Streptozotocin-induced type 1 and 2 diabetes in rodents: a model for studying diabetic cardiac autonomic neuropathy.

Background: Several animal models are continually being developed to study diabetic complication. Several conflicting regimen for diabetes induction exist in the literature with varying dose strength and regimen for different study interest in diabetes. This study aims to show the effect of high dose streptozotocin (STZ) on the one hand compared with multiple low doses after high fat diet induction on diabetic cardiac autonomic neuropathy (DCAN).

Assessment of Ventricular Repolarization in Sickle Cell Anemia Patients: The Role of QTc Interval, Tp-e Interval and Tp-e/QTc Ratio and Its Gender Implication.

Background: Many specific and non-specific electrocardiographic abnormalities including ventricular arrhythmias have been reported in subjects with sickle cell anemia (SCA). In SCA patients, cardiac electrical abnormalities may be the leading cause of increased risk of arrhythmias. The corrected QT (QTc) interval, peak to the end of the T wave (Tp-e) interval and associated Tp-e/QTc ratio are promising measures of altered ventricular repolarization and increased arrhythmogenesis risk.

Sodium butyrate arrests pancreato-hepatic synchronous uric acid and lipid dysmetabolism in high fat diet fed Wistar rats.

High fat diet (HFD) is a risk factor for metabolic syndrome which is characterized by overt glucose dysmetabolism and tissue derangement. The liver and pancreas are important metabolic tissues with anatomical proximity sharing splanchnic and mesenteric circulation but it is unclear whether, there is an associated metabolic status between the two organs in health and disease. Uric acid (UA) hypersecretion and ectopic lipid accumulation are characteristic pathophysiology of an array of non-communicable diseases.

Sodium acetate prevents nicotine-induced cardiorenal dysmetabolism through uric acid/creatine kinase-dependent pathway.

Background: Cigarette smoking or nicotine replacement therapy has been associated with cardiometabolic disorders (CMD). Hyperuricemia has been implicated in the pathogenesis of CMD and cardiorenal dysfunction. Gut microbiota-derived short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) have been reported to have beneficial glucoregulatory and cardiorenal protective effects.

Suppression of uric acid and lactate production by sodium acetate ameliorates hepatic triglyceride accumulation in fructose-insulin resistant pregnant rats.

High fructose intake has been associated with perturbed lipid, uric acid and lactate homeostasis. However, consumption of fructose-sweetened beverages is not usually regulated during pregnancy. The effect of short-chain fatty acid (acetate) on the metabolic effects of high fructose intake during pregnancy is not known.

Magnesium Supplementation did not affect the Antiseizure Property of Ketogenic Diet but Reduced Lipid Dysmetabolism.

Background: Ketogenic diets (KD) have been used globally in epilepsy management. Similarly, supplementation of diets with magnesium has been associated with disease prevention and improvement. However, the effect of magnesium (Mg) supplementation in conjunction with KD on epilepsy has not yet been investigated.

Sodium acetate protects against nicotine-induced excess hepatic lipid in male rats by suppressing xanthine oxidase activity.

Fatty liver is the hepatic consequence of chronic insulin resistance (IR) and related syndromes. It is mostly accompanied by inflammatory and oxidative molecules. Increased activity of xanthine oxidase (XO) exerts both inflammatory and oxidative effects and has been implicated in metabolic derangements including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Very low dose spironolactone protects experimentally-induced polycystic ovarian syndrome from insulin-resistant metabolic disturbances by suppressing elevated circulating testosterone.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinological disorder in women of reproductive age and hyperandrogenism is a prominent feature of PCOS resulting in infertility and increased risk of developing metabolic disorders including insulin resistance (IR), abdominal adiposity, glucose intolerance and cardiovascular diseases. Spironolactone (SPL), a non-selective mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonist, has been in wide clinical use for several decades. In this study, we investigated the effects of SPL on IR and metabolic disturbances in letrozole-induced PCOS rats.

Uric acid is a key player in salt-induced endothelial dysfunction: the therapeutic role of (corn silk) extract.

Hyperuricemia has been implicated in the pathogenesis and complications of cardiovascular diseases with associated elevated oxidant events. There is evidence that excessive salt intake results in cardiometabolic disturbances but the mechanism is elusive. Also, (corn silk) is noted for its antioxidant properties among other beneficial roles.

Ameliorative effect of low-dose spironolactone on obesity and insulin resistance is through replenishment of estrogen in ovariectomized rats.

Women have a lower incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) than men at a similar age but the reverse is the case after menopause, indicating a possible protective effect of estrogen on cardiometabolic function. Although various hormonal therapies have been formulated to combat the CVD risks in postmenopausal state, the beneficial effects have not been consistent. Obesity with insulin resistance (IR) is closely linked to CVD risks while ovariectomized rodents have been shown to mimic a state of obesity and IR.

Blockade of mineralocorticoid receptor ameliorates oral contraceptive-induced insulin resistance by suppressing elevated uric acid and glycogen synthase kinase-3 instead of circulating mineralocorticoid.

Estrogen-progestin combined oral contraceptive (COC) has been connected to mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) activation and adverse cardiometabolic events. We consequently hypothesised that insulin resistance (IR), hyperuricemia, and elevated circulating GSK-3 induced by COC is through activation of MR via mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid pathways. Female Wistar rats aged 12 weeks received () vehicle and COC (1.

Triglyceride/HDL-cholesterol ratio and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 independently predict high pulse pressure in sickle cell trait and disease.

We hypothesised that TG/HDL-C ratio and PAI-1 would be associated with high pulse pressure (PP) in young adults with sickle cell trait (SCT) and sickle cell disease (SCD). We compared the clinical, biochemical, and cardiometabolic parameters among individuals with normal genotype (HbAA;  = 60), SCT (HbAS;  = 60), and SCD (HbSS;  = 60), all in steady state. Using multivariate linear regression analysis, high PP was positively related to TG/HDL-C ratio in SCT (β = 0.

Neck circumference is independently associated with relative systemic hypertension in young adults with sickle cell anaemia.

Background: A seemingly interesting observation in patients with sickle cell anaemia (SCA) is that they usually have lower systemic blood pressures (BP) and insulin resistance than persons in the general population in spite of chronic inflammation and vasculopathy. However, relative systemic hypertension (rHTN) has been linked to pulmonary hypertension, increased blood viscosity and renal insufficiency, which could indicate a risk of developing cardiometabolic disorder (CMD) in SCA.We therefore hypothesized that neck circumference (NC) and CMD marker; triglyceride glucose (TyG) index would independently predict rHTN in young adults with SCA in steady state.

Oral hormonal therapy with ethinylestradiol-levonorgestrel improves insulin resistance, obesity, and glycogen synthase kinase-3 independent of circulating mineralocorticoid in estrogen-deficient rats.

Estrogen deficiency has been associated with increased incidence of cardiovascular diseases , and recent clinical trials of standard formulations of hormonal therapies have not demonstrated consistent beneficial effects. Estrogen-progestin therapy has been used as exogenous estrogen to normalize depressed estrogen level during menopause. Ovariectomized rodents mimic an estrogen-deficient state in that they develop cardiometabolic dysfunction, including insulin resistance (IR).

Low-dose spironolactone ameliorates insulin resistance and suppresses elevated plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 during gestational testosterone exposure.

Context: Elevated gestational circulating testosterone has been associated with pathological pregnancies that increase the risk of development of cardiometabolic disorder in later life.

Objective: We hypothesised that gestational testosterone exposure, in late pregnancy, causes glucose deregulation and atherogenic dyslipidaemia that would be accompanied by high plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). The study also hypothesise that low-dose spironolactone treatment would ameliorate these effects.

Anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic effects of nicotine exposure in oral contraceptive-induced insulin resistance are glucocorticoid-independent.

Background: Reports showed that estrogen-progestin oral contraceptive (COC) or tobacco smoking causes increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in premenopausal women. Studies also suggest that nicotine, a major tobacco alkaloid, may worsen or improve atherothrombotic CVD. Altered hemorheology, prothrombotic and pro-inflammatory biomarkers, have been implicated in the development of atherothrombotic CVD events.

Antiseizure Effects of Ketogenic Diet on Seizures Induced with Pentylenetetrazole, 4-Aminopyridine and Strychnine in Wistar Rats.

The ketogenic diet (KD) is a cheap and effective alternative therapy for most epilepsy. There are paucity of experimental data in Nigeria on the usefulness of KD in epilepsy models. This is likely to be responsible for the poor clinical acceptability of the diet in the country.

In vivo antimalarial activity and toxicological effects of methanolic extract of Cocos nucifera (Dwarf red variety) husk fibre.

Objective: Phytochemical constituents as well as antimalarial and toxicity potentials of the methanolic extract of the husk fibre of Dwarf Red variety of Cocos nucifera were evaluated in this study.

Methods: The dried powdered husk fibre was exhaustively extracted with hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol successively and the methanolic extract was screened for flavonoids, phenolics, tannins, alkaloids, steroids, triterpenes, phlobatannins, anthraquinones and glycosides. A 4-day suppressive antimalarial test was carried out using Plasmodium berghei NK65-infected mice, to which the extract was administered at doses of 31.

Cardiac autonomic dysfunction in sickle cell anaemia and its correlation with QT parameters.

Background: Abnormalities of QT parameters together with cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) confer significant risks of cardiac morbidity and mortality in patients with diabetes mellitus. We questioned whether or not CAN influences occurrence of QT interval prolongation and dispersion in patients with sickle cell anaemia (SCA).

Materials And Methods: Forty stable adult sickle cell patients with 44 healthy haemoglobin AA controls were studied.

Antimalarial Activity of Cocos nucifera Husk Fibre: Further Studies.

In this study, the antimalarial and toxicity potentials of husk fibre extracts of five Nigerian varieties of Cocos nucifera were evaluated in vitro. The only active extract fraction, West African Tall (WAT) ethyl acetate extract fraction, was then evaluated for its phytochemical constituents, antimalarial and toxicity potentials at varying doses (31.25-500 mg/kg body weight) using various organ function indices.

Left ventricular hypertrophy is associated with diastolic filling alterations in normotensive offspring of hypertensive nigerians.

Contribution of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction to adverse events in patients with cardiovascular diseases is increasingly being recognized and individuals with pedigree for hypertension are thought to exhibit anatomic and or functional changes in their left ventricle before they become hypertensive. This study aimed at characterizing left ventricular diastolic function in normotensive offspring of hypertensive Nigerians. Sixty-five offspring of hypertensive parents aged 15-25 years (subjects) with 65-age and sex-matched offspring of normotensive parents (controls) were studied for early makers of hypertensive cardiovascular disease using Doppler echocardiogram.

Normotensive offspring of hypertensive Nigerians have increased left ventricular mass and abnormal geometric patterns.

Background: Reports have shown that normotensive offspring of hypertensive parents (OHP) are at increased risk of developing systemic hypertension (SH) and adverse cardiovascular events later in life. The pathological antecedents of this are thought to be alterations in the structure and function of left ventricle. Therefore, the present study aimed at determining left ventricular mass and geometry in OHP and compared with offspring without parental hypertension.

Analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects of the ethanol extract of Acalypha wilkesiana leaves in rats.

The leaves of Acalypha wilkesiana are commonly used for the treatment of pain, fever and ulcer by traditional medical practitioners without any scientific data to evaluate the appropriateness of some of the practices. Therefore, this study was carried out to determine whether the ethanol extract of Acalypha wilkesiana has analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic as well as anti-ulcer effects. The hot plate latency assay and formalin- induced paw licking models were used to evaluate analgesic effects.

Cardiovascular autonomic reflex function in sickle cell anaemia patients.

Aims And Objectives: Cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction (CAD) has been documented as part of neurological complications in sickle cell anaemia (SCA). There is little information on CAD from sub-Saharan Africa with 25-40% prevalence rate of sickle cell trait. This study therefore assessed cardiovascular autonomic reflex function in a group of Nigerians with SCA.

Effects of honey on inflammation and nitric oxide production in Wistar rats.

Objective: The aim of the study is to investigate the effects of honey on acute and chronic inflammations and nitric oxide production in rats.

Methods: Carrageenan, cotton pellet and formaldehyde methods were used in quantifying the anti-inflammatory effect of honey while the effect of honey on nitric oxide (NO) production was investigated by administering NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 100 mg/kg body weight, subcutaneously) and L-arginine (300 mg/kg body weight, intraperitoneally) to groups of rats. Animals were divided into five groups each comprising of five rats in each experiment; two groups were orally administered distilled water (control) and indomethacin (5 mg/kg body weight), respectively, while the remaining three groups were administered 2, 6 and 10 g/kg honey for anti-inflammatory studies.