International Invention Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences

172-177

Authors: *1Ezejindu DN, 1Udemezue OO, 1Chukwujekwu IE, 1Anyabolu AE, 2Uchefuna RC, 2Maduka SO, 3Ezejindu CN, 4Ndukwe GU

This study is aimed at evaluating the histological effects of aqueous extract of ginger on the adrenal gland of adult wistar rats. Twenty adult wistar rats weighing 190-215g were used for the study. They were allocated into four groups (A, B, C and D) of five animals each. Group A animals were served as the control and were orally administered 0.2ml of distilled water; the experimental groups B, C and D were given 0.3ml, 0.6ml and 0.9ml of aqueous extract of ginger respectively for twenty one days. Both the control and experimental groups were weighed, sacrificed under the influence of chloroform vapour and dissected after the last administration. Adrenal gland were harvested, weighed and fixed in 10% formalin for histological studies. The mean final body weight of groups C and D decreased significantly (P<0.05) compare with the control while group B final body weight increased significantly (P<0.05) in comparison with the control group A. The mean relative organ weight of groups C and D increased significantly (P<0.05) when compared with the control while group B was statistically similar with the control group A. Histopathological result revealed abnormality in zona glomerulosa and rearranged cells of steroids in groups C and D. This study therefore suggests that high consumption of ginger may distort the adrenal gland. Keywords: Ginger, Adrenal gland, Organ weight, Body weight, Wistar rats.

151-156

Authors: Ewansiha, J.U*1, Damaris, A.I.1, Ajunwa, O.M1, Umar. A.Y1, Busari, M.B2

Forty samples of spoilt pharmaceutical products (oral and ophthalmic) were collected from three different patent medicine stores and screened for potential bacteria contaminants using standard laboratory techniques. Of the 40 samples screened, 36 (90%) were seen to be contaminated by 5 different types of bacteria namely Bacillus species, Staphylococcus aureus, Corynebacterium species, Micrococcus species and Pseudomonas aeruginosa while 4 (10%) were free of contamination. The range of bacteria count for the oral and ophthalmic products ranges from 1.6 x 102 CFU/ml– 9.9 x 102 CFU/ml and 2.7 x 102 CFU/ml– 9.7 x 102 CFU/ml respectively. The presence of these pathogenic organisms may contribute to the spoilage of these products and also may be source of infection to the consumers. Therefore, good manufacturing practices, packaging, storage and distribution should be enforced. Keywords: Isolation, Bacteria, Pharmaceutical Products, Spoilt, Oral and Ophthalmic.

8-13

Authors: Gonçalves, M.; Eira, D.; Tomé, R.; Mendes, F.; Valado, A., Armando C., Gabriel, A. and Osório N.

S. aureus with lukS-PV and lukF-PV genes, responsible for encoding the cytotoxin panton valentine leukocidin (PVL) becomes a growing problem throughout the world. Initially, this pore-forming cytotoxin in human leukocytes was associated with skin and soft tissue infections, especially in recurrent abscesses. However, in the last decade a growing association of these PVL positive strains has been verified, with devastating pneumonia with a high mortality rate affecting mainly young adults, apparently healthy. In this study we were to determine the prevalence of PVL in S. aureus associated with upper respiratory tract infections. We were isolated 60 strains of S. aureus from respiratory tract infections in humans; these were tested for different antibiotics. Then, from DNA we analyzed the presence or absence of the lukS-PV and lukF-PV using the PCR technique. The phenotypic profile for different antibiotics tested revealed only one strain sensitive for all, 59 strains showed resistance: 2 (34%) to gentamicin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, 46 (78%) to levofloxacin, 51 (86.4%) to oxacilin and all (100%) to Penicilin G. The lukS-PV gene was detected only in 2 strains (3.3%), the lukF-PV gene was detected in 20 strains (33.3%) and both genes were detected simultaneously in only two strains, which were classified as PVL positive (3.3%). The average age of the infected individuals with PVL positive strains is 11 years, which may indicate that PVL positive strains infect younger individuals. The 18 positive strains for the lukF-PV gene suggest the use of other techniques to confirm the non - gene amplification for lukS-PV gene. The 60 strains showed a high resistance pattern to β-lactam antibiotics including penicillin and oxacillin, however, it was not established a link between PVL positive strains and resistance to a specific antibiotic or MRSA phenotype. Keywords: S. aureus, LukS-PV, LukF-PV, PVL.