SCHOOL OF BASIC MEDICAL SCIENCES,

In Africa, despite the high prevalence of under nutrition, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing at an alarming rate. This leaves us with a double burden of malnutrition and obesity with a need for prevention. Children and young adults who are obese are more likely to have a clustering of cardiovascular risk factors such as dyslipidemia, hypertension and type-2 diabetes mellitus, which persist into adulthood. Unsaturated FAs include mono-unsaturated FAs and poly-unsaturated FAs. Mono-unsaturated FAs are considered to be the healthiest types of FAs because they help to reduce harmful low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) that are closely associated with coronary heart disease. They are mainly found in olive oil, rapeseed oil, nuts and seeds. This study is aimed at examining the castelli risk index and lipid profile variation amongst a population of young obese female student sin the University of Benin. The study was carried out across the university environment in ovia north eastlocal government area. 60 participants were employed for this study with 30 obese subjects astest subjects and 30 slim subjects as control. 5mls of blood were collected into lithiumhepar in bottles and centrifuged for 15mins. The supernatant was separated using a pasteur pipette and placed in plain bottles after which they were refrigerated at -20 oC for lipid profile analysis (total cholesterol/HDLcholesterol and LDL/HDL cholesterol ratios). Castelli Risk Index, CRI was calculated as theratioofTC/HDLc and LDLc/HDLc respectively while Atherogenic Index of Plasma, AIP is a logarithmicallytransformed molar ratio of TG to HDLc i.e. Log10 (TG/HDLc) ratio (where, TG=Triglyceride,TC=Total Cholesterol). Our results revealed that there was no significant difference in triglyceride, LDL, and total cholesterol concentration between the control (slim) and test (obese) subjects (p>0.05)but there was significant reduction in HDL concentration in the obese subjects when compared with the control subjects (p<0.05). In conclusion, obesity leads to an unfavorable lipid pattern, characterized by high TC, TG, LDL (“bad lipoprotein”) levels and low HDL (“Good lipoprotein”)levels that elevates the values of AIP and CRI I-II ratios which takes account of the proportion between pro-atherogenic and anti-atherogenic fractions hence considered more effective as diagnostic and prognostic alternatives in cardiovascular risk assessment unlike the conventional lipidparameters shown to be inadequate, especially in persons with intermediate risk.

Lawsonia inermis commonly known as henna has been used traditionally, especially in ayurvedic medicine, for various conditions including liver ailments, and reported to have hepatoprotective properties. This study aims to study the effect of aqueous extract of L.
inermis leaves in acute ethanol induced hepatic damage in adult Wistar rats. Thirty (30) female rats were equally divided into five (5) groups (I-V). Group I which served as control received distilled water for 28 days. Group II received Lawsonia inermis for 28 days. Group
III received 100 mg/kg of lead acetate only for 28 days. Group IV simultaneously received 100 mg/kg of lead acetate and treated with 70mg/kg of silymarin for 28 days to serve as reference drug. Group V simultaneously received 100mg/kg of lead acetate and treated with
200mg/kg of L. inermis for 28 days. Group VI simultaneously received 100mg/kg of lead acetate and treated with 400mg/kg of L. inermis for 28 days. Group VII received 400mg/kg of L. inermis and followed with 100mg/kg of lead acetate after 30 minutes for 28 days. All
animals were sacrificed on the twenty ninth (29th) day. Body weight changes and liver body weight index were determined. Liver tissues were collected for assessment of enzymes concentration, and also for haematoxylin and eosin staining. Body weight increased in all
groups from initial mean weight of 180.1 g, though significantly (p<0.05) only in Group IV, Group V and Group VI. Liver body weight index was highest in Group I, and was significantly (p<0.05) different from Group III and Group V. Lead administration reduced level of enzyme aspartate Transferase significantly and increased the value of total bilirubin significantly of (P<0.05) although decrease was seen in enzymes like unconjugated bilirubin, alkaline phosphate and alanine Transferase and increased in conjugated bilirubin but these
were not significant to (P<0.05) H&E staining revealed attenuation of the effects of Lead administration by the extract and silymarin, though the extract proved more effective at 400 mg/kg dose and duration of 28 days. Promising result was also observed in the group that
received 200mg/kg dose over a duration of 28 days.