Aliyu Mohammed

Evaluation of physiologic pain in relation to pain substances in healthy subjects

This study was aimed at finding a relationship between pain modulators in the blood and physiological pain in apparently healthy Nigerians. It also aimed at establishing a pilot study for finding reference values for plasma levels of substance P, serotonin and tryptophan for the first time among Nigerians. Volunteers were made up of 110 residents of Abuja, aged between 21 and 50 years. Cold pressor test was used to induce pain assessing pain intensity, threshold and tolerance. ELISA was used to assay for plasma substance P, serotonin and tryptophan. Pain parameters from cold pressor test were correlated with plasma pain modulators measured. Results from cold pressor test revealed pain intensity to be 5.79±0.25cm, pain threshold 28.77±2.32s and pain tolerance 143.62±24.39s. Blood plasma level of substance P was 116.52±20.53pg/mL, serotonin 454.18±30.16ng/mL and tryptophan 12.77±0.67μg/mL. There was negative correlation between pain threshold and plasma substance P, pain tolerance and plasma substance P and pain threshold and plasma serotonin. There was however a positive correlation between pain intensity and plasma serotonin. In conclusion, the regression formulas may aid in using cold pressor test to predict blood substance levels of the measured pain modulators in a low resource setting like Nigeria where ELISA test is very expensive.

Cloacal temperature responses of broiler chickens administered with betaine and ascorbic acid during the hot-dry season

The experiment was performed to evaluate cloacal temperature (CT) responses in broiler chickens, administered with betaine and ascorbic acid (AA) during the hot–dry season. Broilers were divided into four groups: Group I (control) was given sterile water; Group II, betaine at 250 mg/kg; Group III, AA at 50 mg/kg and Group IV, betaine (250 mg/kg) + AA (50 mg/kg). The different solutions were given orally for 42 days. Dry-bulb temperature (DBT), relative humidity (RH) and temperature-humidity index (THI) in the pen, and CT of each broiler chicken were measured bihourly (06:00–18:00 h) on days 28, 35 and 42. DBT, RH and THI values were outside the thermo-neutral zone for broiler chickens. Results showed that AA lowered (p < 0.001) CT, while betaine + AA increased (p < 0.001) CT, compared with controls. In conclusion, betaine + AA or AA alone modulated CT responses of broiler chickens subjected to the thermal stress in the hot–dry season.

Effect of Resveratrol as Caloric Restriction Mimetic and Environmental Enrichment on Neurobehavioural Responses in Young Healthy Mice

Caloric restriction and environmental enrichment have been separately reported to possess health benefits such as improvement in motor and cognitive functions. Resveratrol, a natural polyphenolic compound, has been reported to be caloric restriction mimetic. This study therefore aims to investigate the potential benefit of the combination of resveratrol as CR and EE on learning and memory, motor coordination, and motor endurance in young healthy mice. Fifty mice of both sexes were randomly divided into five groups of 10 animals each: group I animals received carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) orally per kg/day (control), group II animals were maintained on every other day feeding, group III animals received resveratrol 50 mg/kg, suspended in 10 g/L of (CMC) orally per kg/day, group IV animals received CMC and were kept in an enriched environment, and group V animals received resveratrol 50 mg/kg and were kept in EE. The treatment lasted for four weeks. On days 26, 27, and 28 of the study period, the animals were subjected to neurobehavioural evaluation. The results obtained showed that there was no significant change in neurobehavioural responses in all the groups when compared to the control which indicates that 50 mg/kg of resveratrol administration and EE have no significant effects on neurobehavioural responses in young healthy mice over a period of four weeks.

Behavioral and hematological responses of broiler chickens administered with betaine and ascorbic acid during hot-dry season

ABSTRACT Heat stress is a major problem in poultry production in tropical regions. Assessing the impact of thermally stressful environmental conditions on the welfare of broiler chickens is of great importance. Behavioral responses in a novel environment and hematology of broiler chickens administered with betaine and/or ascorbic acid (AA) during the hot-dry season were evaluated. Broiler chickens were randomly divided into four groups: Group I (control) was given sterile water, Group II was given betaine, Group III was given AA, and Group IV received betaine + AA orally and daily for 42 days. An open-field test was used to assess behavior. Hematological parameters were obtained using a hematology auto-analyzer. The natural environmental conditions were predominantly outside the thermoneutral zone for broiler chickens. Results demonstrated that treated groups exhibited improved ability to adjust faster to a new environment and better hematological responses than controls, evidenced by enhanced behavioral responses, oxygen-carrying capacity, and immune responses of broiler chickens under unfavorable environmental conditions. Betaine and/or AA administration to broiler chickens improved some behavioral responses, hemoglobin concentrations, packed cell volume, and total leukocyte count during the hot-dry season.

Resveratrol prevents high-fat diet-induced obesity and oxidative stress in rabbits

The rapid epidemiological progression of obesity worldwide has been associated with increased consumption of diets, rich in fat and sugar. Mediterranean diets rich in resveratrol are associated with reduced risk of obesity and oxidative stress. The aim of the experiment was to investigate the protective effect of resveratrol on high fat diet (HFD) induced obesity and oxidative stress changes in rabbits. Thirty rabbits divided into six groups of five animals each were used for the experiment: Group 1 = control (C), Group 2 = high fat diet (HFD) only, Group 3 = resveratrol 200 mg/kg (R200), Group 4 = resveratrol 400 mg/kg (R400), Group 5 = HFD + R200 and group 6 = HFD + R400. After four weeks of treatment, the HFD group showed significant (P < 0.05) increase in body weight of the animals, when compared with the groups co- administered with resveratrol and high-fat diet, and resveratrol alone groups. Activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in the HFD groups co-administered with resveratrol when compared with HFD group only. In conclusion, administration of HFD to rabbits increased body weight and decreased antioxidant enzyme activities which were mitigated by resveratrol administration.

Resveratrol increases serum adiponectin level and decreases leptin and insulin level in an experimental model of hypercholesterolemia

Serum adiponectin concentration is inversely associated with leptin and insulin concentration. There is little paucity of information in the literature on the adipokine levels and regulation by resveratrol in cholesterol diet-fed animals. Thirty rabbits were randomly divided into six groups, each of five animals: Group 1 = control (C), Group 2 = cholesterol diet (CD) only, Group 3 = resveratrol 200 mg/kg (R200), Group 4 = resveratrol 400 mg/kg (R400), Group 5 = CD + R200, Group 6 = CD + R400. The preparations were administered for 8th weeks of the treatment protocol. weight and blood glucose level were measured on week zero and the 8th week of the treatment. At the end of the study period, the rabbits were placed under light anaesthesia. Blood samples were evaluated for serum concentrations of metabolites assays (adiponectin, leptin and insulin). Serum adiponectin significantly (P < 0.05) increased in resveratrol + CD groups, compared to CD group only. Leptin and insulin significantly (P <0.05) decreased in CD groups co-administered with resveratrol, compared with CD group only. In conclusion, the increase in adiponectin level and decrease in leptin and insulin level following resveratrol administration elucidated the therapeutic potential of resveratrol, despite cholesterol diet consumption.

Ameliorative effects of betaine and ascorbic acid on erythrocyte osmotic fragility and malondialdehyde concentrations in broiler chickens during the hot-dry season

ABSTRACT The study evaluated the effect of betaine and ascorbic acid (AA) administration on the erythrocyte osmotic fragility (EOF) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration of broiler chickens during the hot-dry season. Eighty day-old broilers were divided into four groups: Group I (control) given sterile water; Group II, betaine (250 mg/kg); Group III, AA (50 mg/kg); and Group IV, betaine (250 mg/kg) + AA (50 mg/kg) orally for 42 days. Blood samples were collected from each bird with and without anticoagulant, sodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, on days 21 and 42, for the determination of EOF and serum MDA concentrations. The dry-bulb temperature (DBT), relative humidity and temperature-humidity index (THI) recorded were 28.33–35.67°C, 69.00–93.00% and 28.18–34.82, respectively. The results showed that betaine + AA (7.78 ± 1.66%) significantly (P < .05) reduced EOF, compared to control birds (16.27 ± 9.35%) at 0.7% on day 21. MDA concentrations of broiler chickens in the betaine (1.37 ± 0.038 nmol/L), AA (1.41 ± 0.039 nmol/L) and betaine + AA (1.41 ± 0.040 nmol/L) groups during the experimental period were significantly (P < .05) lower when compared with that of the control group (1.54 ± 0.043 nmol/L). It is concluded that the co-administration of betaine and AA to broiler chickens decreased EOF and MDA during the hot-dry season.