The relationship of oxidative stress to thyroid hormones has not been studied in the schizophrenics. The present study determined the status and interrelationship of plasma markers of oxidative stress, nitric oxide and thyroid hormones in thirty (17 males and 13 females) newly diagnosed patients with acute schizophrenia before initiation of chemotherapy. Twenty five (13 males and 12 females) mentally healthy individuals served as controls. Patients and controls with history of hard drugs (including alcohol and cigarette), pre-diagnosis medications (e.g. antiparkinsonian/antipsychotic drugs), chronic infections, liver disease and diabetes mellitus were excluded from the study. Plasma levels of total antioxidant potential (TAP), total plasma peroxides (TPP), nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), thyroxine (T4), tri-iodothyronine (T3) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) were determined in all participants using spectrophotometric and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods respectively. Oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated as the percent ratio of total plasma peroxides and total antioxidant potential.

Background: Understanding the genetic structure of P. falciparum population in different regions is pivotal to malaria elimination. Genetic diversity and the multiplicity of infection are indicators used for measuring malaria endemicity across different transmission settings. Therefore, this study characterized P. falciparum infections from selected areas constituting pre-elimination and high transmission settings in South Africa and Nigeria, respectively. Methods: Parasite genomic DNA was extracted from 129 participants with uncomplicated P. falciparum infections. Isolates were collected from 78 participants in South Africa (southern Africa) and 51 in Nigeria (western Africa). Allelic typing of the msp1 and msp2 genes was carried out using nested PCR. Results: In msp1, the K1 allele (39.7%) was the most common allele among the South African isolates, while the RO33 allele (90.2%) was the most common allele among the Nigerian isolates. In the msp2 gene, FC27 and IC3D7 showed almost the same percentage distribution (44.9% and 43.6%) in the South African isolates, whereas FC27 had the highest percentage distribution (60.8%) in the Nigerian isolates. The msp2 gene showed highly distinctive genotypes, indicating high genetic diversity in the South African isolates, whereas msp1 showed high genetic diversity in the Nigerian isolates. The RO33 allelic family displayed an inverse relationship with participants’ age in the Nigerian isolates. The overall multiplicity of infection (MOI) was significantly higher in Nigeria (2.87) than in South Africa (2.44) (p < 0.000 *). In addition, heterozygosity was moderately higher in South Africa (1.46) than in Nigeria (1.13). Conclusions: The high genetic diversity and MOI in P. falciparum that were observed in this study could provide surveillance data, on the basis of which appropriate control strategies should be adopted.

The health benefits and nutritional value of pawpaw or papaya (Carica papaya Linn.) are well established. The entire papaya plant—including the leaves, fruit, bark, root, juice, seeds and latex - is used for dietary, medicinal and other purposes. However, papaya seeds are the under-exploited part since they are typically seen as waste after the edible fruits have been processed and consumed. Hence, the aim of this review is to document the nutraceutical and therapeutic potential of Carica papaya seeds with a view of enhancing its prospect in drug development. The following title search criteria were used “Carica papaya” OR “Papaya” OR “Pawpaw OR C. papaya” AND “seed” OR “seed oil”; while “fruits OR leaves OR stem OR root OR juice OR latex” were excluded. The articles used for this research were limited to the original research articles and those written in English Language only. The seeds which are often seen as waste products offer countless possibilities for developing new nutritional supplements and medicines due to the huge vital micronutrients and a variety of secondary metabolites that have been reported to be embedded in them. Papaya seeds contain beneficial phytochemicals such as carotenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, phytosterols and tocopherols. These substances, have intriguing nutraceutical qualities and are important in the treatment and amelioration of several medical disorders. Benzyl glucosinolates, caricin, fatty acids, crude fibre, carpaine, glucotropaeolin, benzyl isothiocyanate, crude protein, benzyl thiourea, hentriacontane, ß-sitostrol and enzymes (myrosinase and papain) were discovered as nutritional components in papaya seeds. Papaya seeds may be used medicinally as antioxidant, antidiabetic, antiulcerogenic, liver cirrhosis treatment and menstrual cycle modulation.

Ability of the damaged pancreas to generate new β-cells when activated with external stimuli has been documented. This study assessed the potentials of aqueous extract of bambusa vulgaris leaf to reactivate damaged β-cells in insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Eighteen healthy male Wistar rats (12 weeks old; weight= between 150 and 200g) were used for this study. The rats were randomly divided into three groups (six per group); group A (un-induced); group B (untreated alloxan-induced diabetics); group C (alloxan-induced diabetics treated with 200mg/kg body weight of freshly prepared extract of bambusa vulgaris leaf). Fasting blood sugar (FBS) and plasma insulin levels were determined in all animals using glucometer and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay methods respectively. Sections of pancreas tissues were prepared for histology. IDDM was confirmed in groups B and C (FBS increased significantly=p0.05) higher in group B, compared to group A, but reduced significantly (p<0.05) in group C after 7 days of treatment with bambusa vulgaris leaf extract. On the 7th day, plasma insulin level decreased significantly (p<0.05) in group B, but no significant difference observed in group C compared with group A. Histology reports showed damaged pancreas in group B, while Group C showed normal islet cells after 7 days of oral administration of bambusa vulgaris extract. In conclusion, aqueous extract of Bambusa vulgaris could restore the activities of alloxan-damaged pancreas. The extract could be a reliable alternative to synthetic pharmaceuticals in the treatment IDDM.