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.

Antioxidant, Total Phenolic and Flavonoid Content of Selected Nigerian Medicinal Plants

Abstract: Plant phenolics and flavonoids play a great role in scavenging free radicals in the body and act as antioxidants. Thus their determination is sometimes nedded. Total antioxidant capacity, total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the extracts of 10 medicinal plants ( Lochnera rosea , Allamanda cathartica , Asplenium platyneuron , Euphorbia prostrate , Baphia nitida , Crotolaria retusa , Zapoteca portoricensis , Platycerium bifurcatum , Mussaenda afzelii and Craterosiphon scandens ) from 7 botanical families growing in the tropical rainforest of Nigeria were included in this study. The total antioxidant capacity of the extracts was assessed by using the phosphomolybdate method. The phenolic content was determined by using Folin-Ciocalteau assay, while the total flavonoid was determined by the aluminium chloride colorimetric assay. The results obtained showed that the total antioxidant capacity for all the extracts were in the range of 0.888 ± 0.75 to 0.938 ± 0.00 mg EAA/g. The results showed that E. prostrate, P. bifurcatum and A. platyneuron were found to be the richest source of phenolic (97.77 ± 0.77, 87.62 ± 1.22 and 82.33 ± 0.30 mg GAE/g) while B. nitida and M. afzelii had the least total phenolic content ( 11.67 ± 0.09 and11.18 ± 0.30 mg GAE/g). The highest total flavonoid content was revealed in P. bifurcatum (648.67 ± 12.3 mg QE) while M. afzelii also had the least total flavonoid content (3.67 ± 0.00 mg QE/g). The ratio of flavonoid to the phenolic in each extract was also determined to ascertain extracts that are rich in flavonoids. Dhaka Univ. J. Pharm. Sci. 14(1): 35-41, 2015 (June)

Improving childhood malaria treatment and referral practices by training patent medicine vendors in rural south-east Nigeria.

Abstract: Background Malaria remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality among children under five years of age in Nigeria. Most of the early treatments for fever and malaria occur through self-medication with anti-malarials bought over-the-counter (OTC) from untrained drug vendors. Self-medication through drug vendors can be ineffective, with increased risks of drug toxicity and development of drug resistance. Global malaria control initiatives highlights the potential role of drug vendors to improve access to early effective malaria treatment, which underscores the need for interventions to improve treatment obtained from these outlets. This study aimed to determine the feasibility and impact of training rural drug vendors on community-based malaria treatment and advice with referral of severe cases to a health facility.

Physico-chemical properties of oil from some selected underutilized oil seeds available for biodiesel preparation

Abstract: In the past few decades, there has been increasing demand for reduction on the reliance on fossil fuels. As a result, there is an increasing search for renewable resources for biodiesel production. In this study, the feasibility of using some selected tropical seeds: palm kernel, breadfruit, groundnut, bambara groundnut, pumpkin, African oil bean, melon, sesame, coconut, soybean, Cucumeropsis manii, and Dacryodes edulis as sources of biodiesel production were investigated. These results suggest that these seeds (with the exception of breadfruit, African oil bean, coconut and dacryodes edulis ), could be used as sources of biodiesel production, going by their yield. Physico-chemical analysis revealed that tested parameters were within the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard specifications for biodiesel production. In actual fact, the iodine values of palm kernel, groundnut, bambara groundnut, pumpkin, African oil bean and sesame, show that they could be used as lubricants and hydraulic brake fluid. Key words: Oil seeds, biodiesel, properties, extraction.

Inhalational anaesthesia in developing countries. Part I. The problems and a proposed solution.

Abstract: We have examined the requirements for inhalational anaesthesia in the developing countries with particular reference to the problems posed by difficulties in the supply of compressed gases. A scheme is proposed to circumvent these difficulties without loss of the quality of anaesthesia other than foregoing the use of nitrous oxide.

Study protocol: realist evaluation of effectiveness and sustainability of a community health workers programme in improving maternal and child health in Nigeria.

Abstract: Achievement of improved maternal and child health (MCH) outcomes continues to be an issue of international priority, particularly for sub-Saharan African countries such as Nigeria. Evidence suggests that the use of Community Health Workers (CHWs) can be effective in broadening access to, and coverage of, health services and improving MCH outcomes in such countries. In this paper, we report the methodology for a 5-year study which aims to evaluate the context, processes, outcomes and longer-term sustainability of a Nigerian CHW scheme. Evaluation of complex interventions requires a comprehensive understanding of intervention context, mechanisms and outcomes. The multidisciplinary and mixed-method realist approach will facilitate such evaluation. A favourable policy environment within which the study is conducted will ensure the successful uptake of results into policy and practice. A realist evaluation provides an overall methodological framework for this multidisciplinary and mixed methods research, which will be undertaken in Anambra state. The study will draw upon health economics, social sciences and statistics. The study comprises three steps: (1) initial theory development; (2) theory validation and (3) theory refinement and development of lessons learned. Specific methods for data collection will include in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with purposefully identified key stakeholders (managers, service providers and service users), document reviews, analyses of quantitative data from the CHW programme and health information system, and a small-scale survey. The impact of the programme on key output and outcome indicators will be assessed through an interrupted time-series analysis (ITS) of monthly quantitative data from health information system and programme reports. Ethics approvals for this study were obtained from the University of Leeds and the University of Nigeria. This study will provide a timely and important contribution to health systems strengthening specifically within Anambra state in southeast Nigeria but also more widely across Nigeria. This paper should be of interest to researchers who are interested in adapting and applying robust methodologies for assessing complex health system interventions. The paper will also be useful to policymakers and practitioners who are interested in commissioning and engaging in such complex evaluations to inform policies and practices.