Aim: To evaluate the effects of Pleurotus ostreatus on the lipid profile and atherogenic indices in Hyperlipidemic rats. Study Design, Place and Duration of Study: This case-control study was done for 60 days between March and April, 2017 at the department of Medical Laboratory Science and Department of Chemical Pathology, Babcock University, Ogun State, Nigeria. Methodology: Thirty male wistar rats weighing 117-130 g were divided randomly into 3 groups: Normolipidemic (NL) rats (fed with standard rodent chow), Hyperlipidemic (HL) rats (fed with standard rodent chow + duck yolk and reused oil), Hyperlipidemic Treated (HL+T) rats (fed with standard rodent chow + duck yolk and reused oil + 5% Pleurotus ostreatus powder).  Changes in the animal body weights were measured in this study. Serum was obtained from fasting blood samples for the standard biochemical analyses of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), High density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), creatinine, urea, Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and Aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Low density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), TC/HDL, LDL/HDL and Log (TG/HDL) ratios were calculated. Results: The HL+T rats compared to HL rats had significantly reduced body weight, TC, TG, LDL, VLDL, TC/HDL, LDL/HDL and Log(TG/HDL) by 19.59%, 14.38%, 15.82%, 25.52%, 15.83%, 28.89%, 20.24% and 27.27% respectively (p ≤ 0.05) but recorded no significant change in HDL-C (p > 0.05). Creatinine, urea, AST and ALT did not show any significant change in HL rats and HL+T rats (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Treatment of hyperlipidemic male wistar rats with Pleurotus ostreatus reduced body weight, lipid levels (TC, TG, LDL, VLDL) and atherogenic indices (TC/HDL, LDL/HDL, Log (TG/HDL)) and appeared to have no detrimental effects on the liver and kidneys. These findings may provide insights and scientific basis for the promotion of the use of Pleurotus ostreatus in controlling hyperlipidemia and associated complications.

Lead is an occupational toxicant and a recognised health threat particularly in developing countries. Hence, this study explored the interaction of blood lead level (BLL), a conventional marker of lead exposure, with indices of calcium metabolism and biomarkers of bone-turnover in 120 adult male automobile technicians (AT) with ≥ 1 year duration in professional practice. The AT as well as the control group, which comprised 120 age, body-size and socio-economically matched male administrative workers, were recruited from Sagamu, South West Nigeria. Levels of blood lead, serum indices of calcium metabolism [total calcium (tCa), ionised calcium (iCa), phosphate, albumin, magnesium (Mg) and 25-Hydroxycholecalceferol (25-OHCC)], biomarkers of bone formation [bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP) and osteocalcin (OC)] and biomarkers of bone resorption [tartarate-resistant acid phosphatase-5b (TACRP-5b) and urinary hydroxyproline (UHYP)] were determined in all participants. The BLL, 25-OHCC, TRACP-5b and UHYP significantly increased while tCa and iCa significantly reduced in AT compared to control. However, no significant difference was observed in phosphate, albumin, Mg, BALP and OC in AT compared to control. Interestingly, BLL demonstrated a significant negative association with tCa and iCa but a significant positive association with 25-OHCC, TRACP-5b and UHYP. However, BLL did not show significant association with phosphate, albumin, Mg, BALP and OC. Increased lead exposure as well as altered calcium metabolism and bone-turnover demonstrated by the automobile technicians may be suggestive of lead-induced accelerated bone demineralisation. These workers may be predisposed to high risk of increased susceptibility to bone diseases if this sub-clinical picture is sustained.

Cadmium is a toxic metal, an environmental contaminant and a multi-organ poison which has been implicated in the derangement of a number of biological and molecular systems. Exposure to cadmium is a serious global health threat particularly in developing countries and pregnant women are at great risk, This is because they have increased gastrointestinal absorption and retention of cadmium and the tendency for increased risk of complications owing to its toxic effects. Preeclampsia is a pregnancy complication characterized by the development of onset of hypertension and significant proteinuria after 20 weeks of gestation or during labour and/or within 48 hours of delivery. This pregnancy-specific syndrome is a leading cause of maternal death particularly in developing countries. Several reports have provided evidence of remote association between preeclampsia and cadmium but the mechanism of the involment of this toxic metal in this disease is still surrounded with uncertainty. Some possible mechanistic pathways such as induction of oxidative stress, acting as an antimetabolite to zinc and deregulation of epigenetic mechanisms have been elucidated in this article may be interconnected, work synergistically or act independently. However, pertinent to understand them in a bid to possibly prevent the disease or forestall its devastating consequences. Environmental cadmium exposure may be considered a factor that merits further serious attention in the continuous search for the precise an etiology of preeclampsia particularly in developing countries that experience uncontrolled cadmium release into the environment.

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