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Background. Paraquat (PQ) is a pesticide commonly used in the control of weed in agricultural practices worldwide. Exposure to PQ has adverse biochemical and physiological consequences to humans and animals. The mechanism of toxicity is linked to the generation of reactive oxygen species and subsequent lipid peroxidation. Presently, no single effective antidote to PQ toxicity has been established. Therefore, the need to continually investigate different treatment approaches is of paramount importance. Objective. This study evaluated the capacity of selected dietary supplements to attenuate paraquat-induced kidney dysfunction and damages by determining some kidney function biomarkers and oxidative parameters. Methods. Thirty-six Wistar albino rats were randomly separated into six groups. Each group (except Normal control) was intoxicated every other day with 1.5 mg/kg body weight of PQ and four groups (except PQ and Normal control groups) were treated daily with 40 mg/kg of garlic, glutathione and vitamin C for two weeks. Results. The results showed significant (p  0.05) increases in concentration of kidney malondialdehyde, urea, creatinine, and blood lipid profiles. Also, significant decrease in concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, kidney glutathione and total antioxidant capacity were presented by PQ control group compared to other PQ exposed groups treated with the antioxidant compounds. Conclusions. PQ-induced changes indicated kidney dysfunction and damage. However, the administration of antioxidant supplements attenuated the PQ-induced biochemical and physiological dysfunction in the rats.

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In Nigeria and many other developing countries of the world, the incidence of mycotoxin- contamination of foods and food products has attracted attention and stirred a lot of concern for food safety. This work aims at detection of aflatoxigenic and ochratoxigenic synthetic genes from fungal isolates of palm oil as a veritable means for the evaluation of foods for possible mycotoxin contamination.  In this study, fungal isolates from palm oil samples collected from the five states of South-east geopolitical zone in Nigeria were screened for  aflatoxin and ochratoxin biosynthetic genes using Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (mPCR). The assay relied on three sets of primers that amplify aflatoxgenic Aspergillus, ochratoxigenic Aspergillus and Penicillium species under optimized PCR conditions. Optimum multiplex PCR assay was standardized for simultaneous detection of toxigenic Aspergillus and ochratoxin producing Penicillium species targeting AflR, AflS and pks genes involved in aflatoxin and ochratoxin metabolic pathways respectively. AflR primer pair gave specific amplification for aflatoxigenic A. flavus but did not give amplification for A. niger and P. chrysogenum. While AflS and pks gave amplification for only aflatoxigenic and ochratoxigenic A. niger and P. chrysogenum. In the evaluation and monitoring of mycotoxin-producing fungi during the processing of food and feed commodities, Multiplex PCR approach could be a veritable tool to supplement the conventional analytical techniques.

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