Vol 16, No 4 ,2015, African Scientist

Lifestyle-induced stress and the abuse of antibiotics are among the causes of mental health problems. This study was designed to determine if supplementation with probiotics (Probio) can significantly mitigate the effect of paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD) on the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) neurochemistry and redox status. Adult male Wistar rats were randomized into seven groups (n = 5/group) comprising the control, acute PSD; acute Probio, acute PSD+Probio, chronic PSD, chronic Probio, and chronic PSD+Probio groups.

This evaluate the anti-glaucoma drugs used among glaucoma patients in Benin Metropolis. A clinic-based cross-sectional study was conducted in three local government areas of Edo state (Ikpoba-Okha, Oredo and Egor). Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS -8) was used to assess the adherence to anti-glaucoma drugs. Two hundred and ten (210) patients with glaucoma using a purposive sampling technique were selected from eye clinics in Benin City; the questionnaire was pretested on a similar study group to assess its validity and reliability.

Over years, Crossopteryx febrifuge leaf has been used as curative without knowing its antioxidant and nutritional properties. Antioxidant properties were determined using some standard methods. Proximate analysis of carbohydrates, protein, crude fibers and crude fat as well as some mineral and vitamin compositions were also determined using standard methods in Association of Official Analytical Chemists. It was found that the plant exhibited significant free radical scavenging activity and have significant phenol and flavonoid contents.

This research determines the antibacterial activity of the aqueous and methanol root extracts of male and female Carica papaya and Garcinia kola individually and in biherbal formulations using the agar diffusion method. The dried roots of the two plants were powdered separately. Garcinia kola (100 g) and Carica papaya (100 g) were macerated separately in boiled water and absolute methanol, Garcinia kola (50 g) and Carica papaya (50 g) were combined (100 g) and macerated in boiled water and absolute methanol at room temperature (30°C ± 2°C) for 72 hours.

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) is the most important cultivated vegetable in Nigeria. It has a low caloric composition with myriads of essential nutrients and minerals needed for daily utilization by the human body. Understanding of genetic diversity and population structure can be used for okra breeding. In the present study, seventeen okra accessions consisting of 15 landraces and 2 commercial varieties were characterized using SSR markers to explore genetic diversity and population structure. In total, 8 SSR markers detected 50 SSR alleles with a mean of 6.25.

Reserpine has reportedly been used to induce neurotoxicity in animal models, including Drosophila melanogaster, and has been reported to cause oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and neuroinflammation, while Curcumin and quercetin have demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Different riparian land use activities were observed around Dadin-Kowa dam, which include both agricultural and domestic practices. These studies aim to investigate the effects of such riparian land use on physicochemical parameters in water. The investigation period was for 18 months from June 2018 - November 2019 and analyzed using standard methods.

Malaria remains a major public health concern in Nigeria and some other African countries due to the high cost of its treatment with synthetic/orthodox medicines that are even resisted by Plasmodium species. Therefore, a significant number of people are using antimalarial herbal medicines that have not been toxicologically confirmed to be safe for the prevention and treatment of malaria.

There has been an increased report of anthropogenic activities around Oyan Lake, Ogun State, Nigeria because its supplies water round the year. Therefore, this study evaluated the anthropological activities of three different landing sites (Abule Titun, Ibaro and Apojola) along the shores of Oyan Lake Nigeria. Anthropogenic activity was evaluated using a structured questionnaire administered to one hundred and fifty (150) household heads at fifty per location across the three landing sites and were subjected to descriptive statistics.

This study was done in Esan North East LGA of Edo Nigeria to assess the suitability of the LGA for oil palm and rubber cultivation. Methodology involved rigid grid systematic soil survey at a semi-detailed scale, which produced eight (8) mapping units. Suitable guidelines specific for each crop were used in establishing suitability of the land for oil palm and rubber.