD8 transcripts and MMPs implicates this cytokine in OA pathogenesis and as a candidate therapeutic target.

The effect of changing living standards on iron status in pregnancy in Calabar urban.

Reduced meat intake is often associated with iron deficiency anaemia. Reduced meat intake that arose from the frugality associated with a prolonged period of national economic reorientation policy, known as the "structural adjustment programme" (SAP), may have placed iron-stress on pregnancy in particular. Iron status of pre-SAP and SAP pregnancies were established from measurement of the haematological values of subjects. Indices such as haemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume, serum Fe were lower in pregnancy especially during SAP. However, SAP pregnancy serum ferritin did not respond significantly to iron depletion. Unlike PCV, Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC) and serum transferrin values showed a reverse behaviour. The level of these values, however, portends a toll exerted on body iron status in pregnancy associated with reduced haem iron intake. The changes in these values did not, however, lead to any over symptoms of iron deficiency probably because increased sea food (molluscs) consumption ameliorates the iron-toll from low absorbed non-haem iron. For lower income rural women in non-coastal areas, the absence of seafood in their diets exacerbates the low iron status in Pregnancy.

Bacteriological evaluation of pre-cut fruits sold in Kano metropolis, Kano State, Nigeria.

One hundred and fifty (150) pre-cut fruit samples comprising of Pineapples (50), Paw-paw (50) and Watermelon (50) at the point of stand retail outlets were tested by standard bacteriological methods to determine bacterial contamination of the fruits. Out of these 150 examined 136 (90.67%) were contaminated with bacteria. The bacterial distribution were; Escherichia coli 69 (46.00%), Staphylococcus aureus 29 (19.33%), Salmonella species 13 (8.67%), Proteus species 18 (12.00%), Enterobacter aerogenes 3 (2.00%), Klebsiella pneumoniae 2 (1.33%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa 2 (1.33%). Among the 50 Pineapple pre-cuts, Escherichia coli 26 (17.33%), Staphylococcus aureus 6 (4.00%), Salmonella species 7 (4.67%), Proteus species 9 (6.00%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa 2 (1.33%); the 50 Watermelon had Escherchia coli 22 (14.67%), Staphylococcus aureus 13 (8.67%), Salmonella species 3 (2.00%), Proteus species 5 (3.33%), Enterobacter aerogenes 2 (1.33%), Klebsiella species 2 (1.33%). Of the 50 Paw-paw pre-cuts were: Escherichia coli 21 (14.00%), Staphylococcus aureus 10 (6.67%), Salmonella species 3 (2.00%), Proteus species 4 (2.67%), Enterobacter aerogenes 1 (0.67%) were isolated. The findings in this study have shown that the food vendors failed to adopt adequate hygiene for food handling and thus, suggest that the quality of all the pre-cut fruits sold at the retail outlets were not bacteriologically satisfactory. The public health risks associated with these pre-cut fruits may suggest that these fruits could serve as the vehicles for foodborne illnesses. This study has shown the need to educate the vendors on how to protect utensils and fruits to avoid contamination and spoilage.