University of Nigeria, Nsukka

About: University of Nigeria, Nsukka is a education organization based out in Nsukka, Nigeria. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Health care. The organization has 10211 authors who have published 13685 publications receiving 138922 citations.

Wound healing and antibacterial properties of methanolic extract of Pupalia lappacea Juss in rats

Abstract: Wound healing is a natural process that enables tissue repair after an injury. To shorten its duration and minimize associated complications, wounds are treated with medications. Currently there is a growing interest in the use of alternative wound dressing agents such as plant extracts. One plant used traditionally in wound treatment is Pupalia lappacea. In view of its use in wound care, we investigated the wound healing activities of 80% methanolic leave extract of Pupalia lappacea using excision, incision and dead space wound models. Also its effects on three common wound contaminants were investigated. Excision wounds were created, contaminated with microbes and treated with ointments (10% and 20% w/w) prepared from Pupalia lappacea. Incision and dead space wounds were also created in rats which were subsequently dosed orally with the extract. The wound healing activities of Pupalia lappacea ointment on excision wound was assessed by rates of wound contraction and epithelialization as well as its antibacterial effects. The effects of Pupalia lappacea on incision and dead-space wounds were determined by the wound breaking strengths and weights of the granuloma tissues formed, respectively. Pupalia. lappacea ointments significantly (p < 0.05) accelerated wound healing with 20% ointment having the highest percentage wound contraction and rate of epithelialization. At 4, 7 and 14 days post treatment, mean total viable bacterial count of excision wounds of the extract treated groups were significantly (p < 0.05) lower compared against the control. Wound breaking strengths and weights of granuloma tissues formed in the extract treated groups were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than those of the control group. The minimum inhibitory concentration values obtained for the Pupalia lappacea extract against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis were 9 mg/ml, 4 mg/ml and 3 mg/ml, respectively, while the corresponding minimum bactericidal concentrations were 10 mg/ml, 8 mg/ml and 7 mg/ml. The results obtained showed that Pupalia. lappacea has good wound healing and antibacterial activities. These findings validate the use of this plant in traditional medicine for treatment of wounds.

Some indicators of socio-economic status may not be reliable and use of indices with these data could worsen equity.

Abstract: Socio-economic status (SES) indices are increasingly being used to characterise (in)equity, with the assumption that SES indices are reliable. However, the accuracy of such SES indices is questionable if they are unreliable. We examined the inter-rater and test-retest reliability of a range of indicators commonly used to generate SES indices as well as the composite SES indices. Results from research in southeast Nigeria showed considerable variation, with some indicators having only low to moderate reliability (reliability coefficients 0.25-0.77). Inter-rater and test-retest reliability of SES indices was 0.63 in both cases. Many households were misclassified because of the unreliable SES indices. Analyses of the distribution of resources based on such indicators could lead to inaccuracies in benefit incidence estimates and policy decisions based on low to moderately reliable SES indicators could worsen equity in access to and use of resources. Greater rigour is needed in conceptualising as well as undertaking SES measurements.

Trends in uterine rupture in Enugu, Nigeria

Abstract: Our objective was to determine the trend of rupture of the gravid uterus at Enugu, Nigeria and to determine any change in pattern of presentation, management and outcome of such patients. The birth register of 4,333 deliveries at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu from January 1997 and December 2000 were reviewed. Forty-one cases of ruptured uterus were identified and analysed. The incidence of uterine rupture was 1 in 106 deliveries with a mean maternal age of 31.2 years. The majority (75.6%) of the patients were multiparous and had some form of antenatal care (61%) with 19.5% of the total booked at the Teaching Hospital. Many (78.1%) of the patients were in labour for 24 hours or less and 22.0% had oxytocin to augment or induce labour. The majority (68.3%) had a previously scarred uterus and many (53.6%) had lower segment ruptures. At laparotomy 31.7% had repair alone, 29.2% had repair with tubal ligation, 22.0% subtotal hysterectomy and 17.1% total hysterectomy. Perinatal mortality was h...

Anti-trypanosomal activity of nigerian plants and their constituents.

Abstract: African trypanosomiasis is a vector-borne parasitic disease causing serious risks to the lives of about 60 million people and 48 million cattle globally. Nigerian medicinal plants are known to contain a large variety of chemical structures and some of the plant extracts have been screened for antitrypanosomal activity, in the search for potential new drugs against the illness. We surveyed the literatures on plants and plant-derived products with antitrypanosomal activity from Nigerian flora published from 1990 to 2014. About 90 plants were identified, with 54 compounds as potential active agents and presented by plant families in alphabetical order. This review indicates that the Nigerian flora may be suitable as a starting point in searching for new and more efficient trypanocidal molecules.