Andrographis paniculata protects against brain hippocampus and cerebellum from mercury chloride induced damage by attenuating oxidative stress.

Mercury chloride (HgCl2) is a neurotoxicant that remains a health hazard despite numerous efforts to reduce its levels in the environment. The use of medicinal plants in treating various diseases and other toxic agents has grown popular owing to their effectiveness and affordable rates. Andrographis paniculata (A. paniculata) is a plant with astringent and detoxifying characteristics and is widely used worldwide for its medicinal and antioxidant benefits. This study aimed to investigate the possible protective effects of A. paniculata aqueous extract against HgCl2-induced memory impairment, oxidative stress, and brain damage. Twenty-five adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: control, HgCl2 0.5 mg/kg, HgCl2+AP 250 mg/kg, HgCl2+AP 500 mg/kg, or HgCl2+Ascorbic acid 200 mg/kg. For 28 days, administrations were given through oral gavage once a day. HgCl2 injection resulted in memory impairment, increased glutamate concentrations in the brain, and the production of oxidative stress. Memory impairment was prevented in A. paniculata-treated groups by balancing the levels of AChE and dopamine activities, which then lowered glutamate concentration, avoided oxidative stress, and improved histopathological alterations in the brain. A. paniculata alleviated HgCl2-induced memory impairment in Wistar rats by increasing the memory index, regulating neurotransmitter levels, and reducing oxidative stress.

COVID-19-Related Mental Health Burdens: Impact of Educational Level and Relationship Status Among Low-Income Earners of Western Uganda.

Objective: The study aimed to investigate the relationship between mental health with the level of education, relationship status, and awareness on mental health among low-income earners in Western Uganda. Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out among 253 participants. Anxiety, anger, and depression were assessed using a modified generalized anxiety disorder (GAD-7), Spielberger's State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2, and Beck Depression Inventory item tools, respectively. Results: The majority of our respondents were male (n = 150/253, 59.3), had a secondary level of education (104/253, 41.1), and were single (137/253, 54.2). No formal education and primary education (r2 = 47.4% and 6.4%, respectively) had a negative correlation with awareness of mental health care. In addition, no formal education had a positive correlation with anger and depression (r2 = 1.9% and 0.3%, respectively). Singleness in this study had a negative correlation with awareness of mental health care, anger, and depression (r2 = 1.9, 0.8, and 0.3%, respectively), and a positive correlation with anxiety (r2 = 3.9%). Conclusion: It is evident that education and relationship status influenced awareness on mental health care and mental health state among low-income earners in Western Uganda during the first COVID-19 lockdown. Therefore, policymakers should strengthen social transformation through the proper engagement of low-income earners in this COVID-19 era.

Comparative Microscopic Assessments of the Effect of Aqueous and Ethanol Extracts of Phoenix dactylifera L. in a Rat Model of Mercury-Triggered Hippocampal Changes.

Mercury is an environmental neurotoxicant that triggers structural and physiological alterations in different brain parts. The hippocampus is associated with learning and memory, and injury to this brain part may lead to behavioural and cognitive changes. Phoenix dactylifera (date palm) has been demonstrated to possess a variety of medical benefits. This study comparatively assessed the neuroprotective property of aqueous and ethanol fruit pulp extracts of P. dactylifera in a rat model of mercury-triggered hippocampal changes using microscopic examinations. Twenty-eight Wistar rats were divided into seven groups (I-VII, n=4). Group I (control) was administered distilled water (2ml/kg); group II was administered mercuric chloride, HgCl2 (5mg/kg); group III was administered vitamin C (100mg/kg) as reference drug +HgCl2; groups IV and V were administered aqueous extract (250mg/kg and 500mg/kg, respectively) +HgCl2, while groups VI and VII were administered ethanol extract (250mg/kg and 500mg/kg, respectively) +HgCl2. Extracts' neuroprotective property were evaluated using histological and histometric assessments of CA1 and CA3 hippocampal sub-regions. Results revealed cytoarchitectural changes including karyopyknosis, basophilic necrosis and remarkably decreased histometric features of hippocampal pyramidal neurons in HgCl2-treated group relative to control. Administration of the extracts remarkably ameliorated mercury-induced degenerative changes by preservation of cytoarchitectural features comparable to reference drug. Comparatively, neuroprotective efficacies of the extracts are relatively similar, especially at doses of 500mg/kg and could be attributed to antioxidant activities of constituent phytochemicals. Results suggest that aqueous and ethanol fruit pulp extracts of P. dactylifera may prove efficacious in ameliorating mercury-triggered microscopic alterations in the hippocampus of Wistar rats.

Competency in supportive supervision: a study of public sector medicines management supervisors in Uganda.

BACKGROUND: Supportive supervision has been found to be more effective than corrective fault-oriented inspections. Uganda's Ministry of Health in 2012 implemented a comprehensive strategy (SPARS) to build medicines management capacity in public sector health facilities. The approach includes supportive supervision. This structured observational study assesses supportive supervision competency among medicines management supervisors (MMS). METHOD: The study used structured observations of two groups of five purposely selected MMS-one group supervising facilities with greater medicines management improvement during one year of SPARS and one group with less improvement, based on quantitative metrics. We observed and scored behaviors and skills of supervisors in 11 categories deemed critical for effective and supportive supervision. RESULTS: Supportive supervision was not evenly or adequately implemented, with the median supportive supervision competency score for all observed supervisors being 38%. Supervisors' main strengths were problem identification, data interpretation, education, and providing constructive feedback (45%-47%). Their weakest areas were assuring continuity and setting targets (17%), and most MMS were fair to strong in effective communication, use of tools, and problem solving. MMS of facilities with little improvement in medicines management over time were weak in setting targets and promoting participation. There was a 33 percentage point difference in the median supportive supervision competency scores between MMS of facilities with more versus less improvement (57%-24%) and a 77 percentage point difference in competency between the highest and lowest scoring MMS (77%-0%). We did not find a relationship between MMS experience (number of visits implemented) and their supportive supervision competency or facility improvement in medicines management. However, there is a likely relationship between supportive supervision competency and facility improvement. CONCLUSION: Competency of MMS in supportive supervision among the sampled MMS was generally weak, but with much individual variation. Our results suggest that MMS' supportive supervision competency is positively related to the SPARS effectiveness scores of the facilities they supervise. We recommend strategies to strengthen supportive supervision behaviors and skills.