Clinical Profile and Outcome of Pediatric Demyelinating Disorders in Calabar, Nigeria: A Case Series.

Background: Demyelinating disorders of the central nervous system (CNS) are rare disorders characterized by inflammation and the selective destruction of CNS myelin. The incidence of this disorder is increasing in developed countries. Nigerian studies on the pediatric population on the subject are very scarce.

The effect of visual support strategies on the quality of life of children with cerebral palsy and cerebral visual impairment/perceptual visual dysfunction in Nigeria: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Cerebral visual impairment (CVI), including perceptual visual dysfunction (PVD), is common in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Inventories of questions relating to practical aspects of visual perception in everyday life, in particular the closed-ended Insight Questions Inventory (IQI), can be used to assess CVI/PVD. Studies linking responses to the inventory with specific visual support strategies, aimed at modifying the child's environment and/or behaviour to minimize the impact of the CVI/PVD, have been piloted.

Bioactive Seco-Lanostane-Type Triterpenoids from the Roots of Leplaea mayombensis.

Fractionation of the ethyl acetate-soluble extract of the roots of Leplaea mayombensis afforded two new 3,4-seco-lanostane-type triterpenoids, leplaeric acids A and B (1, 2), the new lanostane-type triterpenoid leplaeric acid C (3), and six known natural products (5-10). Derivatization of the main constituent, 1, afforded the dimethyl ester 4, the monoamide 11, and diamide 12 for SAR studies. The structures of these compounds were established through spectroscopic methods, and a single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis was used to confirm the relative configuration of compound 1.

A new ursane triterpenoic acid and other potential anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic constituents from EtOAc extracts of Vitellaria paradoxa stem bark.

Objective: Vitellaria paradoxa (shea tree) is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various ailments, including, inflammation and fever. Therefore the present research investigates the anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatic effects of V. paradoxa stem bark extracts in rats and the isolation and characterization of its active constituents.

Stray dog trade fuelled by dog meat consumption as a risk factor for rabies infection in Calabar, southern Nigeria.

Background: Rabies is a preventable zoonosis with the highest case fatality of any disease in the world. In the developing world, it is transmitted mainly by dog bites. In parts of southern Nigeria, dog meat is a delicacy.

The burden of inpatient neurologic disease in a tropical African hospital.

Background: Neurologic disorders represent a major burden of disease globally and the spectrum ranges from noncommunicable disorders like stroke and neurodegenerative disorders to central nervous system infections.

Objective: The purpose of the study is to assess the burden of neurological diseases in a tropical environment.

Methods: A one year retrospective survey of neurological diseases seen at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Nigeria, was evaluated using patients' medical record.

Malariometric Indices among Nigerian Children in a Rural Setting.

Malaria contributes to high childhood morbidity and mortality in Nigeria. To determine its endemicity in a rural farming community in the south-south of Nigeria, the following malariometric indices, namely, malaria parasitaemia, spleen rates, and anaemia were evaluated in children aged 2-10 years. This was a descriptive cross-sectional survey among school-age children residing in a rubber plantation settlement.

The role of radiotherapy and chemotherapy in the treatment of primary adult high grade gliomas: assessment of patients for these treatment approaches and the common immediate side effects.

Gliomas are the commonest primary brain tumours in adults. They are usually classified and graded according to the criteria by the World Health Organisation. High-grade gliomas are the most malignant primary brain tumours.

A mechanistic study on the Hooker oxidation: synthesis of novel indane carboxylic acid derivatives from lapachol.

The Hooker oxidation is one of the most intriguing transformations wherein lapachol (1) is readily converted to norlapachol (2) in very good yield. This one-pot reaction involves a very intricate mechanism in which the alkyl side chain of lapachol is shortened by one carbon unit. Previous studies have unequivocally established the involvement of an indane carboxylic acid derivative 3, as a key intermediate (Hooker intermediate), and its simultaneous conversion to norlapachol (2) via the oxidative cleavage of vicinol diol and subsequent intramolecular aldol reaction of the resulting keto acid.

Anticancer activities of six selected natural compounds of some Cameroonian medicinal plants.

Background: Natural products are well recognized as sources of drugs in several human ailments. In the present work, we carried out a preliminary screening of six natural compounds, xanthone V(1) (1); 2-acetylfuro-1,4-naphthoquinone (2); physcion (3); bisvismiaquinone (4); vismiaquinone (5); 1,8-dihydroxy-3-geranyloxy-6-methylanthraquinone (6) against MiaPaCa-2 pancreatic and CCRF-CEM leukemia cells and their multidrug-resistant subline, CEM/ADR5000. Compounds 1 and 2 were then tested in several other cancer cells and their possible mode of action were investigated.

Antibacterial activity of some natural products against bacteria expressing a multidrug-resistant phenotype.

The present study assessed the antimicrobial activities of various natural products belonging to the terpenoids, alkaloids and phenolics against a collection of Gram-negative multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. The results demonstrated that most of the compounds were extruded by bacterial efflux pumps. In the presence of the efflux pump inhibitor phenylalanine arginine β-naphthylamide (PAβN), the activities of laurentixanthone B (xanthone), plumbagin (naphthoquinone), 4-hydroxylonchocarpin (flavonoid) and MAB3 (coumarin) increased significantly against all studied MDR bacteria.

Semisynthesis and antitumoral activity of 2-acetylfuranonaphthoquinone and other naphthoquinone derivatives from lapachol.

Ozonolysis of lapachol (1), resulting in an unusual formation of a potent antitumor agent 2-acetylfuranonaphthoquinone (3) along with the expected aldehyde 6, is described. The reaction of lapachol (1) with CAN in dry acetonitrile leading to biologically active furanonaphthoquinones is also reported. The antitumoral activity of the tested compounds on human DU-145 prostate carcinoma cells was evaluated following XTT assay.

Antimicrobial activity of the methanolic extract and of the chemical constituents isolated from Newbouldia laevis.

The methanolic extract (NLB) and ten compounds isolated from the root bark of Newbouldia laevis Seem, namely chrysoeriol (1), newbouldiaquinone (2), 2-acetylfuro-1,4-naphthoquinone (3), 2-hydroxy-3-methoxy-9,10-dioxo-9,10-dihydroanthracene-1-carbaldehyde (4), lapachol (5), beta-sitosterol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (6), oleanolic acid (7), canthic acid (8) newbouldiamide (9) and 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-ethyltrioctanoate (10), were tested for in vitro antimicrobial activity. Twenty one microorganisms belonging to six Gram-positive and twelve Gram-negative bacterial species as well as three yeasts from Candida species were tested for their susceptibility to NLB and the pure isolated compounds based on the Agar Hole Diffusion test and the Liquid Dilution method. The Hole Diffusion assay indicated that NLB and compound 7 were active against all tested pathogens while other compounds showed selective activity with the antimicrobial spectra varying from 76% (compound 10) to 95 % (compound 6).

Newbouldiaquinone A: A naphthoquinone-anthraquinone ether coupled pigment, as a potential antimicrobial and antimalarial agent from Newbouldia laevis.

The study of the chemical constituents of the roots of Newbouldia laevis (Bignoniaceae) has resulted in the isolation and characterization of a naphthoquinone-anthraquinone coupled pigment named newbouldiaquinone A (1) together with 14 known compounds: apigenin, chrysoeriol, newbouldiaquinone, lapachol, 2-methylanthraquinone, 2-acetylfuro-1,4-naphthoquinone, 2,3-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone, oleanolic acid, canthic acid, 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl triacontanoate, newbouldiamide, 5,7-dihydroxydehydroiso-alpha-lapachone, beta-sitosterol, and beta-sitosterol glucopyranoside. The structure elucidation of the isolated compounds was established based on spectroscopic studies, notably of the 2D NMR spectra. The antimalarial activity of compound (1) against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro shows moderate chemo suppression of parasitic growth.

Newbouldiaquinone and newbouldiamide: a new naphthoquinone-anthraquinone coupled pigment and a new ceramide from Newbouldia laevis.

Newbouldiaquinone (1), a new naphthoquinone-anthraquinone coupled pigment and a new ceramide named newbouldiamide (2), have been isolated from Newbouldia laevis, besides the known compounds lapachol (3), canthic acid, oleanolic acid, 2-methyl-9,10-anthracenedione, 2-acetylfuro-1,4-naphthoquinone, 2,3-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone, 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl triacontanoate, beta-sitosterol and beta-sitosterol glucopyranoside. The structure elucidations of the isolated new compounds were performed on the basis of spectroscopic and chemical evidence. Preliminary studies showed that 1 is moderately antibacterial against Gram-positive Bacillus megaterium and that 3 has moderate herbicidal and antibacterial activities.