FACULTY OF SCHOOL AND BASIC MEDICAL SCIENCES

Medicinal plants and the bioactive substances they contain have drawn the interest of various researchers over the past ten years due to their ability to cure different illnesses. Ocimum gratissimum is a member of the Lamiaceae family. It is cultivated in several gardens surrounding village huts in Nigeria under the popular name "scent leaf" for both medicinal and culinary purposes. The aim of this study is to elucidate the effect of ocimum gratissimum on some hematological parameters in male wistar rats. The
effect of methanolic extract of Ocimum gratissimum on some red blood indices of Wister rats was studied using fifteen healthy adult wistar rats with weights ranging between 140-160g. The rats were divided into three groups; control group, low dose group and high dose group. Increasing doses (100mg and 300mgkg-1 body weight) of the extract were administered orally to the other two groups for a period of four weeks. Sample collection was done via cardiac puncture using 5ml syringes. The extract displayed a significant increase (p<0.05) difference in platelet levels when compared with the normal control and a non significant difference (p<0.05) in the other parameters were observed. In conclusion, the extract of gratissimum might be a panacea in the management of anaemic conditions due to its erythropoietic, and/or haematopoietic effects, and beneficial to the blood’s - 5 -
oxygen supporting ability and thrombopoietin, putting into consideration that there were no alteration in the morphology and fragility of the RBCs.

Sales outlets that have poor sanitary conditions can present health risks to consumers. The direct consumption of drinks in their container can expose consumers to serious foodborne diseases, thus increasing the risk of toxi-infection and its transmission constituting a serious public health problem. This present study is aimed at evaluating the possible contamination and determination of the prevalence of Bacteria found on canned drinks and their antimicrobial susceptibility in some selected distributing and retail points in Benin-city, Edo State. The microbiological analysis was performed from the collection of beverage cans sold in distributing and retail points Benin city. The cans were stored in sterile plastic bags and introduced into individual thermal bags for temperature maintenance. Samples were taken from the surface of beverage cans with a sterile swab and transferred to vials containing 10mL of BHI broth. After 24 hours, the same swabs were used for seeding on selective culture media. The results showed that out of the hundred (100) samples examined, only 34 (34%) was positive for bacterial contamination, showing a general prevalence of 34%. Of the 39 sample collected from retailers, 15.38% (6/39) showed contamination while 54.09% (28/61) of samples collected from distributors showed contamination. The highest bacterial count was 7.0 × 105 while the lowest bacterial count was found to be 1.9 × 102.Escherichia coli has the most prevalence with 12 (35.3%) different isolates from the 34 positive samples followed by Klebsiella spp. and Enterococcus faecalis with 8 (23.5%) different isolates each. Four (11.8%) different isolates of Staphylococcus aureus were gotten while just 2 (5.9%) isolates of Streptococcus spp. were observed in this study. Most of the isolates were sensitive to the three different antibiotics used in this study. Five isolates were resistant to Piperacillin, while one isolate was resistant to both Gentamycin and Cefoxitin. The implications of antibiotic resistance on healthcare systems are enormous as resistance leads to the limitation of treatment options. Considering a significant p-value of ≤0.05, statistical analysis shows significant relationship between refrigeration and prevalence of bacterial contamination (p=0.015). Moreso, this research shows a significant relationship between purchase site and prevalence of bacterial contamination. More contamination was observed among canned drinks gotten from retailers when compared to distributors. This was found to be statistically significant (p=0.048). However, no statistically significant relationship existed between location from which canned drinks were gotten and the prevalence of bacterial contamination (p-value= 0.068).

Sales outlets that have poor sanitary conditions can present health risks to consumers. The direct consumption of drinks in their container can expose consumers to serious foodborne diseases, thus increasing the risk of toxi-infection and its transmission constituting a serious public health problem. This present study is aimed at evaluating the possible contamination
and determination of the prevalence of Bacteria found on canned drinks and their antimicrobial susceptibility in some selected distributing and retail points in Benin-city, Edo State. The microbiological analysis was performed from the collection of beverage cans sold in distributing and retail points Benin city. The cans were stored in sterile plastic bags and introduced into individual thermal bags for temperature maintenance. Samples were taken from the surface of beverage cans with a sterile swab and transferred to vials containing 10mL of BHI broth. After 24 hours, the same swabs were used for seeding on selective
culture media. The results showed that out of the hundred (100) samples examined, only 34 (34%) was positive for bacterial contamination, showing a general prevalence of 34%. Of the 39 sample collected from retailers, 15.38% (6/39) showed contamination while 54.09% (28/61) of samples collected from distributors showed contamination. The highest bacterial count was 7.0 × 105 while the lowest bacterial count was found to be 1.9 × 102.Escherichia coli has the most prevalence with 12 (35.3%) different isolates from the 34 positive samples followed by Klebsiella spp. and Enterococcus faecalis with 8 (23.5%) different isolates each. Four (11.8%) different isolates of Staphylococcus aureus were gotten while just 2 (5.9%) isolates of Streptococcus spp. were observed in this study. Most of the isolates were sensitive to the three different antibiotics used in this study. Five isolates were resistant to Piperacillin, while one isolate was resistant to both Gentamycin and Cefoxitin. The implications of
antibiotic resistance on healthcare systems are enormous as resistance leads to the limitation of treatment options. Considering a significant p-value of ≤0.05, statistical analysis shows significant relationship between refrigeration and prevalence of bacterial contamination (p=0.015). Moreso, this research shows a significant relationship between purchase site and prevalence of bacterial contamination. More contamination was observed among canned drinks gotten from retailers when compared to distributors. This was found to be statistically significant (p=0.048). However, no statistically significant relationship existed between location from which canned drinks were gotten and the prevalence of bacterial contamination (p-value= 0.068)

Diabetes mellitus is a long-lasting metabolic condition that is marked by high blood sugar levels due to problems with insulin release, its effectiveness, or both. Blocking carbohydrate-breaking enzymes like alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase has been recognized as a useful technique for controlling high blood sugar after meals. This research was conducted to assess the effects of Vernonia amygdalina (bitter leaf) extract on the activities of alpha-amylase and alpha glucosidase in a lab setting and to determine its potential as a natural treatment for diabetes. The leaves of the plant were gathered, dried in the air, and then oaked in ethanol to create the extract. Tests for enzyme inhibition were performed, and the IC₅₀ values were calculated to see
how the extract's effectiveness compared to the standard medication acarbose. The outcomes showed that Vernonia amygdalina effectively inhibited both enzymes in a way that depended on the concentration used. The IC₅₀ for blocking alpha-amylase was 0. 036 ± 0. 005 mg/mL, which is similar to acarbose (0. 031 ± 0. 005 mg/mL), indicating strong blocking ability. On the other hand, the extract showed a weaker effect against alpha-glucosidase, with an IC₅₀ of 0. 122 ± 0. 05 mg/mL compared to 0. 081 ± 0. 005 mg/mL for acarbose. These results imply that Vernonia amygdalina could slow down the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, thus helping to control blood sugar levels after meals. The findings support the traditional uses of Vernonia
amygdalina for managing diabetes and emphasize its potential as a plant-based treatment option. Additional studies in living organisms and clinical research are suggested to confirm its effectiveness and safety in treating diabetes