Local, national, and international health agencies have advocated multi-pronged public health strategies to limit infections and prevent deaths. The availability of safe and effective vaccines is critical in the control of a pandemic. Several adverse events have been reported globally following reception of different vaccines, with limited or no data from Africa. This cross-sectional epidemiological study investigated adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination in Africans from April–June, 2021 using a structured online questionnaire. Out of 1200 participants recruited, a total of 80.8% (n = 969) respondents from 35 countries, including 22 African countries and 13 countries where Africans live in the diaspora, reported adverse events. Over half of the vaccinees were male (53.0%) and frontline healthcare workers (55.7%), respectively. A total of 15.6% (n = 151) reported previous exposure to SARS-CoV-2, while about one-fourth, 24.8% (n = 240), reported different underlying health conditions prior to vaccination. Fatal cases were 5.1% (n = 49), while other significant heterogenous events were reported in three categories: very common, common, and uncommon, with the latter including enlarged lymph nodes 2.4% (n = 23), menstrual disorder 0.5% (n = 5), and increased libido 0.2% (n = 2). The study provided useful data for concerned authorities and institutions to prepare plans that will address issues related to COVID-19 vaccines.

Heavy metal pollution is an increasing threat to the marine environment and is a major health concern. Both marine limpets and algae have been employed as biomonitors elsewhere in the world, but th...

Aims: To evaluate the antioxidant properties of Sutherlandia frutescens and Tulbaghia violacea to justify their medicinal uses and values. Study design: Experimental Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Lagos State University and Department of Biotechnology, University of The Western Cape, Cape Town, between June 2019 to July 2021. Methodology: The antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity of Sutherlandia frutescens and Tulbaghia violacea extracts were determined by several standard methods including ferric-ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), trolox equivalent absorbance capacity (TEAC) and the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs) assays. Results: All S. frutescens extracts exhibited higher FRAP activities (ranging from 687.43 ± 11.90 to 974.31 ± 6.21 µMAAE/g) compared with corresponding extracts of T. violacea. Aqueous extract of S. frutescens produced the highest trolox equivalent absorbance capacity (1603.12 ± 5.50 µMTE/g), copper-initiated prooxidant activity (51.40 ± 1.25 µMTE/g) as well as peroxyl (1049.45 ± 0.54 µMTE/g) and hydroxyl (3911.27±18.67 µMTE/g) scavenging activities. The peroxyl and hydroxyl scavenging activities of aqueous methanolic extracts of S. frutescens and T. violacea increased in a concentration dependent manner. The inhibition of Fe²⁺-induced microsomal lipid peroxidation showed that aqueous methanolic extracts of Sutherlandia frutescens and Tulbaghia violacea significantly inhibit this process when compared with ethylacetate, dichloromethane and water only extracts. Conclusion: The results suggest that S. frutescens and T. violacea antioxidant capacities depend on the extractive solvent. The antioxidant activity of the plants could be related to inherent phenolic bioactive compounds. However, further study is required to determine the precise mechanism of action and active constituents responsible for the antioxidant properties of these plants.

Terminalia catappa L. (Indian almond) is an underutilized crop rich in minerals but investigation and information on the bioavailability of minerals and the presence of anti-nutritional factors in the nut is lacking. Several traditional food-processing methods are used domestically to enhance the bioavailability of micronutrients and decrease the effects of anti-nutrients in plant-based diets. This study was therefore intended to determine the effect of thermal processing on anti-nutritional factors and in vitro digestibility of minerals of Terminalia catappa nuts. The mineral concentration (Na, Ca, P, Mg, Cu, Fe and Zn) of raw and processed T. catappa seed were determined. The mineral concentration of the raw T. catappa nut was significantly higher (p

Sargassum is found across all oceans which can be used as food and medicines in many cultures.Bioactive compounds such as meroterpenoids, phlorotanins, fucoidans, sterols and glycolipids, have been identified which is reported that they had contributed to the anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, antioxidant, hypoglycaemic, hypolipidemic properties, indicating that Sargassum is a rich source of chemicals that promote and preserve health. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the in vivo antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity of ethanolic extract of sargassum fluitans in CCl4 induced rats. Sargassum fluitans aqueous ethanolic extracts doses of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg were administered orally by gavage for 12 days prior to the completion of CCl₄ induction. Serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were measured using commercial AST and ALT assay kits. To induce chronic inflammation, CCl₄ was injected intraperitoneally at a dose of 0.5 μL/g body weight twice weekly for six weeks. Serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and catalase (CAT) levels were determined using corresponding SOD and CAT assay kits. Also, the serum concentrations of inflammatory mediators like tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were determined using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Histopathological changes were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining.The Sargassum fluitans aqueous ethanolic extracts (both low dose and high dose) -treated group exhibited reduced AST, ALT, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β, and increased SOD and CAT activities. Histological analyses of the treated group (both low dose and high dose) exhibited reduced inflammatory process and prevented liver fibrosis. In conclusion, Aqueous ethanolic extracts of Sargassum fluitans may serve as a promising anti-inflammatory candidate for chronic liver inflammation.