We investigated the antiplasmodial properties of crude extracts from Carica papaya leaves to trace the activity through bioassay-guided fractionation. The greatest antiplasmodial activity was observed in the ethyl acetate crude extract. C. papaya showed a high selectivity for P. falciparum against CHO cells with a selectivity index of 249.25 and 185.37 in the chloroquine-sensitive D10 and chloroquine-resistant DD2 strains, respectively. Carica papaya ethyl acetate extract was subjected to bioassay-guided fractionation to ascertain the most active fraction, which was purified and identified using high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and GC-MS (Gas chromatography-Mass spectrometry) methods. Linoleic and linolenic acids identified from the ethyl acetate fraction showed IC50 of 6.88 μg/ml and 3.58 μg/ml, respectively. The study demonstrated greater antiplasmodial activity of the crude ethyl acetate extract of Carica papaya leaves with an IC50 of 2.96 ± 0.14 μg/ml when compared to the activity of the fractions and isolated compounds.

Over the last two decades there has been a noticeable increase in the activities of quarry-mining companies in the Ishiagu area of south-eastern Nigeria. These activities have produced an ever-growing number of abandoned quarry pits that usually quickly fill with water and appear to become suitable habitats for the freshwater snails that may act as intermediate hosts of Schistosoma haematobium. To examine the potential role of quarry mining on the prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis caused by S. haematobium, urine samples were collected from 1819 schoolchildren in northern Ishiagu (an area with intense mining activities and many quarry pits) and from 252 schoolchildren in southern Ishiagu (an area with no mining activity or quarry pits). When these 2071 samples were checked for schistosome eggs, 1005 (48.5%) were found positive and 252 (25.1%) of the infected children showed visible haematuria. The children from northern Ishiagu were much more likely to be infected than the children from the south (53.3% v. 13.9%; P<0.001). Curiously, only the children from northern Ishiagu showed a gender-related difference in prevalence that was statistically significant, with boys more likely to be infected than girls (60.9% v. 38.5%; P<0.001). Although the 'children' investigated varied in age from 5 to 20 years, no statistically significant increase or decrease in prevalence with age was apparent. Four species of snails (Bulinus globosus, B. rohlfsi, B. forskalii and B. senegalensis) were found in the overall study area but B. globosus was only found in the quarry pits in northern Ishiagu and never in the water bodies of southern Ishiagu. It does appear that quarry-mining activity in the Ishiagu area is a factor in the local epidemiology of urinary schistosomiasis, with the water bodies that form in the abandoned quarry pits serving as the principal foci of transmission.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a debilitating disease associated with locomotion impairment, and conventional therapeutic drugs are not optimal for managing RA. There is an avalanche of medications used for the management of RA. Still, studies have shown that they are associated with severe side effects, including hepatotoxicity, retinopathy, and cardiotoxicity disorders of the central nervous system (CNS), skin, blood, and infections. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is currently gaining attention as a novel panacea for managing debilitating diseases, such as RA. Nigerian folk herbal remedies are replete with a plethora of curative medicine, albeit unvalidated scientifically but with seemingly miraculous provenance. Studies of the identification of bioactive compounds present in these botanicals using advanced spectral analytical techniques have enhanced our understanding of the role of Nigerian herbal remedies in the treatment and management of RA. Interestingly, experimental studies abound that the bioactive compounds present in the extracts of plant botanicals protected animals from the development of RA in different experimental models and reduced the toxicity associated with conventional therapeutics. Validated mechanisms of RA amelioration in human and animal models include suppression of the expression of NF-κB, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17, IL-23, chemokines, TGF-β, RANKL, RANK, iNOS, arginase, COX-2, VEGFA, VEGFR, NFATC1, and TRAP in the synoviocytes. Decreased ROS, NO, MDA, carbonyl groups, and PGE2 in the synovial fluid increased the expression of PPARα/γ; antioxidant and anti-inflammatory molecules also improve RA etiology. In this mini-review, we discuss the global burden of RA, the novel role of plant-based botanicals as potential therapeutics against signaling pathways in RA. Also addressed is the possible repurposing/reprofiling of plant botanicals to increase their therapeutic index among RA patients that patronize traditional healers in Nigeria with a global projection.

This paper reports the result of hospital waste analysis undertaken in some hospitals in Okigwe. This analysis was carried out between August and December 2012. Hospital wastes generated and collected from three different hospitals in Okigwe were categorized into five different classes of hospital waste. A total 95.51kg of waste was collected from the three hospitals; 60.54kg (63.38%) from H1, 18.9kg (19.7%) from H2 and 16.07kg (16.83%) from H3. GHW was the most prominent waste consisting of 64.6kg (67.63%) while the least waste type was RHW 0.09kg (0.09%). SHW, IHW and PHW weighed 11.9kg (12.45%), 16.4kg (17.17%) and 2.45kg (2.56%) respectively. A similar pattern and order of composition was recorded in the three different hospitals. RHW being the least generated waste, followed by PHW, SHW, IHW and finally GHW. A total of 13.2kg of waste was generated per day at the three hospitals; H1 generated the greatest waste per day (7.57kg), H2 generated the least waste per day (2.01kg) H3 generated 3.36kg of the hospital waste per day. H2 produced the greatest Waste/Day/Bed (0.33kg) while H1 produced the least (0.09kg). H3 generated 0.20kg hospital Waste/Day/Bed. This study reveals the absence of modern waste/incineration facilities in all the hospitals and therefore recommends their provision in order to contain the rapid waste generation of the hospitals.

Diseases transmitted by vectors have been plaguing man since time immemorial causing millions of deaths annually. The highest occurrence reportedly occurs in tropical and subtropical areas where malaria, the commonest vector-borne disease, is highest. The management of vector-borne diseases has been basically by controlling their vectors using synthetic insecticides: the pyrethroids, organophosphates, organochlorines: carbamates.  Reports have shown that these insecticides pollute the environment, result in bio-magnification and affect non-target organisms mostly man thereby raising health concern. Also, there is development of insecticide resistance in the disease vectors, which may hamper the effective use of the insecticides. These negative effects associated with the use of synthetic insecticides emphasize the need for alternative method of control. The control of disease vectors with the use of herbal-based products that have insecticidal properties is promising as it is safe to non-target organisms, eco-friendly, bio-degradable, less expensive and the development of resistance in the vectors is more or less absent. The insecticidal activity of plant herbs is attributed to the presence of complex mixture of bio-active compounds, which act as anti-feedants, oviposition deterrents, repellents, attractants, etc. Using relevant literatures, this paper discussed disease vectors, method of transmission of vector-borne diseases, the need for alternative method of disease vector control and the most common plants employed in the control of disease vectors including their families, products, bio-active compounds, their activity and mode of action. Use of plant herbs and their products can therefore, serve as alternative method for vector control programme.