In vitro Anticancer Screening of 24 Locally Used Nigerian Medicinal Plants

Background: Plants that are used as traditional medicine represent a relevant pool for selecting plant candidates that may have anticancer properties. In this study, the ethnomedicinal approach was used to select several medicinal plants native to Nigeria, on the basis of their local or traditional uses. The collected plants were then evaluated for cytoxicity. Methods: The antitumor activity of methanolic extracts obtained from 24 of the selected plants, were evaluated in vitro on five human cancer cell lines. Results: Results obtained from the plants screened indicate that 18 plant extracts of folk medicine exhibited promising cytotoxic activity against human carcinoma cell lines. Erythrophleum suaveolens (Guill. & Perr.) Brenan was found to demonstrate potent anti-cancer activity in this study exhibiting IC50 = 0.2-1.3 $\mu$g/ml. Conclusions: Based on the significantly potent activity of some plants extracts reported here, further studies aimed at mechanism elucidation and bio-guided isolation of active anticancer compounds is currently underway.Chemistry and Chemical Biolog

Bacterial vaginosis: Prevalence and associated risk factors among non-pregnant women of reproductive age attending a Nigerian tertiary hospital

Aim: To determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with bacterial vaginosis (BV) among non-pregnant women of reproductive age group.Methods: A cross-sectional study among non-pregnant asymptomatic women aged 19 to 45 years, attending the gynaecological clinic at University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria. Participants were counselled and an informed consent was obtained. This was followed by vaginal swabs for microscopy, culture and sensitivity. Diagnosis of BV was by Nugent’s criteria. Data analysis was by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. Chi-square and Yates corrected chi-square were calculated, and p value <0.05 was significant.Results: Among the 212 participants, prevalence of BV was 40.1%; it was common among women aged 25-34 years (50; 58.8%), the married (77; 90.6%) and those with tertiary education (39; 45.9%). The risk factors for BV were common among women with laboratory evidence of the infection, however statistically significant risk factors were the use of intrauterine device (OR 1.61, 95%CI 0.543-4.759; p0.020) and previous voluntary termination of pregnancy (OR 1.04, 95%CI 0.600-1.808; p0.047).Conclusion: There was high prevalence of bacterial vaginosis in the study population. Universal screening and treatment of cases may assist in lowering the associated morbidity

Bacteriological agents of chronic discharging ears and their antibiotic sensitivity pattern in Ido – Ekiti, Nigeria

Aims and Objectives: To identify bacterial agents of chronic discharging ear and determine their antibiotic sensitivities pattern in Ido – Ekiti, Nigeria. Patients and Methods: Swab specimens of each chronically (>8 weeks) discharging ears of patients with chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) presenting to the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) clinic of the Federal Medical Centre, Ido Ekiti were bacteriologically cultured aerobically and the antibiotic sensitivity pattern of the recovered organisms determined by the modified Kirby-Bauer disc-diffusion method over a three year period starting from January 2005. Results: Seventy eight patients with CSOM whose age ranged between 3 months and 85 years were seen during the study period with 73.1% of them having unilateral disease and majority were children <15 years (71.8%). Out of 99 ear swabs that were examined, 87.9% were culture positive with 90.8% yielding a single isolate. Coliforms (34.7%) were the most frequent isolated group of organisms. Other isolates included Staphylococcus aureus (26.3%), Proteus spp (24.2%), Pseudomonas spp (9.5%) and Klebsiella spp (5.3%). Sparfloxacin and ciprofloxacin showed highest activity on all the isolates unlike cefuroxime and ceftiaxone to which all isolates were resistant. Conclusion: Chronic discharging ear is caused by bacteria agents most sensitiv

Synthesis of γ-, δ-, and ε-Lactams by Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation of N-(tert-Butylsulfinyl)iminoesters

Highly enantiomerically enriched γ- and δ-lactams have been prepared by a simple and very efficient procedure that involves the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of N-(tert-butylsulfinyl)iminoesters followed by desulfinylation of the nitrogen atom and spontaneous cyclization to the desired lactams during the basic workup procedure. Five- and six-membered ring lactams bearing aromatic, heteroaromatic, and aliphatic substituents have been obtained in very high yields and ee’s up to >99%. A slight modification of the procedure also allowed the preparation of ε-lactams in good yields and very high enantioselectivities. Both enantiomers of the final lactams could be prepared with equal efficiency by changing the absolute configuration of the sulfinyl chiral auxiliary

Earthworm Urine Used as Foliar Spray on Amaranthus hybridus (Green amaranth) Boosts Growth and Stimulates Stomata Opening

The advent of spray drones for agrochemical applications calls for continuous exploration of potentially affordable and sustainable liquid biofertilizers. Thus, we evaluated the effects of earthworm urine foliar spray on the growth performance (height, number of leaves, leaf area, stem girth) and stomata opening of Amaranthus hybridus (Green amaranth). Earthworm urine was obtained by placing 500 g of Libyodrilus violaceus in one litre of earthworm saline, for one hour. Amaranthus hybridus seeds were planted into 90 pots, divided into three treatment groups of 30 pots each. Upon germination, the first group was sprayed with earthworm urine, the second and third groups with saline water and ordinary water, respectively. Earthworm urine significantly (p &lt; 0.05) increased all the measured growth parameters, and stimulated the opening of stomata, relative to saline water and ordinary water. This result is a strong indication that earthworm urine contains hormones that boost plant growth, and is potentially suitable for use as a liquid biofertilizer, for increased production of Amaranthus hybridus and related vegetables

MALARIA PARASITAEMIA AMONG BLOOD DONORS IN ILORIN, NIGERIA.

Background: The prevalence of malaria parasitaemia among blood donors in Ilorin has not been documented. In this study, we determined the prevalence of malaria parasitaemia among blood donors in Ilorin, as well as, the sociodemographic and other factors associated with it. Method: This was a hospital- based cross sectional study involving 308 consenting blood donors. The sociodemographic characteristics of participants as well as blood donation history were obtained using structured questionnaires specifically designed for this purpose. Giemsa-stained thick and thin blood films to identify malaria parasites were performed using standard method. ABO blood grouping and haemoglobin electrophoresis tests were also done using standard methods. Results: The prevalence of malaria parasitaemia among blood donors in Ilorin was 27.3%. The parasite species found were more of Plasmodium falciparum(85.7%) than Plasmodium malariae(14.3%) . There was no age or sex difference in malaria parasitaemia. (p-value of 0.8 and 0.32 respectively). A greater proportion of blood group O individuals had malaria parasitaemia than groups A and B but this difference was not significant (p-value = 0.13). There was also no significant difference among haemoglobin genotypes. Conclusion: The prevalence of malaria parasites among blood donors in Ilorin is considerably high and lack of routine screening of blood puts recipients at risk. We recommend that routine screening for malaria parasites be commenced in our blood banks. Treatment of donor blood with riboflavin and UV light to inactivate malaria parasites and other infectious pathogens before they are transfused to patients may also be considered in our blood banks

Comparative Study of Urinary Calcium Levels in Women With Preeclampsia Compared to Normotensive Pregnant Women in Lagos, Nigeria

Background: Preeclampsia is currently defined as multisystem progressive disorder characterized by the new onset of hypertension and proteinuria or the new onset of hypertension and significant end-organ dysfunction with or without proteinuria, typically presenting in the second half of pregnancy (after twenty weeks) or postpartum in a previously normotensive woman without proteinuria and resolves within six weeks postpartum Despite numerous theories, the aetiology of preeclampsia has not been fully elucidated. It is postulated that the rise in blood pressure is a manifestation of more than one patho-physiological condition. One of these conditions is related to abnormal renal function and probably impairment of urinary calcium excretion. Objective: This study compared urinary calcium levels in women diagnosed with pre-eclampsia and normotensive pregnant women at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria. Methods: This was an analytical cross-sectional study that enrolled 100 preeclamptic pregnant women and their matched normotensive counterparts carried out at the antenatal clinic and the labour ward of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. The urinary calcium level was analysed with spot urine using Orthocresolphthaleincomplexone (CPC) method (Fortress Diagnostics Limited United Kingdom, Product code BXC0291A). Results: The mean urinary calcium levels in women with preeclampsia (2.44±1.45mmol/L) was significantly lower than that of normotensive pregnant women (4.43±1.84mmol/L) (p < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in the mean urinary calcium levels in participants with mild preeclampsia (2.49±1.54mmol/l) compared to those with severe preeclampsia (2.42±1.42mmol/L), (p = 1.000). Conclusion: The study revealed a significantly lower level of urinary calcium in women with preeclampsia compared with that of their healthy normotensive counterparts. However, the study did not reveal any significant difference in the urinary calcium level in participants with mild and severe preeclampsia

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance.

Investment in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing in Africa over the past year has led to a major increase in the number of sequences that have been generated and used to track the pandemic on the continent, a number that now exceeds 100,000 genomes. Our results show an increase in the number of African countries that are able to sequence domestically and highlight that local sequencing enables faster turnaround times and more-regular routine surveillance. Despite limitations of low testing proportions, findings from this genomic surveillance study underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic and illuminate the distinct dispersal dynamics of variants of concern-particularly Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron-on the continent. Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve while the continent faces many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century