Effect of Epilepsy and Antiepileptic Drugs Therapy on Erythrocyte Malondialdehyde and Some Antioxidants in Persons with Epilepsy.

BACKGROUND: Antiepileptic drugs are necessary for successful treatment of epilepsy. Unfortunately, epilepsy itself and some antiepileptic drugs have been documented to provoke or worsen seizure frequency by altering blood levels of some oxidants and antioxidants in persons with epilepsy. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effect of epilepsy and antiepileptic drugs on blood levels of some oxidants and antioxidants. METHODOLOGY: This was a cross-sectional case-control study. Blood samples were obtained from 35 antiepileptic drug-experienced persons with epilepsy; 35 antiepileptic-naive persons with epilepsy; and 35 age- and- sex matched apparently healthy controls; and analysed for malondialdehyde and antioxidants (uric acid, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: One-hundred and five (105) subjects (35 patients on antiepileptic drugs, 35 newly diagnosed, antiepileptic drug-naive and 35 healthy controls) were investigated. The median ages of antiepileptic drug-experienced, antiepileptic drug-naive and healthy participants were 30.0, 26.0 and 37.0 years respectively. Persons with epilepsy had significantly higher blood levels of malondialdehyde and uric acid and lower levels of enzymatic antioxidants than healthy controls. Also, persons with epilepsy on antiepileptic drug polytherapy had signi-ficantly higher blood levels of malondialdehyde and uric acid and lower levels of enzymatic antioxidants than antiepileptic drug-naive persons with epilepsy and persons with epilepsy on antiepileptic drug monotherapy respectively. CONCLUSION: Epilepsy and antiepileptic drug significantly altered blood levels of malondialdehyde, uric acid and enzymatic antioxidants and/or their homeostatic kinetics.

Medication compliance behavior in psychiatric out-patients with psychoactive substance use comorbidity in a Nigerian tertiary hospital.

BACKGROUND: Psychotropic medication adherence is a major challenge in psychiatric patients with comorbidity. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to determine medication adherence behavior among psychiatric out-patients with psychoactive substance use comorbidity in a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A cross-sectional study of a tertiary hospital in Northern Nigeria. METHODS: Adult patients who have been attending the out-patient clinic for at least 1 year were included. From the routine clinic, each consecutive fourth patient completed a socio-demographic and drug use questionnaire, a self-administered medication adherence scale, and a semi-structured proforma which sought reasons for poor adherence, information on supervision and who keeps patient medications at home; until a calculated sample of 208 was attained. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Done by means of descriptive statistics using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 16. The level of significance was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: Totally, 208 patients participated in the study. 61 (29.3%) of them were substance users, out of which 59% never reported missing their medications. No statistically significant relationship was found between substance use and medication adherence. A significant proportion of substance users were compliant with medication use when the drugs were in their possession. For substance users and nonusers, the major reason for poor drug adherence was the unavailability of the medications, while nonsubstance users were more likely to complain about being tired of the medications. No report of side effects in supervised patients. CONCLUSION: The use of psychoactive substances in patients with other mental disorders influences their medication adherence behavior.

Pharmacological studies on siculine syrup. II: effects on smooth, skeletal and cardiovascular muscle preparations.

Earlier pharmacological screening showed that siculine syrup (a traditional herbal remedy purported to be useful in the prevention and treatment of sickle cell pain - crises, due to sickle cell anaemia - SCA) had antisickling and analgesic activities as well as antimicrobial and diuretic effects. SCA is an important haemoglobinopathy in Africa and many other communities/countries worldwide, with relatively high morbidity and mortality. The present study was to determine the effects of the extract on various isolated muscle preparations - smooth, skeletal and cardiovascular. Siculine (4-20 microg/mL), like acetylcholine (40-400 microg/mL), contracted the isolated rat uterus concentration dependently. Similar effects were observed with the guinea-pig ileum and rabbit jejunum (2-20 microg/mL). In contrast to these effects, the direct (muscle) and indirect (nerve) stimulations of rat phrenic nerve-diaphragm were relaxed by siculine (4 and 8 microg/mL) and d-tubocurarine (0.8 microg/mL). Siculine also concentration-dependently decreased both the rate and force of contraction of guinea-pig atria and rabbit heart and also resulted in a fall in cat blood pressure in a manner similar to those of acetylcholine. The possible therapeutic and/or toxicological consequences of these effects including the hypotensive activity is noteworthy since siculine syrup is used by the local population for the prevention and treatment of sickle cell pain crises.

Pharmacological evaluation of Ipomoea asarifolia (Desr.) against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Ipomoeaasarifolia (Desr.) Roem. and Schult. is used traditionally in some parts of Africa for the treatment of a variety of diseases. This study attempts to validate its hepatoprotective activity by evaluating the prophylactic and curative properties of the methanolic extract of Ipomoea asarifolia (IA) leaves. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Liver damage was induced by administering 0.5 ml/kg of an equal mixture of carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) in olive oil intraperitoneally on alternate days, for 5 days and the plant extract was given orally daily, for 7 days at doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg. RESULTS: Pre-treatment with the extract significantly (P<0.05) decreased CCl(4)-induced elevation in serum levels of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, triglycerides, bilirubin and cholesterol, better than the standard drug silymarin at 100 mg/kg. In the curative study, IA significantly (P<0.05) reversed CCl(4)-induced liver damage, comparable to silymarin. Hepatoprotective potential was further supported by decrease in pentobarbitone sleeping time and improved hepatic tissue histopathology. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that I. asarifolia leaves have potent hepatoprotective activity against CCl(4)-induced hepatic damage in rats.