The importance of botanical treatments in traditional societies and challenges in developing countries.

Nowadays, green syntheses have received crucial attention as a reliable, developing and eco-benevolent protocol for synthesizing a broad range of nanomaterials (NMs) including metal/metal oxides NMs, bio-inspired materials and hybrid/composite NMs. As such, biogenic synthesis is regarded as a significant tool to mitigate the destructive impacts associated with the conventional approaches of synthesis for NMs generally utilized in industry and laboratory. In this review, we summed up the general protocols and mechanisms of green synthesis routes, especially for silver (Ag), silver oxide (Ag2O), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), copper ferrite (CuFe2O4), palladium (Pd), aceprophyline, cellulose and graphene nanomaterials/nanoparticles using cow urine. Importantly, we explored the main role of biological constituents which is existed in cow urine. These essential biomolecules act as reducing/stabilizing agents in solvent systems. The stability, phase formation and surface morphology of NMs using characterization techniques are also discussed. Finally, we covered the eclectic applications of such synthesized NMs in terms of anti-asthma, antimicrobial, antituberculosis, antioxidant, anticancer activity, catalytic activity and removal of pollutants dyes.

http://www.jwent.net/article_243084_b2e51a9e57e598900d51dcdf285ab6a9.pdf

Cow Urine Mediated Green Synthesis of Nanomaterial and Their Applications: A State-of-the-art Review

Status epilepticus is a life threatening condition. Unorthodox cultural practices and late presentation in hospitals often result in increased morbidity and mortality in our environment. The objective of this work is to determine the aetiology, home management and outcome of status epilepticus in children. Data from twenty-six patients with status epilepticus out of 1995 admissions into the Children’s Emergency Unit (CHEU) of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) over a two year period between May 2006 and April 2008 were analyzed. Information such as age, gender, duration of seizure and treatment administered at home; clinical features, duration of hospitalization and outcome on discharge were extracted from records. Of the twenty-six patients with status epilepticus, 20(76.9%) were males and six(23.1%) females; twenty-three(88.5%) had seizures associated with fever. A total of 15(57.7%) patients received unorthodox regimens at home; 11(42.3%) were given palm kernel oil, 3(11.5%) herbal concoction and 1(3.8%) had onions juice instilled into the eyes. Malaria was found responsible for 19(70.3%) cases of status epilepticus. Duration of hospitalization ranged from less than 24hours to 50days with a mean of 10.8days. Five(19.2%) of the patients died while on admission. Mortality and morbidity were significantly associated with duration of seizure before presentation in the hospital(p=0.04). Preference for traditional method of care in life threatening conditions such as status epilepticus is common in our environment. This is dangerous in view of ignorance of aetiological factors of these conditions. Massive health enlightenment campaign against use of these harmful home remedies is advocated.

Pre-hospital treatment and outcome of status epilepticus in children in Nigeria -

Aims: The study aimed at reviewing the clinical features, treatment and outcome of childhood cerebral malaria in a Nigerian health facility, to improve its management and outcome. Study Design: It is a retrospective study of cerebral malaria patients. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Paediatrics, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Nigeria, between September 2011 and August 2012. Materials and Methods: Hospital records of children managed for cerebral malaria during the study period were retrieved and assessed. Information extracted from the records was: bio-data, anthropometric values, clinical and laboratory findings, treatment modality, outcome and duration of Original Research Article Oninla et al.; IJTDH, 12(4): 1-12, 2016; Article no.IJTDH.22447 2 hospital stay. SPSS version 19 software was used to analyze the data. Results: We studied 20 patients. The age range was 7 to 99 months (mean 43.3±25.2), and underfive children accounted for 75% of the patients. Mean admission weight was 12.8±4.0, with percentage weight for age mean of 84.5% ±11.2. More well-nourished (normal weight) patients (12) than underweight (8) were affected, and the difference of their means percentage weight for age was significant (P = .00). The principal complaints were: fever, convulsion and loss of consciousness. The mean packed cell volume at presentation in the hospital was 23.9%±8.0, and nine patients (45%) had blood transfusion. A large proportion of the patients had electrolytes, urea and glucose abnormalities. Plasmodium falciparum was the only parasite specie found in the blood films of all the patients, and all cerebrospinal fluid results were normal. Nineteen (95%) patients received parenteral artemisinin derivatives. Five (25%) patients had their antimalarial changed to quinine. Fifty-five percent had a full recovery, 30% were discharged with neurological deficits, 10% discharged against medical advice, and 5% died. Neurological sequelae were found to be more among underweight children and those who were given artemisinin and amodiaquine combination. The outcome appeared to depend on the age of the patient, sex, type of antimalarial given, nutritional status, abnormal laboratory results and illness duration before presentations at the hospital. Mean hospital stay was 10.4±7.9 days. Conclusion: The use of parenteral artemisinin derivatives or quinine infusion only, rather than artemisinin and amodiaquine combination drugs at the outset of CM management, improvement in children nutrition and regular malaria parasitaemia monitoring during therapy will go a long way to reducing morbidity and mortality among CM patients in Nigeria.

Childhood Cerebral Malaria in Nigeria: Clinical Features, Treatment and Outcome

Cow urine concoction (CUC) is a local herbal preparation administered to children having convulsion in southern part of Nigeria. We investigated the effect of full preparation (FP) and modified preparation (MP) [without tobacco] of CUC and nicotine on the nerve-muscle preparation in common African toad, Bufo regularis. The result showed that nicotine significantly potentiated the contraction of skeletal muscle at lower doses, and at a higher dose the sensitivity of neuro-muscular junction was significantly reduced (desensitization). At lower doses of FP of CUC, the contraction of skeletal muscle was slightly increased than the nicotine but was not significant but the response was very similar to that obtained at higher doses. The finding indicates that nicotine and FP of CUC have something in common in stimulating muscle contraction. MP of CUC did not show any significant response at graded doses. It was concluded from the results that the therapeutic effect of this concoction might be due in part to the presence of tobacco or similar constituent in the cow urine concoction. The effect of „FP” of CUC in this study can be employed clinically in some disorders of the nerve-skeletal muscle system, like muscular weakness and hyper-excitability of the nerve-skeletal system, seen in children convulsion.

/pdf/effects-of-cow-urine-concoction-and-nicotine-on-the-nerve-1amorm03cb.pdf

Salahdeen H.M

Papers

Effects of cow urine concoction and nicotine on the nerve-muscle preparation in common African toad Bufo regularis