Evaluation of the antipeptic ulcer activity of the leaf extract of Plantago lanceolata L. in rodents

The effect of the leaf extract of Plantago lanceolata L. (Plantaginaceae) on gastric secretion and cytoprotection was evaluated using different models of gastroduodenal ulcer, including acetic acid induced chronic gastric ulcer, indomethacin induced gastric ulcer, cysteamine induced duodenal ulcer and pylorus ligation induced gastric ulcer. The aqueous extract was administered at 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg and 140 mg/kg and 280 mg/kg for mice and rats, respectively, and compared with vehicle or the standard, ranitidine (50 or 70 mg/kg) or misopristol (280 μg/kg). In addition, activity of the mucilage (172 mg/kg) was also evaluated in acetic acid induced chronic gastric ulcer. Administration was done orally except in pylorus ligation, where the intraduodenal route was used. In all cases, higher doses of the extract provided better protection than lower doses and the mucilage, hinting at a dose‐dependent effect. Whilst higher doses of the extract showed a better healing of the ulcer as well as protection in indomethacin and pylorus ligation models, activities of lesser magnitude than ranitidine were noted in the cysteamine model. Together these findings indicate that higher doses used in the present study provided an overall better protection against gastroduodenal ulcers than the standard drugs employed through antisecretory and cytoprotective mechanisms. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Statistical analysis of low molecular mass heparin nanoencapsulation

The objective of this study was to use Box-Behnken design (BBD) to investigate the influence of formulation variables on the properties of heparin-loaded poly(lactic-coglycolic acid) (PLGA)-polymethacrylate-RLPO (E-RLPO) nanoparticles (NP) in terms of mean diameter (as size) and drug encapsulation efficiency. The NPs were prepared by the double emulsion solvent evaporation method. The independent variables were: X1 - polymer mass ratio (PLGA:E-RLPO) in the oil phase, X2 - concentration of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as emulsion stabilizer, and X3 - volume of the external aqueous phase (W2). Particle size (analyzed by dynamic light scattering) and encapsulation efficiency (EE, estimated by spectrophotometry) were the investigated responses. The polynomial equation obtained from regression analysis of the reduced model (p = 0.0002, F = 25.7952 and R2 = 0.96) provided an excellent fit. The optimal size for the NP was found to be 134.2 ± 16.5 nm with formulation variables of 48.2:61.8, 0.321 (%,m/V) and 263 mL for X1, X2 and X3, respectively. Probably, due to electrostatic interaction between the negatively charged drug and the positively charged E-RLPO, the percent EE of heparin was between 74.4 ± 6.5 % (lowest value) and 92.1 ± 5.3 % (highest value). The data suggest that BBD is a useful tool in rational design of heparin-loaded NPs.     

Health care seeking behavior for depression in Northeast Ethiopia: depression is not considered as illness by more than half of the participants

Background

Depression is one of the most disabling and chronic mental illnesses. Despite its high burden, many people suffering from depression did not perceive that they had a treatable illness and consequently most of them did not seek professional help. The aim of this study was to assess the level of professional help-seeking behavior and associated factors among individuals with depression.

Methods and materials

The community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among residents of Dessie, Northeast Ethiopia. First, 1165 residents were screened for depression using patient health questionnaire and then 226 individuals who were screened positive for probable depression were interviewed with General Help-Seeking Questionnaire to assess the professional help-seeking behavior of participants with depression. Major associated variables were identified using logistic regression with 95% confidence interval (CI), and variables with a p value less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

Among the total participants with depressive symptoms, only 25.66% of them did seek professional help. Being female [adjusted odds ratio (AOR)?=?2.769, 95% CI (1.280, 5.99)], current alcohol drinking [AOR?=?2.74, 95% CI (1.265, 5.940)], co-morbid medical-surgical illness [AOR?=?4.49, 95% CI (1.823, 11.071)], perceiving depression as illness [AOR?=?2.44, 95% CI (1.264, 4.928)], having moderate depressive symptoms [AOR?=?2.54, 95% CI (1.086, 5.928)] and moderately severe depressive symptoms [AOR?=?7.67, 95% CI (2.699, 21.814)] were significantly associated with help seeking behavior of participants.

Conclusions

Level of professional help-seeking behavior is as low as previous studies in different countries. The severity of depressive symptoms, co-morbidity of medical–surgical illness, current drinking of alcohol, being female, and perceiving depression as illness were significantly associated with professional help-seeking behavior for depressive symptoms. Working on mental health literacy in the community is important to increase help-seeking behavior.

     

Acceptability of HIV counselling and testing among tuberculosis patients in south Ethiopia

Background  

To benefit from available care and treatment options, patients should first be counselled and tested for HIV. Our aim was to assess the acceptability of HIV testing among tuberculosis patients under routine care conditions in south Ethiopia.     

Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy: a review of 10,000 cases

A total of 10,000 patients underwent upper gastrointestinal endosopy examination between August 1979 and October 1994 at Tikur Anbessa Hospital, Addis Ababa. The major indications were dyspepsia (59.4%), upper gastrointestinal bleeding (18%) and liver disease (10.8%). The other indications include dysphagia (2.2%), gastric outlet obstruction (2.1%), postoperative dyspeptic symptoms (1.9%), weight loss and/or anemia (1.4%), epigastric mass (0.6%) and odynophagia 0.2%. The mean age of the patients and their sex ratio was 36 years and 2:1, respectively. Twenty eight percent of the patients had normal findings. The commonest abnormal findings include duodenal ulcer (41%), esophageal varices (9%), acute gastritis (6%), duodenitis (3.4%), and reflux esophagitis (2.3%). Benign gastric ulcer was rare. The ratio of duodenal ulcer to gastric ulcer was 19.1%. Duodenal ulcer (45.6%), esophageal varices (15.6) and acute gastritis (5.7%) were found to be the commonest causes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. The endoscopy or histology diagnosis of cancer in both the esophagus and stomach was 2.8% and 1.3%, respectively. The agreement between endoscopy and histology in the diagnosis of esophageal and gastric cancer was 80%. There was no major complication related to endoscopy or premeditation. Endoscopy is a fairly accurate and safe procedure and therefore should be available and applied widely for the diagnosis of upper gastrointestinal diseases in Ethiopia.     

Ethnobotanical survey of knowledge and usage custom of traditional insect/mosquito repellent plants among the Ethiopian Oromo ethnic group

Aim of the study

Repellent plants usage is an integral part of Ethiopian tradition and has been practiced over many centuries. Hence, the aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and usage custom of traditional insect/mosquito repellent plants among the Oromo ethnic group in Ethiopia.

Materials and methods

The ethnobotanical survey was conducted between January and March 2009. All 276 household members were interviewed on knowledge and usage custom of traditional repellent plants, using a pre-tested questionnaire in Kofe kebele, Jimma zone, Ethiopia.

Results and Conclusion

83.6% respondents had adequate knowledge and usage custom regarding insect/mosquito repellent plants. Application of smoke by burning the repellent plant materials was the most common practice. The chi-square test result revealed that there was no statistically significant association found between the knowledge about insect repellent plants and sex (p-value = 0.8912), educational status (p-value = 0.7504), and age (p-value = 0.1631) of the respondents. However, usage custom of repellent plants was significantly associated with sex (p-value = 0.0002) and average monthly income (p-value = 0.0001) although not with educational status (p-value = 0.5206) of the respondents. Repellent efficacy of these plants is undetermined and therefore the scientific validity should be evaluated by conducting further laboratory and field research. Majority of the repellent plants have been used as medicine to treat various ailments by the local community. Furthermore, they are easily available, accessible and affordable therefore usage of traditional repellent plants should be promoted among the local residents in order to reduce vector-borne disease prevalence.     

Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings in Patients with Developmental Delay in Addis Ababa,Ethiopia

BackgroundDevelopmental delay is a major health problem throughout the world causing significant individual disability. Even though physical examination and patient history are the most important and basic evaluations of patients with developmental delay, additional investigations are usually required in supporting or reaching a diagnosis among which is neuroimaging. This study aims to assess brain Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) patterns in patients presented with developmental delay.MethodA retrospective analysis of 164 patients who had undergone brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) evaluation for the developmental delay was done. The study was conducted between March to November 2021 G.C at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH). The patients'' clinical history and magnetic resonance imaging reports were reviewed from their medical records. All patients with developmental delay who had brain MRI evaluation at TASH and at one private diagnostic center in Addis Ababa were included in the study.ResultsA total of 164 patients were included in this study of which 95(57.9%) were male and 69(42.1%) female patients were seen. A total of 120 patients (73.2%) showed abnormal brain MRI studies. Previous neurovascular insults were the most common abnormalities seen in 75(45.7%) patients followed by imaging findings of congenital and developmental abnormalities seen in 20(12.2%) patients.ConclusionBrain MRI is an important input in the evaluation of patients with developmental delay. It can give evidence for the cause of developmental delay, especially in the diagnosis of perinatal/hypoxic-ischemic insults, and congenital and developmental malformations.