Capsaicin (trans-8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide) is the a principal pungent ingredient of hot red and chili peppers that belong to the plant genus Capsicum (Solanaceae). Capsaicin is a cancer-suppressing agent. It blocks the translocation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB), activator protein 1 (AP-1), and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT3) signaling pathway that are required for carcinogenesis. The anti-inflammatory potential of capsaicin is attributed to its inhibitory effect on inducible COX-2 mRNA expression. Cytochrome P4502E1 mediates the activation of xenobiotics such as vinyl carbamate and dimethyl nitrosamine to their toxic metabolites. This metabolic activation of xenobiotics by Cytochrome P4502E1 has been shown to be inhibited by capsaicin. Capsaicin also generates reactive oxygen species in cells with resultant induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, which is beneficial for cancer chemoprevention. Therefore, the use of capsaicin as a chemopreventive agent is of immense benefit for cancer chemoprevention. The search strategy included printed journals, pubmed, and medline, using the terms 'capsaicin' and 'anticancer' citations, relevant to anticancer properties of capsaicin.

A wide variety of phenolic compounds derived from spices possess potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic, and anticarcinogenic activities. [6]-gingerol (1-[4'-hydroxy-3'-methoxyphenyl]-5-hydroxy-3-decanone) is the major pungent principle of ginger, with numerous pharmacological properties including antioxidant, anti-inflammation, and antitumor promoting properties. It could decrease inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) expression through suppression of I-kappaB alpha (IkappaBalpha) phosphorylation, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) nuclear translocation. Other antiproliferative mechanisms of [6]-gingerol include the release of Cytochrome c, Caspases activation, and increase in apoptotic protease-activating factor-1 (Apaf-1) as mechanism of apoptosis induction. Taken together, the chemopreventive potentials of [6]-gingerol present a promising future alternative to therapeutic agents that are expensive, toxic, and might even be carcinogenic.

The fat body in invertebrates was shown to participate in energy storage and homeostasis, apart from its other roles in immune mediation and protein synthesis to mention a few. Thus, sharing similar characteristics with the liver and adipose tissues in vertebrates. However, vertebrate adipose tissue or fat has been incriminated in the pathophysiology of metabolic disorders due to its role in production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This has not been reported in the insect fat body. The link between the fat body and adipose tissue was examined in this review with the aim of determining the principal factors responsible for resistance to inflammation in the insect fat body. This could be the missing link in the prevention of metabolic disorders in vertebrates, occasioned by obesity.

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Indiscriminate use of organophosphate acaricides especially among livestock and dog owners in the control of ticks and other ectoparasites has taken a worrisome dimension. In the present study, we investigated, the effects of acute dermal exposure in the form of acaricides baths of coumaphos at different concentrations on the haematology, blood pressure and liver functions in local mongrel dogs.Twenty-four, male mongrel dogs of about 8 months of age with an average weight of 9.88 ± 0.4 kg were used for the study. The dogs were divided into four groups consisting of six dogs per group. Group A (control) was bathed with ordinary water, while group B was bathed with the recommended concentration of 0.016% (160 ppm) Coumaphos in water. Groups C and D were bathed with 10 and 20 times the recommended dose (1600 ppm and 3200 ppm), respectively.Significant leucopenia, increased plasma urea and decreased low density lipoprotein (LDL) values were observed at 8 h post exposure, which worsened with time. At 24 and 36 hrs post exposure, normochromic normocytic anaemia, pan leucopenia, bloody diarrhoea, retching, vomiting and paddling were observed in affected animals. Post mortem examination revealed severe lungs, liver and stomach congestion. Multifocal areas of necrosis in the liver and kidney, serosal and mucosal haemorrhages and haemorrhagic meningitis were also observed.The use of excessively high concentration of organophosphate as acaricides bath is associated with severe anticholinesterase poisoning, which may result in death of affected animals.

Objectives: Malaria and oxidative stress are major health problems in the world in general. The goal of the study is to investigate the antimalarial and antioxidant activities of the methanol seed extract of Adenanthera pavonina linn (ADP) in Plasmodium berghei infected mice. Methods: Thirty five mice distributed into seven groups of five animals each were used in this study. Plasmodium berghei, was inoculated into Swiss albino mice intraperitoneally with an innoculum size of 1x107 on day zero (D0). The vehicle (1% DMSO), ADP (100, 200, 400, 600 and 800 mg/kg dose) or chloroquine (10 mg/kg) were thereafter administered from D0 – D3. At the end of the antimalarial studies, the blood samples from these animals were collected through cardiac puncture for biochemical assay. The effect of the ADP on the biomakers of oxidative stress was determined in infected mice. In addition in vitro antioxidant activities of ADP were assessed using the 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) based assay. Results: The percentage parasitemia decreased significantly in the parasitized treated group with the crude extract (p < 0.001) compared to the parasitized untreated control group. Also the crude extract, at a dose of 800 mg/kg exerted an antimalarial activity (92.11%) higher than that of chloroquine (88.73%). In the in vitro antioxidant studies, the extract had an IC50> 400 μg/ml which was significantly higher than the standard antioxidant drug, ascorbic acid (IC50 = 1.20 μg/ml). In the case of biochemical and in vivo assay, there was no statistical significant difference (p >0.05) in plasma total protein, malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels in all the treated groups compared to the parasite control group but, there was a statistical significant decrease (p < 0.05) in glutathione (GSH) levels at doses of 400 and 800 mg/kg compared to the parasitized untreated control group. Conclusions: Methanol seed extract of Adenanthera pavonina demonstrated a significant antimalarial activity but did not exert any antioxidant effect over the parasitized treated mice. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ajms.v5i4.9107 Asian Journal of Medical Sciences 2014 Vol.5(4); 44-51

Diurnal fluctuation in haematological parameters such as packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cell (RBC) count, haemoglobin concentration (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and erythrocyte osmotic fragility of the domestic fowl in the hot humid tropics was investigated using Nera Black cocks. Blood samples were collected from the birds at 6:00 am, 10:00 am, 2:00 pm, 6:00 pm, 10:00 pm and 2:00 am during a 12-hour light and a 12-hour dark period. PCV showed considerable diurnal variation with the lowest value obtained at 10:00 am and the peak value recorded during the early morning (2:00 am). RBC, Hb, MCH and MCHC values also varied according to the time of the day, with the lowest values observed at 2:00 pm, probably as a result of haemodilution following increased feed and water consumption at this period of the day. Peak values for RBC, Hb, MCH and MCHC were observed at 10:00 pm when the birds were already roosting (during the dark phase of the day) as a result of which physical and metabolic activities were generally lowered. Haemoconcentration so produced might be responsible for the higher haematological parameters during the night because the birds were neither eating nor drinking water at this period of the day. Erythrocyte osmotic fragility at 0.3% NaCl concentration was also significantly higher (P < 0.05) at 6:00 am than at any other period of the day.

The study was designed to carry out the phytochemical screening and the proximate analysis of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius leaves. The results obtained showed the presence of tannins, saponin, alkaloids, and flavonoids with the absence of glycosides. The proximate analysis and mineral composition of C. aconitifolius leaves showed high levels of crude protein, ash, and fiber, in that order, and low fat content with concomitant presence of minerals such as sodium, manganese, magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphate, and zinc. The leaves of C. aconitifolius have high nutrient potentials and could be used as nutraceuticals in complementary foods, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.