Innocent A. Edagha

Rauwolfia vomitoria inhibits olfaction and modifies olfactory bulb cells.

The rising cost of orthodox medication has endeared so many to the use of herbs for the management of neurological conditions. Rauwolfia vomitoria (RV) one of such herbs is a rainforest shrub whose parts are used locally in the management of psychiatry and other medical issues. Its usefulness though not in doubt is wrapped with adverse reports as its active constituents depletes brain monoamine and dopamine stores. This motivated this research on the effects of the root bark extract on olfaction and the olfactory bulb of adult Wistar rats. Eighteen adult Wistar rats (220g average) were divided into three groups (n=6); control (placebo), 200mg/kg and 400mg/kg RV root bark extract, respectively. The oral administration lasted for seven days and on day 8, test of olfaction was carried out and the animals immediately anaesthetized with ketamine hydrochloride (i.p.) and perfuse-fixed with 10% neutral buffered formalin. All the brains were processed for histology and immunoreactivity. Results showed loss of body weights and olfaction in the 200mg/kg and 400mg/kg RV groups. There was hypertrophy and atrophy of mitral cells respectively, in the 200mg/kg and 400mg/kg RV groups, while there was hyperplasia of cells in the internal granular and plexiform layers of both groups. There was decreased neuron specific enolase (NSE) and neurofilament (NF) expression in the 200mg/kg RV group, while NF and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression was decreased in the 400mg/kg RV group. However, NSE expression was enhanced in the 400mg/kg group, while GFAP expression was enhanced in the 200mg/kg RV group. These results suggest that these doses of RV affect olfaction and appetite, and stimulate adverse cellular changes in the olfactory bulb.

Preliminary Study: Neurobehavioural Effects of Nauclea latifolia and Emilia sonchifolia in Mice Infected with Plasmodium berghei berghei

This study was designed to examine the effects of ethanolic leaf extracts of Nauclea latifolia and Emilia sonchifolia on anxiety, fear and locomotion in mice infected with plasmodium berghei berghei . Thirty male Swiss albino mice weighing between 26-30g divided into five groups with six mice in each group. Group 1 served as the Control group and was treated with 0.2ml of normal saline, Group 2 served as the parasitized non-treated, Group 3, was parasitized and treated with Coartem ® , Group 4 was parasitized then treated with Emilia sonchifolia , Group 5 was parasitized and treated with Nauclea latifolia and Group 6 was parasitized and treated with a combination of Nauclea latifolia and Emilia sonchifolia respectively. The mice were passaged with the parasite intraperitoneally and then administered extract orally using an orogavage cannula for a duration of 5 days. Behavioural tests were performed pretreatment (day 6 after parasite passage) and posttreatment (day 11). The results obtained showed that grooming frequency and stretch attend

Effect of Preconception Gamma Irradiation on Morphometric Assessment of Adult Female Mice and Embryo

El objetivo fue estudiar el efecto de la irradiacion gamma antes de la concepcion sobre la morfometria macroscopica de ratones hembra adultos y los embriones de sus crias. Veinte y siete ratones, 18 hembras y 9 machos, divididos en 3 grupos (control, sin irradiacion e irradiado) con 6 hembras y 3 machos cada uno en proporcion 2:1. Una dosis de radiacion gamma de 1 Gy/min fue aplicada a uno de los ratones expuestos por un equipo Cobalt 60, Theratron modelo 780c, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) en el departamento de radioterapia del Hospital University College de Ibadan. Todos los animales se aparearon 1 semana despues de la irradiacion. Se confirmaron los tapones vaginales, y las hembras prenadas fueron sacrificadas en el dia 14 de la gestacion por inhalacion de cloroformo. La morfologia general de los ratones hembras y sus camadas fueron evaluadas y analizadas estadisticamente. Un total de 113 embriones se recolectaron en todos los grupos, 54 del grupo control, 50 del grupo no irradiados y 9 del grupo irradiado. Las evaluaciones morfologicas macroscopicas de los fetos fueron estadisticamente significativas (p<0,05) para los 3 grupos de comparacion. Estos hallazgos sugieren que una irradiacion previa a la concepcion afecta a la morfologia de los ratones hembra y su progenie.

Ethanolic Extract of Emilia sonchifolia Leaves Possess Erythropoietic and Hepatoprotective Effect in Mice Infected with Plasmodium Berghei Berghei

Abstract Aim: This study was designed to investigate the effect of ethanolic extracts of the leaves of Emilia sonchifolia on the haematological parameters and histomorphology of the liver of male Swiss albino mice infected with Plasmodium berghei berghei (Pbb). Material and Methods: 35 mice were divided into; Group 1 (control) given normal saline 0.3 ml, Group 2 passaged with Pbb only, Group 3 passaged with Pbb, and then treated with Coartem®, Group 4 treated with E. sonchifolia 325 mg/kg only, Group 5 treated with E. sonchifolia 650 mg/kg only, Group 6 passaged with Pbb then treated with E. sonchifolia 325 mg/kg, while Group 7 was passaged with Pbb then treated with E. sonchifolia 650 mg/kg. Pbb was passaged intraperitoneally, while the test drug and extracts was given via orogavage once daily. Results: The result showed significantly (P<0.001) reduced RBC parameters at in Group 5 treated with 650 mg/kg similar with Group 2 compared to Group 1, while there was significant (P<0.01) increased WBC and differentials in Parasitized groups compared with Group 1. The micrographs showed slightly inflamed nuclei in Group 4, with few nuclei shrinkage Group 5, whereas in the parasitized groups treated with the extract there appeared to be hepatoprotection compared to Group 2. Conclusion: In conclusion, the extract promotes erythropoiesis at 325 mg/kg, but was haemolytic at 650 mg/kg, and exerts its effect possibly through an agonistic and a synergistic activity of its rich bioactive ingredients. It showed mild toxic effect in the histomorphology of the non-parasitized mice at 325 mg/kg and 650 mg/kg, and also appeared to offer hepatoprotection in parasitized mice compared to the parasitized group that had no treatment.