DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL BIOCHEMISTRY

Helicobacter Pylori infection has been identified as an important risk factor for the development of peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and gastric cancers. The purpose of this study aimed to determine the prevalence of H. pylori infection and associated risk factors in undergraduate students of college of medical science and faculty of Agriculture in University of Benin. Whole blood samples were randomly collected from 93 participants both male and female and analyzed using antibodies against H. pylori. Participants' demographic and clinical information were obtained using a structured questionnaire. The study results showed that out of 93 selected participants, 59 (63.9%) showed positive for Helicobacter Pylori antibodies, while 34(36.6.%) were negative for Helicobacter antibodies. Popularity of Helicobacter Pylori infection was f o u n d t o b e sl i g h t l y h i g h e r i n f e ma l e p a rt i c i p a n ts c om p a r e d wi t h ma l e participants. Based on age, the prevalence of Helicobacter Pylori infection was significantly higher (P<0.05) in participants from 16 to 25 years old compared to other age groups. Symptomatic participants primarily complained of heartburn, followed by loss of appetite, abdominal pain, nausea, bloating and eventually vomiting. However, none of them complained about vomiting blood. Identifiable risk factors associated with infection include misuse of pain killers drugs, infected drinking water, living with someone having the bacteria among others .The aim of this work was to generate information focusing on the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in study participants. The information generated will help provide the public health intervention needed to examine these issues and provide evidence-based prevention to students in the College of Medical Sciences and the Faculty of Agriculture as well as the general population of the University of Benin

Arsenic exposure remains a major global health challenge, and sodium arsenite is one of the most toxic inorganic arsenic compounds known to cause severe hematological, oxidative, and immunological disturbances. This study examined the protective effects of vitamin E against sodium arsenite–induced changes in hematological parameters in Wistar rats. Thirty-five male rats were randomly divided into five groups of seven: a control group, a vitamin E–only group (50 mg/kg), a sodium arsenite–only group (10 mg/kg), and two co-treatment groups receiving sodium arsenite with either 25 mg/kg or 50 mg/kg of vitamin E. All treatments were given orally for 14 days, after which blood samples were collected for hematological analysis. Results showed that sodium arsenite caused significant hematotoxicity, marked by reductions in red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin concentration (Hb), lymphocyte percentage, and monocyte levels, along with increases in white blood cell count (WBC), neutrophil levels, and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR). These changes indicate anemia, oxidative stress, inflammation, and immune suppression linked to arsenic toxicity. Co-administration of vitamin E significantly reduced these effects in a dose-dependent manner. The 50 mg/kg dose of vitamin E showed the greatest improvement across all hematological parameters, demonstrating its superior protective effects. The findings suggest that vitamin E effectively reduces sodium arsenite–induced hematological damage through its strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and membrane-stabilizing properties. This study highlights the potential of vitamin E as a natural antioxidant therapy to manage hematotoxicity caused by environmental arsenic exposure

This study evaluates the hematoprotective effects of ethanol leaf extract of Acalypha wilkesiana on Wistar rats exposed to 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH), a carcinogen. The experiment involved nine groups of rats with varying treatments: normal control, positive control with DMH and Xeloda (Capecitabine), and several groups receiving different doses of Acalypha wilkesiana extract both before and after DMH exposure. Hematological parameters analyzed included Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH), and Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC). Results demonstrated significant changes in these parameters among treated groups. Rats treated with Acalypha wilkesiana extract exhibited increased MCV, MCH, and MCHC levels compared to controls, indicating potential hematoprotective properties. Specifically, groups receiving the extract showed improvement in red blood cell indices affected by DMH, suggesting its efficacy in mitigating DMH-induced hematological damage. These findings highlight the potential therapeutic application of Acalypha wilkesiana in managing hematological disorders caused by carcinogenic agents. Further research is necessary to elucidate the mechanisms of action and optimize dosage for clinical use. Overall, this research opens promising avenues for utilizing natural remedies to enhance patient well- being and combat hematological abnormalities

Pregnancy requires women to provide calcium and phosphorus, in amounts that may exceed their normal daily intake. Necessary adaptations take place within each time period, to meet the fetal and maternal needs such as the increase in intestinal calcium and phosphate absorption. Although some women may experience fragility fractures as a consequence of pregnancy, for others, bone density is not affected by pregnancy. Study conducted on calcium and phosphorus levels in pregnant women, revealed significant findings. There was a significant decrease in serum calcium and phosphorus levels in the second and third trimesters, compared to non pregnant controls. These findings suggest the importance of educating pregnant women of the importance of a well balanced diet and consistent intake of prenatal supplements, to prevent complications associated with calcium and phosphorus deficiency disorder.

Diabetes mellitus represents a major global health challenge, with over 800 million adults affected worldwide and limited therapeutic options, particularly in resource-constrained settings. This study investigated the in vitro antidiabetic properties of crude ethanol extract and solvent fractions of roots of Tetracera alnifolia, a medicinal plant traditionally used for managing diabetes in West Africa particularly Nigeria. The aim was to evaluate the alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activities of the plant extracts and fractions, and to determine their potential as natural antidiabetic agents. The roots of T. alnifolia were cut, dried, pulverized and extracted using ethanol. The crude extract was subsequently fractionated using solvents of increasing polarity (n-hexane, chloroform, dichloromethane, n-butanol, and water). Enzyme inhibition assays were performed using standard methods, with acarbose as the control. The IC₅₀ values were calculated to determine inhibitory potency. Results showed that the crude extract exhibited remarkable alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ = 0.10 mg/mL), approximately 9-fold more than the IC₅₀ of acarbose (IC₅₀ = 0.93 mg/mL). For alpha-amylase inhibition, the crude extract (IC₅₀ = 0.68 mg/mL) was less than that of acarbose (IC₅₀ = 0.46 mg/mL). All solvent fractions similarly outperformed acarbose in alpha-glucosidase inhibition, with the n-hexane fraction showing the strongest activity (IC₅₀ = 0.19 mg/mL). The superior performance of the crude extract over individual fractions provided compelling evidence for synergistic interactions among multiple phytochemical constituents. The differential selectivity potent alpha-glucosidase inhibition with moderate alpha-amylase inhibition represents an ideal therapeutic profile that may offer a better postprandial glucose control. The study concludes that T. alnifolia possesses antidiabetic potential in vitro and this may be responsible for its hypoglycemic property in treatment of diabetes in traditional medicine. Therefore, further investigation through in vivo studies, phytochemical characterization, and determination of bioactive agent for potential development as a natural antidiabetic therapeutic.

Stimulants are a major constituent of psychoactive substances. They cause several untoward effects; including academic difficulty which can lead to untoward consequences for students. The understanding of the knowledge and pattern of use of
stimulant will help in its prevention and control. Thus, this study intended to investigate the knowledge and practice and current prevalence rates of stimulant use, using the undergraduate students in the university of Benin as case study, age and
gender of students as well monthly income and how they got to know about stimulants, specific type of stimulant used and reason for using stimulants. The instrument consisted of sociodemographic variables and the stimulant knowledge section,
benefits, health effects and effects section of Questionnaire for Student Drug Use Survey. It was administered on 100 undergraduate students of University of Benin selected by random technique. The current prevalence rates of stimulant use were 61%,
54% and 50% respectively for the use caffeine, alcohol and cannabis. The majority (77%) of our respondents were in the age range of 21-25. Only 2% of our respondents were married. Therefore, efforts at curtailing the use of stimulants must start early;
incorporating such strategy into primary school curriculum will be worthwhile. There is need to focus more on common stimulants like coffee, Kola nut, caffeinated energy drinks. Students need to study without using stimulants

A common medicinal plant in many traditional medical systems, bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina L.), is commonly used in African and Asian traditional medicine. As a result of it's numerous medicinal applications, this plant has been shown to have antibacterial, anticancer, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory qualities (Ogidi, 2019). To maximize the optimum potential of medicinal plants, it is essential to understand how their phytochemical content and antioxidant activity vary depending on the solvent used during extraction (Wenli et al., 2023). Due to their strong antioxidant properties, phenolics and flavonoids are the major bioactive chemicals that bring about these health benefits

The experiment is aimed at carrying out a toxicological study on rats given different doses of both aqueous and methanol extract of Acalypha Wilkesiana and to determine the degree of toxicity on some organs of the rats fed with both aqueous and methanol extract of Acalypha Wilkesiana. A total of seventy five male albino rats were used for the whole of the experiments. For Acute toxicity study phase one of the studies alone was carried out. For sub-acute toxicity study: The rats were placed into 4 different groups and group 1 served as the control group that was fed with pellets and water, the other groups that’s group 2 to 4 was divided into 2 sub-groups (group 2A aqueous and 2B methanol), and was given different doses of plant extracts. For 28 days, to mark the end of our sub-acute toxicological study, liver and kidney function biomarkers, electrolytes, lipid profile assays were investigated. For the acute toxicity study, it was observed that there was no visible sign of toxicity or death observed in all
the animals administered with the aqueous and methanol extract of Acalypha Wilkesiana

Aqueous extract of Gongronema latifolium was examined for its hepatoprotective properties. For a week, 98 male Wistar rats—which weigh between 120 and 150g each—were kept in orderly, quiet cages and given access to grower mash as needed to aid in their acclimatization. Groups of rats were separated out. The weight range of each group member was typical for the entire group. As a result, at the start of the experimental period, the rats had reached an average weight of 150–200g. Animals in Group 1 just got food and water as a standard control. In groups 2, 3, 4, and 5, diabetes was produced. Streptozotocin was used to stimulate the group 2 rats, however they were not given any medication. Streptozotocin was used to stimulate group 2 rats, but they were not given any further treatment, making them the negative control group. Metformin was used to initiate and treat the group 3 rats. Group 4 rats received 200mg/kg body weight of the bvaqueous fraction, and group 5 received 400mg/kg of the aqueous fraction. The results of the fasting blood glucose levels (mg/dl) of the rats in each group were: group 1, 84.40±2.50a, group 2, 348.10±10.20d, group 3, 108.50±6.20c, group 4, 160.20±1.25d, group 5, 150.12±2.50d, for each group respectively. The average body weights of the rats in each group were: group 1, 13.99±0.14, group 2, -21.44±0.11, group 3, 18.13±0.18, group 4, -13.72±0.11, group 5, 11.91±0.22. Gongronema latifolium significantly (p0.05) decreased fasting blood glucose level, raised albumin level, decreased ALT and AST level, and increased body weight in rats when administered at doses of 200 mg/kg body weight and 400 mg/kg aqueous fraction, respectively.

Lipids, including fats, sterols, and fat-soluble vitamins, play essential roles in energy storage, cell signaling, and cellular structure, making them vital to biological systems and industries such as food, cosmetics, and nanotechnology. Seafood, particularly fish like *Scomber scombrus* (Atlantic mackerel), is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which provide numerous health benefits, including protection against heart diseases and oxidative stress. This study investigates the hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of fish oil extracted from *Scomber scombrus* using various preparation methods (raw, marinated, boiled, and fried). The antioxidant potential of the oil, assessed through its ability to inhibit malonaldehyde (MDA) formation via the Fenton reaction, revealed that raw cured samples exhibited the highest scavenging activity, while boiled samples showed the lowest. These findings highlight the benefits of curing to preserve antioxidant properties in fish oil and suggest its potential application in mitigating oxidative stress-related diseases. Additionally, the research underscores the importance of lipids and omega-3s in seafood quality, preservation, and overall human health. Further exploration of cooking methods and antioxidant stability is recommended to enhance the nutritional value of seafood.