Cardiovascular diseases are major causes of non-communicable diseases (NCDs)-related throughout the world. Water pollution has been linked with the high global NCD burden but no report exists on the cardiotoxicity of untreated or poorly treated pharmaceutical effluent, despite its indiscriminate discharge into the aquatic environment in Nigeria, as in many other locations of the world. Thus, this study investigated the cardiotoxic effect of oral exposure to pharmaceutical effluent in mice. Thirty (30) male mice ( Mus musculus ) were randomly divided into 6 groups. Group A (control) received 0.2 ml distilled water, while groups B-F were treated with 0.2 ml 2.5%, 5.0%, 10.0%, 20.0% and 40% concentrations (v/v, effluent/distilled water) of the effluent respectively, for 28 days. Significant reductions ( p< 0.05) in heart weight and cardiac weight index were observed in the groups treated with 5%, 10%, 20% and 40% concentrations of the effluent, without significant change in body weight. Similarly, 28 day administration of the effluent showed significant decrease in cardiac Na + -K + -ATPase activity ( p< 0.05) at concentrations 10% and above, in a concentration dependent manner. However, there was insignificant decrease in cardiac Ca 2+ -Mg 2+ -ATPase activity of the exposed mice, when compared with the control group. This study provides novel information on the cardiotoxic effects of oral exposure to untreated pharmaceutical effluent, showing reduced Na + -K + -ATPase activity and decreseased myocardial atrophy. Therefore, drinking water contaminated with pharmaceutical effluent may promote the incidence of cardiovascular diseases. Further studies on the exact mechanistic routes of the induced cardiotoxicity are recommended.

Drug resistance in malaria infection is a serious public health challenge. Thus, scientific search for alternative treatment measures among the local medicinal plants is exigent. We therefore investigated the anti-plasmodial efficacy and genotoxicity of the methanolic leaf and stem extracts of Alstonia plant at varying concentration (200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg and 600 mg/kg) in mice infected with chloroquine sensitive Plasmodium berghei. The phytochemical screening of the extract revealed that leaf sample contained significantly higher secondary metabolites, except saponins (p<0.05). Anti-plasmodial activities of the two extracts were duration and dose-dependent. Stem bark extract showed higher curative potential with inhibition rate of 56.71% at 400 mg/kg whereas, leaf extract was efficient at 600mg/kg with 52.15% inhibition rate. Stem bark extract at 400 mg/kg improved the enzymatic activities of the mice; it lowered serum ALT (6.88±4.42) and increased liver ALT (41.07±5.56). Similarly, 400 mg/kg leaf extract showed highest AST (70.65±4.00) and ALT (44.65±7.83) activities in the kidney and liver respectively. Analysis of genotoxicity revealed that micronucleus and abnormal (binucleated, notched and blebbed) were prevalent among the experimental mice which increased significantly (p<0.05) at all concentrations except at 600mg/kg leaf extract. Therefore, this present study indicates that both leaf and stem bark extracts of A. boonei possess anti-plasmodial activity and are less genotoxic when compared with standard drug.

Chemotherapy remains the utmost treatment for Type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients. This however, predisposes the patients to a wide range of serious complications, thus, the need for alternative therapeutic agents that target pancreatic β-cell function. This study investigated the effects of aqueous leaf extract of M. lucida (MLE) on β-cell dysfunction and atherogenic dyslipidaemia in alloxan-induced T1D in rats. Twenty-five Wister rats (156-168g) were randomly divided into normal, diabetic, diabetic + glibenclamide (5 mg/kg), diabetic + 120 mg/kg MLE and diabetic + 240 mg/kg MLE groups (n = 5/ group). Treatments were via oral route for 14 days. Our findings revealed that, 120 mg/kg MLE significantly reduced hyperglycaemia, improved insulinaemia as well as β-cell function, and attenuated weight loss in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The extract also attenuated (p < 0.05) atherogenic dyslipidaemia and malondialdehyde. The activities of the extract compared favourably with glibenclamide. This study suggested that, hypoglycaemic and mitigating effects of aqueous leaf extract of M. lucida on atherogenic dyslipidaemia and pancreatic β-cell dysfunction were through reduction in lipid peroxidation. The extract may therefore represent an effective source of novel drugs against TID and cardiovascular diseases. Further study is recommended, to explore the extract's mechanism of oxidative repair.

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Malaria is a global public health disease. Haematological and cytokine alterations are the major sources of its pathological conditions. Therefore, blood and serum of patients attending health centres were screened to investigate the effects of Plasmodium falciparum on the T-helper cell type 1 and blood cell parameters using Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and automatic hematology analyzer respectively. Approximately 55% of malaria-infected patients with average parasitaemia of 2523.64 parasite/ll of blood concurrently suffered anaemia, thrombocytopenia, leucopenia, microcytosis and hypochromasia. However, thrombocytopenia and leucopenia were age-specific and their prevalences in children within 10 years were higher. These disease conditions significantly vary with severity of malaria infection (p < 0.05). Blood parameters with the exception of RBC and MCHC were significantly lower in the infected patients (p < 0.05) with 12.9% and 41.2% reduction in haemoglobin and platelet counts respectively. A high plasma concentration of IL-10, IL-12, INF-c and TNF-a, ratio of IL-10/TNF-a (1.86) and IL-10/INF-c (1.55) were recorded among the malaria-infected groups. This study revealed that unregulated interaction of the parasite with host immune response has important consequences in disease progression and thus relevant for therapeutic and vaccine development.