Background. Hitherto studies in response to the June 2010 lead poisoning, Zamfara State, Nigeria, have focused on clinical interventions without information on livestock and other metals.Objective. This study has investigated the distribution of heavy metals in farm produce and livestock around lead-contaminated goldmine in Dareta and Abare, Zamfara State, Nigeria.Methods. Vegetables, soil, water, blood, and different meat samples were harvested from goat, sheep, cattle, and chicken from Dareta, Abare, and Gusau communities. The samples were digested with 10 mL of a mix of nitric and perchloric acids; the mixture was then heated to dryness. Lead, cadmium, zinc, chromium, copper, magnesium, and nickel were analysed using flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The daily intake, bioaccumulation factor, and target hazard quotient (THQ) were calculated.Results. Chicken bone-muscles from Dareta had the highest concentrations of lead, zinc, and nickel (28.2750, 16.1650, and 4.2700 mg/kg, resp.), while chicken brain had the highest levels of cadmium, magnesium (0.3800 and 67.5400 mg/kg), and chromium (6.1650 mg/kg, kidney tissue inclusive).Conclusion. In addition to lead, cadmium may also be of concern in the contaminated mining communities of Zamfara State, Nigeria, given the high levels of cadmium in meat and vegetables samples from these areas.

The use of medicinal plants in the treatment of diseases has generated renewed interest in recent times, as herbal preparations are increasingly being used in both human and animal healthcare systems. Diarrhoea is one of the common clinical signs of gastrointestinal disorders caused by both infectious and non-infectious agents and an important livestock debilitating condition. Plateau State is rich in savannah and forest vegetations and home to a vast collection of plants upheld in folklore as having useful medicinal applications. There is however scarcity of documented information on the medicinal plants used in the treatment of animal diarrhoea in the state, thus the need for this survey. Ten (10) out of 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs), spread across the three senatorial zones were selected. Farmers were interviewed using well structured, open-ended questionnaire and guided dialogue techniques between October and December 2010. Medicinal plants reported to be effective in diarrhoea management were collected using the guided field-walk method for identification and authentication.

Prurigo nodularis (PN) is an intensely pruritic, inflammatory skin disease with a poorly understood pathogenesis. We performed single-cell transcriptomic profiling of 28,695 lesional and non-lesional PN cells. Lesional PN has increased dysregulated fibroblasts (FBs) and myofibroblasts. FBs in lesional PN were shifted towards a cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF)-like phenotype, with POSTN+WNT5A+ CAFs increased in PN, and similarly so in squamous cell carcinoma. A multi-center cohort study revealed an increased risk of SCC and CAF-associated malignancies (breast and colorectal) in PN patients. Systemic fibroproliferative diseases (renal sclerosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis) were upregulated in PN patients. Ligand receptor analyses demonstrated a fibroblast neuronal axis with FB-derived WNT5A and periostin interactions with neuronal receptors MCAM and ITGAV. These findings identify a pathogenic and targetable POSTN+WNT5A+ fibroblast subpopulation that may predispose CAF-associated malignancies in PN patients.

Clinical and experimental evidence suggests that hyperglycaemia is responsible for the oxidative stress in diabetes mellitus. The study was designed to investigate the comparative effects of probiotic and vitamin C (Vit-C) treatments on hyperglycaemia, oxidative stress and dyslipidaemia in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Type 1 diabetes (T1DM) was induced in male Wistar rats by a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of alloxan (150 mg/kg). Six groups of the animals received the following treatment regimens for four weeks: (1) Normal saline, per os; (2) alloxan (150 mg/kg, i.p.); (3) alloxan (150 mg/kg) + insulin (4 U/kg, subcutaneously); (4) alloxan (150 mg/kg) + probiotic (4.125 × 10⁶ CFU/100 mL per os); (5) alloxan (150 mg/kg) + Vit-C (100 mg/kg, i.m.); (6) alloxan (150 mg/kg) + probiotic (4.125 × 10⁶ CFU/100 mL per os) + Vit-C (100 mg/kg, intramuscularly). Probiotic + Vit-C decreased (p < 0.05) blood glucose concentration in diabetic treated group, when compared with the untreated diabetic group. Probiotic + Vit-C reduced malondialdehyde concentration, in the serum, brain and kidneys, respectively, but increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Probiotic and Vit-C may be more effective than Vit-C alone, in ameliorating hyperglycaemia, oxidative stress and dyslipidaemia in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

Coccidiosis is a disease of economic importance in poultry causing morbidity and mortality. Reports show thatAzadirachta indicaandKhaya senegalensishave been used individually in the treatment of avian coccidiosis. We thus investigated the efficacy and safety of the combined aqueous extracts of these plants for the treatment of experimentally induced coccidiosis in broiler chickens using oocyst count, oxidative stress biomarkers, serum biochemistry, histology, and haematological parameters. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannins, saponins, cardiac glycosides, and steroids in both extracts. In addition, alkaloids and flavonoids were present inAzadirachta indica.There was significant (p<0.05) dose dependent decrease in oocyst count across the treatment groups with 400 mg/kg of the combined extract being the most efficacious dose. Immunomodulatory and erythropoietic activity was observed. There were decreased intestinal lesions and enhanced antioxidant activity across the treatment groups compared to the negative control. Administration of the combined extract did not cause damage to the liver as ALT, AST, and ALP levels were significantly reduced in the uninfected chickens treated with the extracts compared to control suggesting safety at the doses used. The combined aqueous extracts ofK. senegalensisstem bark andAzadirachta indicaleaves were ameliorative in chickens infected with coccidiosis.

The study aims to evaluate effects of chronic low-dose coexposure to lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and manganese (Mn) on hepatorenal toxicity and oxidative stress. Young male Wistar rats were treated with Pb acetate (1.4 mg/kg BW), Cd chloride (0.01 mg/kg BW), Mn chloride (0.14 mg/kg BW) and their combination (Pb + Cd + Mn) by oral gavage, for 15 weeks. Liver enzymes, albumin (Alb), globulin (Glb), total protein, creatinine, urea and electrolyte concentrations were measured in the serum. Hepatic and renal malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPx1) and metallothionein-1 (MT1) concentrations were measured by enzyme immunoassay technique. Chronic exposure to the metals significantly (p < .05) increased serum Glb concentration and decreased Alb/Glb ratio, compared to the controls. Serum creatinine concentration significantly (p < .05) decreased in the Pb, Cd and Pb + Cd + Mn groups, but elevated in the Mn group. Hepatic MDAs rose significantly (p < .05) in the Pb group, while hepatic GPx1 activities increased significantly (p < .05) in the Cd, Mn and Pb + Cd + Mn groups. Hepatic and renal MT1 concentration decreased (p < .05) in the Mn group only. Biochemical alterations were confirmed by light microscopy of the liver and kidneys, which showed degenerative changes. It is concluded that prolonged coexposure to environmentally relevant levels of Pb, Cd and Mn impairs liver and kidney functions via the induction of oxidative stress, and it underlines the importance of studying toxicants in combination.