Although different studies have demonstrated different applications of Pycnanthus angolensis extracts in traditional African and Asian medicine, its possible antimutagenic or genoprotective capacities have never been explored. We studied these capabilities of Pycnanthus angolensis seed extract (PASE) by means of the two micronucleus assays, determining the frequency of micronucleus (MN) yield in mouse bone marrow (in vivo) and in human lymphocytes blocked by cytochalasin B (in vitro). PASE exhibited a significant genoprotective capacity (p < 0.001) against X-rays with a protection factor of 35% in both in vivo and in vitro assays. Further, its radioprotective effects were determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) cell viability test in two cell lines: one being radiosensitive (i.e., human prostate epithelium (PNT2) cells) and the other being radioresistant (i.e., B16F10 melanoma cells). In the radiosensitive cells, PASE showed a protection factor of 35.5%, thus eliminating 43.8% of X-ray-induced cell death (p < 0.001) and a dose reduction factor of 2.5. In the radioresistant cells, a protection factor of 29% (p < 0.001) with a dose reduction factor of 4 was realized. PASE elicited a greater radioprotective capacity than the substances currently used in radiation oncology and, thus, could be developed as a nutraceutical radioprotectant for workers and patients exposed to ionizing radiation.

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) variants have been found to be associated with several vascular disorders as well as the pathogenesis of sickle cell disease (SCD) complications such as vaso-occlusive crises (VOC). Studies on eNOS gene variants among SCD patients are rare in Ghana and several other African countries. The current study aimed to determine a possible association between variants of the eNOS gene (variable number of tandem repeats in intron 4 and T786C) in SCD complications among Ghanaian patients. This was a cross-sectional study involving 89 HbSS patients with complications and 46 HbSS patients without complications. Genomic DNA was extracted from leukocytes in the buffy coat and separated from collected whole blood samples of the study participants. PCR amplification, followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was used to genotype T786C (rs2070744) variants. Variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) in intron 4 was genotyped by PCR and direct electrophoresis. There was a significant difference in the genotype frequency of the T786C variant between HbSS patients with complications and those without complications (p = 0.0165). However, there was no significant difference in the VNTR intron 4 variant of the eNOS gene between patients with complications and those without complications (p > 0.05). The study shows an association between the eNOS gene variant (T786C) and complications in SCD.

The aim of this study was not only to obtain basic technical prerequisites for the establishment of capacity of biological dosimetry at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) but also to stimulate interest in biological dosimetry research in Ghana and Sub-Saharan Africa. Peripheral blood from four healthy donors was exposed to different doses (0–6 Gy) of gamma rays from a radiotherapy machine and lymphocytes were subsequently stimulated, cultured, and processed according to standard protocols for 48–50 h. Processed cells were analyzed for the frequencies of dicentric and centric ring chromosomes. Radiation dose delivered to the experimental model was verified using GafChromic® EBT films in parallel experiments. Basic technical prerequisites for the establishment of capacity of biological dosimetry in the GAEC have been realized and expertise in the dicentric chromosome assay consolidated. We successfully obtained preliminary cytogenetic data for a dose-response relationship of the irradiated blood lymphocytes. The data strongly indicate the existence of significant linear (α) and quadratic (β) components and are consistent with those published for the production of chromosome aberrations in comparable absorbed dose ranges.