The use of air conditioners (ACs) in homes has become a necessity in urban cities such as Lagos State. The rapid growth in the use of AC has been attributed majorly to protection from high thermal exposures. However, there have been controversies regarding physiological discomforts attributed to AC use. This study therefore seeks to elucidate the associations between AC use and some selected physical ailments using random samples from Lagos State. A structured questionnaire was administered to 200 randomly selected participants. The responses were scored, and the data were analyzed accordingly. The study showed that AC devices were mostly used in sitting room > bedroom > offices > vehicles. The frequency of cold, fever, headache, and chest pain significantly (p < 0.01) associate with the use of AC in both sitting room and bedroom. The prevalence of the associated ailments increased with increase in the AC contact duration (>6 h) among AC users evaluated in the study. Most of the participants (>70%) agreed that AC use brings thermal comfort and therefore is good to health. However, prolonged exposure in indoor AC environments increased the risk of physiological discomfort for the AC users in this study. The authors therefore suggest health workers to create awareness to educate AC users of the likely dangers with prolonged exposure.

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Co-exposure to chromate (VI) compound and oral contraceptives is common in our environment especially among women working in chromate-related industries. Exposure to either chromate (VI) or oral contraceptives is linked with the etiology of several diseases including cancers and renal injury. However, there is paucity of information on the toxic effect of combined co-exposure to both compounds. The present study examines the toxicity of combined exposure to potassium dichromate (PDC) and an oral contraceptive, levonorgestrel in the kidney of female rats. Control animals were fed distilled water, while experimental rats were injected 12 mg/kg body weight of PDC once a week for six weeks and oral daily exposure to 15µg/kg body weight of levonorgestrel either alone or in combination. Absolute and relative kidney weight, renal function, oxidative stress and pathological lesion were assessed in plasma and kidney of control and experimental rats. The PDC and levonorgestrel significantly (p<0.05) increased plasma urea creatinine and malondialdehyde levels in treated-rats, while renal superoxide dismutase and glutathione-S-transferase activities were reduced by both compounds. Moreover, histopathological lesions including necrotizing nephritis was observed in the kidney of PDC-treated rats, while tubular epithelial degeneration and necrosis was observed in levonorgestrel-treated rats. Combined exposure to both compounds aggravated the increase in urea, creatinine and renal damage. Additionally, the antioxidant enzymes were further repressed in the co-treatment group. The study suggests that combined exposure to potassium dichromate and levonorgestrel worsened nephrotoxicity in rats by increasing oxidative stress.

Luffa cylindrica, popularly known as sponge gourd is a tropic and sub-tropical fibrous plant with fruits containing black seeds. The fruit is consumed by humans as a vegetable in many parts of Asia, while different parts of the plant are used for cosmetics and as medicine in many parts of the globe. The plant has been used in the treatment of many ailments including nose cancer, snake venom, wound healing, edema, enterobiasis, filaria, whooping cough, stomach upset, stomach pain and malaria. Many health-promoting compounds such as flavonoids (apigenin-7- glucuronide luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucuronide methyl ester, -O-feruloyl-β-D-glucose, luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucuronide methyl ester), phenolics acids (p-Coumaric, gallic, caffeic, chlorogenic), triterpenoids (oleanolic acid and echinocystic acid), saponins (Lucyoside A-M), tannins (catechin), ribosome-inactivating proteins (α- luffin), carotenoids (9 -cis neoxanthin, all-trans-lutein, all-trans-β-carotene), chlorophylls (chlorophyll a and b, pheophytin), cucurbitacin B and gypsogenin have been detected or isolated from different parts of the plants. Extracts of the plant and isolated compounds have wide spectrum pharmacological activities and have been shown to possess antiemetic, antidiabetic, antiviral, wound healing, anticancer, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, anti-bacteria, anthelmintic, hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant activity, and hepato-protective effects in animal models. However, further information is needed on its safety and mechanisms of action. The present article is an updated review of the ethnobotanical uses, pharmacological actions, phytochemistry, safety, and future application of Luffa cylindrica in translational medicine.