Phyto suppression of Plasmodium berghei Multiplication by Nauclea latifolia improves the Indices of Pancreatic Beta Cell Function and Anaemia in Experimental Mice.

BACKGROUND: Malaria remains one of the major causes of childhood mortality in many parts of the world, especially in the sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria. Increasing chemotherapeutic failure and side effects of available antimalarial drugs have promoted the use of natural herbs for the treatment of malaria in Nigerian communities. OBJECTIVE: To study the phytosuppression of P berghei by Nauclea latifolia and its effects on the indices of anaemia and pancreatic beta cell function in experimental mice. METHODS: Fifty mice were divided into 10 groups (n=5) and used for the study. Group 1 (control) were uninfected but given placebo. Group 2 were infected with P berghei and treated with placebo. Groups 3, 4, 5, 8, 9 and 10 received N. latifolia treatment, while Groups 6 and 7 received standard chloroquine treatment. Groups 3, 4, 5 and 6 were however infected with the malarial parasite. Blood samples were collected by heart puncture and prepared for the estimation of haemoglobin, insulin and glucose. The pancreatic beta cell function (HOMA-beta) was determined using the fasting serum insulin and glucose levels as documented. RESULTS: P. berghei malaria infection caused a significant reduction in haemoglobin that led to anaemia in the mice, There were elevated HOMA-beta) in the parasitized and chloroquine treated groups, suggesting possible pancreatic beta cell dysfunction. Treatment with N. latifolia showed parasitaemia suppression and' improved pancreatic beta cell function and haemoglobin concentrations. CONCLUSION: N. latifolia contains bioactive phytochemicals that suppresses malaria parasite multiplication and improves pancreatic beta cell function.

Levels of some micronutrients in some Nigerian hypertensives.

A total of seventy (70) consenting subjects were recruited for this study. The subjects consist of fifty (50) hypertensive subjects yet to receive treatment and twenty (20) normotensive (control) subjects. Subjects' blood pressure values were measured and serum was obtained from the whole blood collected by vene puncture using centrifugation technique. Serum calcium, phosphorus and magnesium were determined by established procedures using commercial kit reagents. Results show that the mean serum calcium, phosphorus and magnesium levels for hypertensive patients were 1.98 +/- 0.22 mmol/L, 1.65 +/- 0.42 mmol/L and 0.88 +/- 0.20 mmol/L as against 2.11 +/- 0.10 mmol/L, 1.50 +/- 0.12 mmol/L and 0.96 +/- 0.05 mmol/L for normotensive subjects. Fifty-four (54) percent and twelve (12) percent of the hypertensives had reduced calcium and magnesium levels respectively, but none for the normotensive subjects. Fifty-eight (58) percent of the hypertensive patients and forty-five (45) percent of the normotensives had elevated serum phosphorus levels, but no subject was hypophophataemic. Hypertension reduced serum calcium (P < 0.05) and magnesium (P > 0.05) levels among hypertensives in the south-south area of Nigeria. These micronutrients are therefore implicated in the progression of hypertension. These micronutrients are therefore implicated in the progression of hypertension. The effects of antihypertensive drugs and/or micronutrients' supplementation on blood pressure and serum calcium, phosphorous and magnesium levels in our study area should be further investigated. This is important because beneficial adjunct to the available modalities in the treatment of hypertension especially in Nigeria could be identified.

Effect of Nigerian citrus (Citrus sinensis Osbeck) honey on ethanol metabolism.

The effect of Nigerian citrus (Citrus sinensis Osbeck) honey on ethanol metabolism was tested using 45 consenting individuals in apparent good health and between the ages of 25 and 35 years. The subjects were moderate social drinkers matched in terms of body weight and build. The results obtained showed that on average, honey significantly (p < 0.05) increased the blood ethanol clearance rate by 68% and decreased the intoxication period by 43%, but insignificantly (p > 0.05) reduced the degree of intoxication by 9%. Honey could be a promising anti-intoxicating agent, but its long-term biochemical evaluation, possibly as a complement in the management of alcohol intoxication, deserves further study.