The prevalence of fascioliasis in cattle slaughtered in the Sokoto metropolitan abattoir was investigated. Faeces and bile samples were collected and processed using formal ether concentration technique. Gross lesions from 224 out of 1,313 slaughtered cattle were randomly selected and examined. Out of the 224 cattle examined, 95 (42.41%) were males and 129 (57.59%) were females. Out of 95 male cattle examined, 27 (28.42%) were infected and out of 129 females 35 (27.13%) were infected. Based on breed, infection rates were 31 (31.0%), and 31 (25.2%) for breeds of Sokoto Gudali and Red Bororo respectively. No infection was recorded in White Fulani breed. Lesions observed were more in males than in females and more in Red Bororo than in Sokoto Gudali. Overall, prevalence of infection with Fasciola was 27.68%. There was no statistically significant association between infection and breed and between infection and sex of the animals sampled ( > 0.05). Regular treatment of all animals with an effective flukicide, as well as snail habitat control, tracing source of animals, public enlightenment about the disease, proper abattoir inspection, adequate and clean water supply to animals, and payment of compensation of condemned tissues and organs infested with the parasite by government were suggested.

No abstract

The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a potentially fatal multisystemic infection caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Currently, viable therapeutic options that are cost effective, safe and readily available are desired, but lacking. Nevertheless, the pandemic is noticeably of lesser burden in African and Asian regions, where the use of traditional herbs predominates, with such relationship warranting a closer look at ethnomedicine. From a molecular viewpoint, the interaction of SARS-CoV-2 with angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the crucial first phase of COVID-19 pathogenesis. Here, we review plants with medicinal properties which may be implicated in mitigation of viral invasion either via direct or indirect modulation of ACE2 activity to ameliorate COVID-19. Selected ethnomedicinal plants containing bioactive compounds which may prevent and mitigate the fusion and entry of the SARS-CoV-2 by modulating ACE2-associated up and downstream events are highlighted. Through further experimentation, these plants could be supported for ethnobotanical use and the phytomedicinal ligands could be potentially developed into single or combined preventive therapeutics for COVID-19. This will benefit researchers actively looking for solutions from plant bioresources and help lessen the burden of COVID-19 across the globe.

No abstract

More than half a century ago, zinc was established as an essential micronutrient for normal human physiology. In silico data suggest that about 10% of the human proteome potentially binds zinc. Many proteins with zinc-binding domains (ZBDs) are involved in epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation and histone modifications, which regulate transcription in physiological and pathological conditions. Zinc metalloproteins in epigenetics are mainly zinc metalloenzymes and zinc finger proteins (ZFPs), which are classified into writers, erasers, readers, editors, and feeders. Altogether, these classes of proteins engage in crosstalk that fundamentally maintains the epigenome’s modus operandi. Changes in the expression or function of these proteins induced by zinc deficiency or loss of function mutations in their ZBDs may lead to aberrant epigenetic reprogramming, which may worsen the risk of non-communicable chronic diseases. This review attempts to address zinc’s role and its proteins in natural epigenetic programming and artificial reprogramming and briefly discusses how the ZBDs in these proteins interact with the chromatin.

Metabolic syndrome is linked to the consumption of fructose-rich diets. Nutritional and pharmacological interventions perinatally can cause epigenetic changes that programme an individual to predispose or protect them from the development of metabolic diseases later. Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS) reportedly has anti-obesity and hypocholesterolaemic properties in adults. We investigated the impact of neonatal intake of HS on the programming of metabolism by fructose. A total of 85 4-day-old Sprague Dawley rats were divided randomly into three groups. The control group (n=27, 12 males, 15 females) received distilled water at 10 ml/kg body weight. The other groups received either 50 mg/kg (n=30, 13 males, 17 females) or 500 mg/kg (n=28, 11 males, 17 females) of an HS aqueous calyx extract orally till postnatal day (PND) 14. There was no intervention from PND 14 to PND 21 when the pups were weaned. The rats in each group were then divided into two groups; one continued on a normal diet and the other received fructose (20% w/v) in their drinking water for 30 days. The female rats that were administered with HS aqueous calyx extract as neonates were protected against fructose-induced hypertriglyceridaemia and increased liver lipid deposition. The early administration of HS resulted in a significant (P⩽0.05) increase in plasma cholesterol concentrations with or without a secondary fructose insult. In males, HS prevented the development of fructose-induced hypercholesterolaemia. The potential beneficial and detrimental effects of neonatal HS administration on the programming of metabolism in rats need to be considered in the long-term well-being of children.

The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is the first point of contact for ingested substances and thus represents a direct interface with the external environment. Apart from food processing, this interface plays a significant role in immunity and contributes to the wellbeing of individuals through the brain-gut-microbiota axis. The transition of life from the in utero environment, to suckling and subsequent weaning has to be matched by phased development and maturation of the GIT; from an amniotic fluid occupancy during gestation, to the milk in the suckling state and ultimately solid food ingestion at weaning. This phased maturation of the GIT can be affected by intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including diet. Despite the increasing dietary inclusion of medicinal plants and phytochemicals for health benefits, a dearth of studies addresses their impact on gut maturation. In this review we focus on some recent findings mainly on the positive impact of medicinal plants and phytochemicals in inducing precocious maturation of the GIT, not only in humans but in pertinent animals. We also discuss Paneth cells as mediators and potential markers of GIT maturation.

There is an increased prevalence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis ( NASH ) in adolescents. The suckling period is developmentally plastic, affecting later health outcomes. We investigated whether neonatal administration of curcumin would provide protection against the development of NASH later in adolescence in rats fed a high‐fructose diet. From postnatal day ( PN ) 6 to PN 21, the pups ( N = 128) were allocated to four groups and orally gavaged daily with either 0.5% dimethyl sulfoxide solution (vehicle control), curcumin (500 mg·kg −1 ), fructose (20%, w/v) or curcumin and fructose combined. All the pups were weaned and half the rats in each group had tap water, whereas the other received fructose (20%) as their drinking fluid ad libitum for 6 weeks. The rats’ liver NASH scores, lipid content, and RNA gene expression ratios of AMPK α and TNF α were determined. Hepatic lipid content was similar across the treatment groups in the males ( P > 0.05, ANOVA ). In the females, the hepatic lipid content in the treatment groups ranged from 2.7 to 4.3%. The livers of male and female rats that had fructose either as neonates and/or postweaning had significantly marked inflammation ( P = 0.0112, Kruskal–Wallis) and fibrosis ( P < 0.0001, ANOVA ) which were attenuated by curcumin. The hepatic gene expression ratios for AMPK α in both sexes were significantly downregulated ( P < 0.0001, ANOVA ), whereas the expression ratios of TNF α were significantly upregulated ( P < 0.0001) in rats fed a high‐fructose diet pre and/or postweaning compared to the other groups. Neonatal curcumin administration is a potential natural pharmacological candidate for the prevention of NASH .