Contentions still exist as to the most humane method of sacrificing experimental animals. Beyond humaneness, there is also the issue of appropriateness of a method of sacrifice with regards to organ safety. This study compared four common methods of rodent sacrifice used in Nigeria and their effects on the brain. Twenty male Wistar rats weighing 150 to 180g were randomly separated into four groups of five rats each. After a two week period of acclimatization, the animals were sacrificed; Group A by Cervical dislocation (CD) which also served as control, Group B by chloroform inhalation (CI), Group C by diethyl ether inhalation (DEI) and group D by Formalin inhalation (FI).  The time taken for the animals to pass out was documented and the brains were harvested. Four of the brains from rats in each group were homogenized in phosphate buffer solution and centrifuged at 10000rpm. The supernatant were used for antioxidant studies. The remaining one brain from each group were fixed in 10% formal saline and after 48 hours, the cerebellum (CB) and hippocampus (Hp) were used for histological studies using the H & E method. Our results show although CD was the quickest, it gave the least quantity of blood. Meanwhile CI was the most humane, gave the most blood and saved time compared to DEI and FI. None of the methods of sacrifice showed adverse effect on the antioxidant parameters of the rats. However, histological studies showed that while CD and CI showed no adverse effects on the hippocampus, only CD was completely safe for the CB. The other methods showed various levels of cell death. It is therefore expedient to consider these factors in making the choice of an appropriate method of sacrifice and to use the most humane and safest method with reference to the organ studied.

The effect of inhaling mosquito coil smoke on the haematology and histology of rat’s lungs was studied. Mosquito coils while slowly burning emit smoke containing one or more insecticides, each coil burns for several hours and are used in close proximity to persons requiring protection against mosquitoes in order to prevent malaria, a disease of wide distribution. This study is aimed at determining the effects of mosquito coil on lungs of adult wistar rats. A total of 16 adult wistar rats were used in this study weighing 100g – 200g. They were randomly divided into four groups of four rats each. Rats in group 1 served as control and received only food and distilled water; while the experimental groups II – IV were exposed to mosquito coil smoke for 1 hour, 2 hours and 3 hours respectively for a period of 28 days. At the end of the experimental period, blood was collected from each rat through ocular puncture for blood analysis. The rats were sacrificed with the lungs harvested and fixed in 10% formal saline for routine histological analysis. The body weight of the exposed groups observed showed insignificant decrease when compared with the control group. The organ weight of lungs showed significant increase when compared to the control group. Haematological analysis for blood obtained revealed a significant (p<0.05) increase in Hb, PCV, RBC and WBC counts in all exposure groups when compared with the control group. Histological analysis of the lungs showed severe hemorrhage and severe inflammation of the lungs. Results from this study demonstrates that mosquito coil smoke not only challenges the immune system but also affects the blood oxygen regulation level through damage in the lungs.

The solvent of extraction determines the type and amount of phytochemicals extractible from a plant material. Reports have shown that numerous African herbs are rich is potent phytochemicals which have been used in folkloric and orthodox medicine in the prevention and treatment of ailments. This research is geared towards comparing the neuroprotective potency of the aqueous and methanolic extracts of Vernonia amygdalina on the cerebellum of mercury chloride intoxicated Wistar rats. Thirty adult male Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups of 5 rats each. Group A was the negative control and had food and water only. Group B was the positive control and was exposed to mercury chloride without treatment. Groups C1 and C2 received 200mg/kg bw of aqueous and methanolic extracts respectively while groups D1 and D2 received 400mg/kg bw of aqueous and methanolic extracts of Vernonia amygdalina respectively. Result of phytochemical analysis shows that water extracted more flavonoids while methanol extracted more phenols. The results of antioxidant studies show that the methanolic extract conferred more protection against oxidative stress than the aqueous extract. Histological results show that aqueous extract conferred more protection than the methanolic extract. We therefore conclude from our report that both the aqueous and methanolic extracts of Vernonia amygdalina confer neuroprotection on the cerebellum of Wistar rats.

The organophosphate, dichlorvous (Otapia-pia) formulated in varying concentrations as insecticides is utilized by several individuals in most remote places of Nigeria due to its affordable value and accessibility. However, this present study is conducted to investigate the adverse effect of the exposure of this substance on the respiratory system (lungs) of male albino wistar rats. Twenty (20) albino wistar rats comprising of all males weighing between 150-230g were divided into four groups (A-D) of five animals each. Group A received only water, feed, and served as the control. Group B was exposed to dichlorvous inhalation 3hrs daily for a period of two weeks; Group C was exposed to dichlorvous inhalation 6hrs daily for a period of two weeks; while Group D was exposed to dichlorvous inhalation 10hrs daily for a period of two weeks. Twenty four hours after the last exposure, the animals were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and dissected. The lungs were weighed and fixed in 10% formal saline for histological studies. The body weight of the experimental groups decreased insignificantly when compared with the control group. The lungs weight increased significantly when compared to the control groups. Histological observation revealed a moderate to severe effects on the lungs with severe consolidated inflammatory exudates (discharge of fluids from pores), a moderate intra-alveoli hemorrhage, and a severe dilation of alveolar septa which is evident as emphysematous changes. This result revealed that the exposure to dichlorvous causes distortion of the normal histological architecture of the lungs. Thus, showing that dichlorvous inhalation influences the normal physiologic mechanisms of the lungs.

Health is everyone’s business. Teachers are essential channels for transmitting societal values to the younger generation. To achieve this, attention must be paid to proper curriculum in teachers’ training. This study was designed to ascertain empirically the level of knowledge of teachers on the basics of medical sciences and to propose the introduction of Basic Medical Sciences in the curriculum for teachers training in Nigeria. The research design is a descriptive non-experimental survey. The research population was students of post-graduate diploma in Education (PGDE) and the sampling method was the random sampling method. The total study population is 1031 and the sample size is 165 determined by the method of Krejcie and Morgan. The control group was drawn from 80 students in 2nd semester 200 level of Anatomy, Physiology and Medicine & Surgery departments. The research instrument is a questionnaire. A total of 250 questionnaires were distributed, 234 returned but 12 were disqualified due to improper filling. Therefore 222 (88.8%) was used for the study. Our results showed that male respondents scored an average of 47.66% as against 88.91% from the control group. Female respondents scored an average of 43.70% asagainst 74.91% by the female control group. Respondents on the average scored 43.28% in Anatomy related questions and 49.49% in physiology related questions. It was concluded that knowledge of basic medical sciences among teacher-trainees in Nigeria is deficient. On this basis we propose the incorporation of Basic Medical Science in teachers’ training curriculum in Nigeria.