Hepatoprotective and immune-reconstitution potentials of carrot-ginger blend among HIV-infected patients taking antiretroviral therapy in Kaduna, Nigeria

Hepatotoxicity, micronutrients insufficiency and cost of micronutrient supplements are challenges faced by HIV infected patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART). This study investigated the effect of natural plant micronutrients (vitamins A, C, and E, selenium and Zinc supplements from carrot-ginger (75:25) blend on liver enzymes: Alanine transaminase (ALT) and Aspartate transaminase (AST), CD4 + T lymphocytes and body mass index (BMI) of HIV-infected-patients taking ART. Ninety HIV-infected-patients attending Special Treatment Clinic, Kafanchan General Hospital, Kaduna State, Nigeria, were randomized into three groups of thirty patients each: Group 1 is control group and received ART alone, Group 2 is standard group and received ART with ready to use commercial micronutrient supplement (SelACER supplement) while Group 3 is supplement group and received ART + Carrot-Ginger blend for 90 days. Serum Alanine, Aspartate transaminase, CD4 + T lymphocytes and BMI were assessed using standard methods at baseline (day 0), 30 days, 60 days and 90 days. The results indicated that patients on CarrotGinger blend and SelACER micronutrients supplements show significant (p<0.05) reduction in ALT and AST level. However, there was no significant (p>0.05) difference in patients treated with ART alone when compared to their baseline values. The results indicated that patients on carrot-ginger blend and SelACE® supplements had significant (p<0.05) increase in BMI, CD4+ T-cell counts, serum vitamins A, C, E, selenium and zinc from day zero. There was no significant (p>0.05) difference in patients treated with ART alone compared to their baseline values. In addition, patients on SelACE® supplement revealed significant (p<0.05) difference in their mean BMI, CD4+ T-cell counts, serum vitamins A, C, E, Selenium and Zinc compared to patients on carrot-ginger blend after 90 days. The results also indicated a strong positive association (r=0.97) between serum ALT and AST activity and between CD4+ T cell counts and body mass index (r=0.77) after 90 days. Therefore, micronutrients supplementation of HIV patients during ART treatment with Carrot-Ginger blend could also be a beneficial adjunct to ART due to its potentials to reconstitute the immune system and protect the liver in HIV individuals on ART.

Microbial production of histamine and the imperatives of processed food consumption

Food processing and storage increase the value chain of food items, both for commercial purposes and for future use by peasant producers. The roles of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeasts in the processing of dairy, brewed, bakery and traditionally fermented foods cannot be over-emphasized. These organisms improve the nutritional contents and organoleptic properties of these foods. However, certain undesired products, especially from protein-rich foods, notably, biogenic amines often characterize the process. This is usually a physiologic response by the organisms to the food environments such as pH, and is often influenced by temperature, time and salt concentration. Histamine production during such a process often results in the accumulation of exogenous histamine in the foods, thereby constituting health hazards to the consumers. Histamine food poisoning affects virtually every system of the body due to the widespread physiological roles of histamine in the body, presenting a wide range of symptoms that make diagnosis difficult. More regulated scientific approaches should be adopted by food processors and handlers especially in the developing countries where technologies may not be available.

Effect of salinity stress on the antioxidant defence systems of two varieties of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.)

Osmotic stress, oxidative stress and oxidation of essential macromolecules are common consequences of salinity stress that limit plant growth and productivity. Plants are known to evolve several strategies such as upsurge of antioxidant defence systems (ADS) and accumulation of osmolytes, so as to thrive under such conditions. In the present study, the effect of salinity stress (using irrigation method) on ADS of two cultivars (IT-99 and IT-288) of cowpea was examined. Plant samples (roots, young leaves and matured leaves) were harvested on day 21 of treatment with saline solution (100 – 400 mM NaCl). Antioxidant markers and osmolytes levels were quantified and compared with the controls (0.0 mM NaCl). The activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase significantly increased (p<0.05) in the leaves, except for IT-288 where catalase activity significantly decreased (p<0.05) when compared to the control. On the contrary, catalase and peroxidase activities significantly decreased (p<0.05) in the roots of both cultivars. Largely, ascorbate, glutathione (GSH) and tocopherols levels increased as salinity increases, except for GSH in roots of IT-99, and leaves of IT-288. The amount of flavonoids detected in the same tissue were not significantly (p>0.05) different in all the salinity levels investigated. The level of proline increased at moderate salinity levels in all samples and at high salinity in roots of IT-99 and mature leaves of IT-288. For IT-99, levels of glycinebetaine significantly increased (p<0.05) at high salinity, but significantly decreased at similar levels in IT-288. H2O2 levels significantly increased in the roots but decreased (p<0.05) in leaves samples. Malondialdehyde concentration generally increased significantly (p<0.05) when compared with control. The findings of these study suggest that both cultivars were induced to express higher antioxidant activity and to a certain extent synthesis of more osmolytes.

The use of microstructures in the authentication of powdered drug plants

Adulteration and substitution of herbal drugs are trending issues in the herbal industry, posing a serious threat to commercial natural product research. The anatomy of powdered and non-powdered samples of plant species were compared to ascertain their similarities. Air dried powdered leaf samples and unground or intact leaves, flowers and barks of eight medicinal plant species, namely, Vernonia amygdalina, Ocimum gratisimum, Trichilia monadelpha, Bridelia ferruginea, Lophira alata., Alstonia boonei, Dialium guineense and Enantia chlorantha were studied anatomically with the aim of identifying the original plant parts used in the preparation of the drugs. The microscopic studies of leaves of V. amygdalina and O. gratisimum revealed the presence of similar stomatal complex types and trichomes in both ground and unground samples. The anatomy and palynology of T. monadelpha flower revealed that bipolar, inaperturate, monopolar, monoporate, tetracolporate and triporate pollens are present in both the ground and unground samples. The microscopic study of the barks of L. alata, B. ferruginea, A. boonei, D. guineense and E. chlorantha also showed similar cells in ground and unground samples. The anatomical features are, therefore, elucidated for authentication of the originality of the medicinal plants studied.

Assessment of phytoplankton composition and physicochemical parameters of Omasi rice field, Anambra State, Nigeria

The microalgae and physicochemical parameters of floodwater of Omasi rice field in Anambra State, Nigeria were studied. Samples for the studies were collected at monthly intervals. The microalgae were studied using light microscopy and identified with taxonomic keys, text books and photograph materials from the internet. The physicochemical parameters and coliform content of the floodwater were analysed using the methods described by the American Public Health Association. Simple means of the parameters and percentages of the algal populations were calculated, while Pearson correlation (p ≤ 0.05) was used to check for significance of the relationships between the investigated parameters. A total of 12 algal taxa belonging to Chlorophyta (48.99%), Cyanophyta (32.89%), Euglenophyta (10.07%), and Bacillariophyceae (8.05%) were recorded in decreasing order of abundance. Water temperature ranged from 26-38 °C with mean of 33.3 ± 2.56 °C; colour ranged from 15-175 Hazen units with mean of 86.25 ± 33.19 Hazen units; depth of water ranged from 7-10.5 cm with mean of 9.38 ± 0.8 cm. Ranges of nitrates and phosphates with their respective means were 0.5-1.8 mg/l (0.86±0.31 mg/l) and 0.79-1.96 mg/l (1.18±0.28 mg/l). Omasi rice field supported the growth of diverse algal groups and species; this may be as a result of available nutrients and good climate as can be deduced from the correlation analyses. Omasi rice field is typical of tropical freshwaters and some tropical rice fields that have been studied in terms of microalgal diversities and some physicochemistry

Severity of Phytophthora leaf blight disease and susceptibility of two local varieties of Colocasia to Phytophthora colocasiae Raciborski in Nsukka zone of South Eastern Nigeria

Leaf-blight disease of Colocasia caused by Phytophthora colocasiae Raciborski has been a serious impediment to cocoyam production in Nigeria. Disease severity and susceptibility of the two most cultivated local varieties “Ugwuta” (Colocasia esculenta var. antiquorum) and “Nkashi Colocasia esculenta var. esculenta) were investigated. Disease severity was visually estimated as the percentage leaf surface affected by blight, lesion or lesion-related chlorosis for each leaf of a plant using a seven-point scale of 0, 5, 10, 25, 50, 75 and 100% in three locations: Ede-Oballa, Nsukka Urban and Obukpa. Susceptibility was assessed on 2 months old potted plants of each variety inoculated with a 7-day old culture of P. colocasiae. Diameters of lesions on inoculated leaves were recorded from the 3rd - 8th day after inoculation. Data on severity were subjected to ANOVA and susceptibility of the varieties was compared with t-test. Results revealed significant LSD=4.96 (0.05) and varying degrees of leaf blight severity among varieties and locations. Variety antiquorum had significantly higher severities of 42.08, 46.40 and 47.42% at Ede-Oballa, Nsukka Urban and Obukpa respectively, compared to 34.85, 36.55 and 28.19% recorded by var. esculenta at these locations, respectively. Similarly, var. antiquorum had greater lesion diameter ranging from 0.65±0.07 cm - 3.70±0.14 cm and average diameter of 2.4±0.16cm compared to var. esculenta which had 0.41±0.14cm - 3.12±0.19 cm and average diameter of 1.80±0.16. This research has shown that varieties and locations affect the severity and susceptibility of Phytophthora leaf blight disease. This could be a guide to farmers having known that var. esculenta is less severe to Phytophthora leaf blight disease.

Nutritional changes induced by fungi on cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) seeds

Seeds are usually infected by microorganisms and pests during storage, causing deterioration and reduction in the nutritive and market value of these seeds. In this study, the proximate composition of Vigna unguiculata seeds inoculated with different fungal organisms was determined to ascertain the level of deterioration caused by fungi on the seeds. The fungi used in the study were Botryodiplodia theobromae, Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizopus stolonifer and Aspergillus niger. There was a significant increase (p<0.05, 0.008) in the protein content of seeds inoculated with fungi. Fusarium oxysporum (29.45%) caused the highest increase in protein followed by Aspergillus niger (28.14%), Botryodiplodia theobromae (27.85%) and Rhizopus stolonifer (27.50%). The increase could be attributed to the proteineous content of the fungal mycelia. There was a significant increase (p<0.05, 0.005/0.014) in moisture and ash content of inoculated seeds respectively. Fusarium oxysporum caused the highest increase in ash (7.93) while Rhizopus stolonifer (5.4) caused the lowest increase. The increase in ash content is due to the presence of minerals like potassium and phosphorus in the mycelia of the fungi. There was a significant decrease (p<0.05, 0.019) in the carbohydrate, lipid, fibre and dry matter content of fungi-inoculated seeds when compared with the control. Fusarium oxysporum (36.6) caused the highest decrease while Rhizopus stolonifer (43.2) caused the lowest decrease in dry matter of inoculated seeds. Decrease in dry matter may be as a result of production of enzymes by these fungi.

Stochastic evaluation of benthic biocoenosis as pollution assessment tool in a perturbed aquatic ecosystem

To analyse the extent of disturbances and determine the state of health of aquatic systems, the integration of several biological effects at different levels of biological organization has been used. One of the most valuable methods of biological effect measurements is the use of ecological surveys at community and population levels. In this study, the distributional evaluation of benthic biocoenosis was undertaken to determine site-specific differences in community assemblage in relation to environmental status of the study sites. Three study locations (Okobaba, Iddo and Tin Can Island) in the western side of the Lagos Lagoon with highest concentrations of human activities were selected. These sites represent areas directly affected by major anthropogenic discharge into the Lagos Lagoon. Samples were collected for six consecutive months (March and August 2014). There was great variation in parameters investigated among the study sites. The concentrations of dissolved oxygen in surface water varied from 3.0- 4.5 mg/L. Chlorophyll a in surface water fluctuated from 0.12- 2.01 mg/L whereas, in sediment values varied from 0.14-1.32 mg/g. Biomass of microphytobenthos (MPB) varied from 1.4-13.2 g. Of the total 841 MPB cells collected the highest population was recorded in Okobaba. Twelve MPB taxa were recorded in the study area. The most important species in terms of numerical abundance was Oscillatoria sp. This organism occurred in all the study stations and recorded a total of 113 cells in the study stretch. A major feature of the population distribution of the MPB taxa in this study is the occurrence of higher number of cells at Okobaba. The number of individuals and the distribution of BMF taxa varied greatly from one study location to another. Of the total 801 individuals collected, 398 were recorded at Okobaba, 316 occurred at Tin Can Island and 18 at Iddo. Unlike the case of MPB organisms, a fewer number of BMF taxa were recorded in the study area. The most important MBF taxon in terms of numerical abundance was Pachymelania aurita. This organism occurred in all the study sites and recorded a total of 162 individuals thereby constituting 20% of the total MBF population collected. The benthic community observed in this study was characterized by low number of individuals and the species of MPB and MBF recorded are known opportunistic species common in stressed environments.

Incidence and relative abundance of rice stem borers in three selected rice fields in Lagos and Ogun States, Nigeria

This study was conducted to investigate the incidence of rice stem borer infestations and the species composition present in the selected rice fields. Data were collected between April 2017 and November 2018 across three locations, which include the upland rice field in Agbajege, Ogun state, rainfed lowland in Itoikin and Mangrove swamp in Igbogun, Lagos state, respectively. The incidence of rice stem borers was indicated by dead heart and white heads symptoms, while tillers were excised for rice stem borer identification and population. Results showed a high and low incidence of rice stem borers with no significant difference(p>0.05) at p= 0.29 and 0.37 between the early and late planting seasons in the rainfed lowland and upland rice fields respectively. Planting seasons were significant in the incidence of rice stem borers in mangrove swamp rice fields at p<0.05, p=0.01). This study showed that the predominant species of rice stem borers present in the three study sites were Chilo zacconius and Sesamia calamistis. C. zacconius was the most abundant species at 89% while S. calamistis was 11%. Rice stem borer populations were significantly higher at (p<0.05, p=0.000) in flooded zones while the highest rice stem borer populations were observed at the reproductive phase of the rice plants. Thisstudy showed that the planting seasons coincided with the peak period of the development of rice stem borers. Hence, conservation of natural enemies, monitoring and surveillance should be adopted in insect pest management in rice agroecosystems

Anthropometric indices as novel markers of risk in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among Nigerian adults in Zamfara State

Body mass index (BMI) has traditionally been used as an indicator of body size measure and composition. Although, other measures of adiposity of the abdomen such as waist circumference (WC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), neck circumference (NC) have been suggested as being superior to BMI in predicting disease outcome. This study was designed to compare different anthropometric variables in term of their ability to predict type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This was a case-control study in 240 participants involving 120 verified T2DM cases and 120 non-diabetics as control. Age, gender and anthropometric data were collected from each participant. Logistic regression models were used with areas under the receiver operating characteristic (AROC) curve to compare the variables predictive statistics. The AROC of WHR to identify T2DM patients was 0.678 (P<0.05), with sensitivity 62.5% of and specificity of 60.8%. The AROC for average arm circumference (AAC) model is 0.649 with sensitivity of 55.8% followed by BMI model (AROC 0.635) and WC model (AROC 0.600) (P<0.05). Hip circumference (HC) (AROC 0.508) and NC (AROC 0.492) models were not significant predictors of T2DM. Subjects of ≥60 years, AAC value ≥32.6 cm, BMI value ≥ 30 kg/m2, and WHR value ≥ 0.93 were at significantly (P<0.05) higher odds of developing T2DM than lower subjects with lower values. There were no significant differences (P>0.05) in the mean HC and NC values between the diabetic and non-diabetic subjects. The non-diabetic subjects have significantly (P>0.05) higher mean height value than the diabetic subjects. Measures of generalized and central obesity were significantly associated with increased risk of developing T2DM. This study revealed that WHR can predict type 2 diabetes mellitus risk more accurately than other anthropometric measures and can thus be helpful in predicting patients with future occurrence of diabetes and providing necessary interventions