African Journal of Clinical Medicine and Pharmacy Research

Entrance Skin Dose of Patients Undergoing Chest X-Ray in Selected Hospitals in Jalingo, Taraba State, Nigeria

Bawa-Boyi E. U, John, J. J, Achimugu A, Naphtali F. A — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This study serves as a method of ensuring the quality of radiation exposure by examining the entrance skin doses of patients who undergo Chest X-ray procedures at three prominent diagnostic institutions - Federal Medical Center, Taraba State Specialist Hospital, and Am-Pat Diagnostic Center, all located in Jalingo, Taraba State. Radiation exposure acquired by patients during normal x-rays is known to enhance the risk of cancer. This was the key motivation for this investigation. The Entrance Skin Dose (ESD) for sampled individuals was computed using the 1984 Edmond’s formula. The research utilized a sampling population of 80 patients, divided into 20 samples each machine and subsequently categorized into 10 according to age groups. The average Entrance Skin Dose (ESD) for individuals aged 0-18 years ranged from 0.120 mGy recorded at FMC1 to 0.188 mGy at FMC2. Also the mean ESD for patients in the 19 and above age category had a range from 0.258 mGy at FMC2 to 0.400 mGy at TSSHJ. The Taraba State Specialist Hospital in Jalingo recorded a maximum mean Entrance Skin Dose (ESD) of 0.4mGy for adult patients which surpasses the standard of 0.30 mGy for a year set by the IAEA. From the results obtained, an immediate review of exposure parameters of the FMC2 and TSSHJ is recommended in order to reduce the ESD especially for the adult population so as to reduce the probability of cancer incidence and other radiation-induced side-effects.

Control of Post Harvest Fungal Deterioration of Pineapple (Ananas comosus (L) Merr.) Using Extracts of Plant Origin in Nigeria

Amadioha A. C, Anidobu R. J — Sat, 14 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Post-harvest fungal deterioration of pineapple is the most important challenge in pineapple production value chain causing losses in both nutrient and market values. This research was undertaken to identify the fungal pathogens causing rot of pineapple fruits in storage and their control using the water and ethanol leaf extracts of Moringa oleifera, Azadirachta indica (Neem), and Carica payaya (pawpaw). Pathogenicity test of fungal isolates from infected pineapple fruit indicated Rhizopus stolonifer, Aspergillus niger and Fusarium solani as major pathogenic organisms causing storage rot of pineapple fruits. A. niger had the highest frequency of occurrence and most virulent recording the highest disease incidence and severity followed by R. solonfer and F. solani. The effects of both aqueous and ethanol extracts of the plant materials on rot development and spread in pineapple fruits by the pathogens showed that pineapple fruits sprayed with the plant extracts before inoculation of the pathogens recorded less disease incidence than those fruits spray-inoculated with pathogen before application of plant extracts suggesting that the extracts are better used as protectant before infection and development of disease. The ethanol leaf extracts were more effective than water extracts in reducing the disease incidence and severity of the pathogenic organisms in pineapple indicating that the solvent of extraction affected the antimicrobial activities of the test plant materials with ethanol extracting more active compounds than water as extracting solvent. The extracts of A. indica were most potent in the reduction of rot development and spread in pineapple indicating that the extracts contained more anti-fungal properties that affected the growth of the pathogenic organisms in vivo followed by extracts of C. papaya and M. oleifera. Extracts of these plant materials could therefore be exploited as pesticides of plant origin in the control of postharvest microbial deterioration of pineapple fruits and increase food production.

Evaluation of Water Purification Potentials of Moringa Seed (Moringa oleifera) In Jalingo Local Government Area of Taraba State

Sat, 14 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Agricultural, Domestic and Industrial activities are all human activities that led to squalid of environment, mostly water pollution. Water is needed for every daily activities and conventional methods of treating wastewater such as the use of chlorine and other is detrimental to human health. Hence, there is need for a greener sustainable alternative of wastewater treatment such as biological method. This study focused on developing an efficient and cost-effective procedure for using Moringa oleifera seeds to produce natural coagulant for use in drinking water treatment. The study investigates processing Moringa oleifera seeds to concentrate the bio-active constituents which have coagulation activity. It is generally accepted that Moringa works as a coagulant due to positively charged, water-soluble proteins, which bind with negatively charged particles (silt, clay, bacteria, toxins, etc) thereby allowing the resulting “flocs” to settle to the bottom and then be removed by filtration. The turbidity removal was about 83-100% using two processed Moringa oleifera seeds to treat an undrinkable well water having 6 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU). The product satisfies WHO standards for portable water and minimizes the cost of water treatment and therefore it is recommended as an efficient and effective treatment for drinking water especially for the rural communities where there is poor access to potable water.

In Vitro Evaluation of Water and Ethanol Leaf Extracts of Moringa Oleifera Azadirachta Indica and Carica Payaya Against the Growth of Postharvest Fungal Pathogens of Pineapple (Ananas comosus (L) Merr.)

Amadioha A. C, Anidobu R. J — Sat, 14 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Fungi are primary infectious agents of agricultural products that cause significant economic losses of stored food products in Nigeria. Natural plant materials as alternative to synthetic pesticides are eco-friendly, readily available, biodegradable and cost effective. Pathogenicity test of fungal isolates from infected pineapple showed Rhizopus stolonifer, Aspergillus niger and Fusarium solani as pathogenic organisms causing postharvest deterioration of pineapple fruits. The in vitro evaluation of water and ethanol leaf extracts of Moringa oleifera, Azadirachta indica (Neem), and Carica payaya (pawpaw) was carried out to determine the antimicrobial potential of the plant extracts against the spore germination and mycelial radial growth of R. stolonifer, A. niger and F. solani causing rot disease of pineapple in storage. The ethanol and water leaf extracts of A. indica, M. oleifera and C. papaya evaluated as antifungal agents against the three pathogenic fungi in vitro exhibited varying levels of fungitoxicity on the spore germination and mycelia radial growth of the pathogens in culture. The inhibition of spore germination of the pathogens was in a dose dependent manner with 100 % concentration of Neem leaf extract being more potent in inhibiting the spore germination of the pathogens followed by pawpaw and Moringa leaf extracts. The effect of the plant extracts on the mycelia radial growth inhibition of the pathogenic organisms in culture was also concentration dependent with the extracts being more effective from 40% concentration across the test plant materials. However, ethanol leaf extracts were more effective than water extracts in inhibiting the spore germination and mycelia radial growth of the pathogenic organisms in culture indicating that the solvent of extraction affected the fungitoxic activities of extracts of the plant materials with ethanol extracting more active compounds than water as extracting solvent. The antifungal potentials of the test plant materials could be exploited as biopesticide of plant origin in the control of postharvest microbial deterioration of pineapple and sustain the nutritional and market values.

The Comparative Study of the Phytochemicals of Andrographis Paniculata and Rauvolfia Vomitoria for Their Medicinal Function in the Treatment of Some Ailment

Audu H, Ajibade G. A, Abdulsalami M. O — Sat, 14 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This study was carried out to compare the phytochemicals in the leave, stem and root of both Andrographis paniculata and Rauvolfia vomitoria as well as to determine and compare the quantity of alkaloid in the leave extract due to their numerous medicinal values and difference in their origin. Medicinal Plants are sources of important therapeutic aid for alleviating human ailments. Andrographis paniculata (Nees) and Rauvolfia vomitoria Afzel belong to the family of Apocynaceae.The genus are evergreen trees and shrubs. Research has shown that different parts of Andrographis paniculata indigenous to India are used for various diseases such as fever, dysentery, snake and insect bite, boils, hypertension etc while Rauvolfia vomitoria indigenous to Africa is traditionally used as an emetic, purgative and in the treatment of jaundice, gastrointestinal diseases, psychiatric disorders etc. The aqueous plant extracts were subjected to qualitative and quantitative screening using standard procedure. The result showed that paniculata contains more phytochemical than vomitoria but both plants contain the same amount of alkaloid in the leave extract which is said to be the active ingredient for the treatment of several ailments. Hence, there is the need to propagate their growth and standardize drugs from both plants.