Nigerian Journal of Health and Biomedical Sciences

Protective Effect of Antioxidants against Rifampicin Induced Haematopoietic Suppression.

O Awodele

Rifampicin is an effective first line drug in the management of tuberculosis. It has been documented to have some toxic effects in humans. Thus, this study intends to investigate the modulatory effects of Vitamins C and E on the haematopoietic suppression caused by Rifampicin. A total of 40 Wister albino rats of 10 animals per group were used. Group 1 animals were administered 0.3ml of distilled water, Group 2 received therapeutic dose of rifampicin, Group 3 animals were given therapeutic doses of rifampicin plus vitamin E, while Group 4 received therapeutic doses of rifampicin plus vitamin C. The administration was done orally for three months and the animals were sacrificed by cervical dislocation at the end of the administration. The blood of the animals was collected and the haematological parameters were analysed using fully automated clinical haematology analyzer. The results showed Rifampicin to significantly (p<0.05) decrease the white blood cells (WBC) from 15.13±0.50 to 7.03±1.19. It had no significant effect on the red blood cells (RBC), haemoglobin (HGB) and haematocrit (HCT) levels. The co-administration of vitamin E with Rifampicin significantly (p<0.05) attenuated the decrease in WBC. While the results obtained from the co-administration of Rifampicin and vitamin C showed significant (p<0.05) increase in RBC compared with control and Rifampicin administered alone . It can be concluded that Vitamin E and C modulate the toxic effect of Rifampicin on the hematopoietic cell.

KEY WORDS: Rifampicin, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, WBC, RBC, HGB

Rifampicin: Cytotoxic and Genotoxic Action

A Olufunsho

Rifampicin (Rif) is an effective liver enzyme inducer, promoting the up-regulation of hepatic cytochrome P450 enzymes such as CYP2D6 and CYP3A4. Although an earlier report by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) indicated that there was not enough data to suggest that Rif should be classified as a carcinogen, recent studies have documented this antibiotic to be mutagenic. Rif remains, however, a first line drug in the management of tuberculosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of Rif to better understand its mutagenicity. The study was carried out using three methods: Standard Allium cepa (Linn.) assay, modified Ames test (which is a modification of the standard Ames assay) and micronucleus test (an in vivo method devised primarily for screening chemicals for their chromosome-breaking effects). Our results indicate that Rif is mutagenic; mutagenicity depends on hepatic activation as indicated by the modified Ames assay. Rif also significantly (p<0.001) increase the distribution of polychromatophilic erythrocytes both in the blood and bone marrow of rats. There was also absolute inhibition of the root growth of A. cepa. These findings are simple but conclusive enough to say that Rif has a damaging effect on DNA.

KEY WORDS: Rifampicin, Micronucleus test, Ames assay, DNA, Mutagenicity

Comparative Effect of Fresh, Thermoxidized and Irradiated Oil on Gastric Acid Secretion and Cytoprotection in Rats

AO Obembe

The effect of chronic consumption of fresh, thermoxidized and irradiated palm oil on gastric acid secretion and cytoprotection in rats was studied. Gastric acid secretion was measured by the continuous perfusion method. Test diet made of rat chow mixed with fresh palm oil (FPO), thermoxidized palm oil (TPO) or irradiated palm oil (IPO) were used to feed rats. The control was fed on rat chow only. Feeding was for 8 weeks. They were all allowed water adlibitum. The results showed that there was no significant difference in weight gain among the groups. The basal acid secretion in control (6.00 ± 0.00mMol/L/hr) was significantly lower (P < 0.01) when compared with FPO (8.00 ± 0.00mMol/L/hr) or TPO (9.20 ± 0.00mMol/L/hr) respectively. The control value was not significantly different from that of IPO. Basal acid output in IPO group (6.20 ± 0.00mMol/Lhr) was significantly lower (P < 0.001) when compared with FPO or TPO group respectively. Administration of histamine followed a similar trend as found in basal secretion among groups. The degree of ulceration in IPO (16.80 ± 0.20) and FPO (17.80 ± 0.80) were each significantly lower (P < 0.001) than control value (29.20 ± 0.80). Among the test groups (FPO, TPO and IPO), the TPO group had significantly higher ulcer score (25.00 ± 1.21) than FPO and IPO groups. The results suggest that ingestion of themoxidized palm oil may be deleterious to health, fresh palm oil confers some protection against ulceration and that irradiation as a source of preservation may have no gastrointestinal hazard.

KEY WORDS: Fresh, themoxidized and irradiated palm oil, acid secretion and ulceration

Predisposing Factors to Pityriasis Versicolor in Primary School Pupils in Remo Land, Ogun State, Nigeria

HI Effedua

Pityriasis versicolor (PV) is a superficial infection characterized by pale or dark patches of the skin. The etiologic agents are the yeasts belonging to the genus Malassezia, which are normal flora of human skin. Lack of adequate scientific information about the predisposing factors of PV makes the eradication of the disease difficult. The aim of this study is, therefore, to identify the various predisposing factors to PV among primary school pupils in Remo Land in Ogun State of Nigeria. Skin scrapings were taken from 232 pupils with lesions suggestive of PV for culture on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar enriched with olive oil for the isolation of Malassezia species. Culture positive patients were treated with To-To natural skin health cream. Past episodes of PV in the family, use of exfoliative creams and age, were some of the significant factors found to predispose pupils to the disease (P < 0.05). No significant association was found between the disease and sex, overcrowding and means of ventilation (P > 0.05). It is concluded that lack of association of PV with overcrowding indicates that the disease is not contagious but could be genetically linked while the use of exfoliative creams is a predisposing factor to the disease.

KEY WORDS: Pityriasis versicolor, Malassezia species, Predisposing factors.

Prevalence of Malaria Parasitemia among Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Seropositive Pregnant Women in Kwale, Delta State

GRA Okogun

A total of 196 pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in Kwale Central Hospital, were prospectively studied to determine their Human immunodeficiency virus status and Malaria parasitaemia from July 2006 to December 2008. Human immunodeficiency virus status and malaria parasitaemia were determined using (WHO) systems two and Field staining technique respectively. Malaria parasite was further confirmed with Geimsa staining technique. Haematocrit and Leishman staining techniques were used for full blood count determination. A prevalence rate of 8.2%,6.6% and 2.6% were observed for HIV, malaria parasite and HIV/ malaria parasite infections among the subjects examined respectively. Also, a prevalence rate of 31.3% was obtained for malaria parasite among HIV seropositive pregnant women with 60% and 40% malaria density respectively. The HIV/malaria positive subjects had reduced mean packed cell volume of 21.2%,mean total white blood cell count of 2900mm/3 and a high absolute neutrophil count. The adoption of routine malaria/HIV screening as parts of management policy to confirm co-infections and proper management of pregnant women in endemic areas is imperative, as discussed on the results of this study.

KEYWORDS: Prevalence, Malaria, Human immunodeficiency virus, pregnancy