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Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae) has gained awareness for its antidiabetic effect, and is used as alternative therapy or concurrently with orthodox medicines such as sitagliptin in diabetes mellitus. This is without ascertaining the possibility of drug-herb interactions, which could either lead to enhanced antidiabetic efficacy, increased toxicity, or compromised glycaemic control with negative consequence in diabetic retinopathy.To investigate the effect, of sitagliptin (50mg/kg), Moringa oleifera (300mg/kg) leaf extract, and a combination of both on glycaemic control parameters, lenticular opacity and changes in retinal microvasculature in alloxan (150mg/kg i.p) induced diabetic rat model.Seven groups of eight rats per group were used, with groups I, II and VII as normal (NC), diabetic (DC) and post-prandial controls (PPC). Groups III to VI were diabetic rats on sitagliptin (III), M. oleifera (IV), sitagliptin and M. oleifera (SM) (V), for 42 days with 2 weeks delayed treatment in a post-prandial hyperglycaemic group (PPSM) (VI). Glycaemic control parameters, insulin levels, body weights, and effects of retinal microvasculature on lenticular opacity/morphology were investigated.A significant decrease in fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels was displayed in SM group from day 14(60%) (p0.01) to day 28 (38%) (p0.01) of treatment, compared to day 1. Thereafter, a steady increase of up to 57% on day 42 compared to day 28 was observed. A significant decrease in random blood glucose (RBG) levels, were demonstrated on day 42 (24%) (p0.001), compared to day 1. No significant difference was seen in mean serum levels of insulin across groups. No significant changes in body weights. Evidence of mild lenticular opacity was observed, with no significant effect in pathologic lesions in the retina.The chronic co-administration of sitagliptin and M. oleifera showed a progressive decrease in anti-hyperglycaemic effect of sitagliptin, and although it delayed the onset of lenticular opacity (i.e. cataract-like changes) it did not prevent the progression nor ameliorated pathologic lesions in the retina.

Dose and treatment-duration neurotoxic effects are reported for artemisinin drugs of mostly the liposoluble derivatives; and yet artemether, the only parenteral formulation of the artemisinin series available in Nigeria is fat-soluble and also has a treatment-duration of 5–7 days (in an attempt to delay recrudescence). Since parenteral drugs are usually resorted to in severe/complicated or multidrug-resistant malaria against the oral artemisinin co-formulated therapies (ACT), this study is aimed to investigate the pathological changes on selected tissues (if any), in rats, of the normal 7-days artemether-injections when used both in the normal and higher doses. Artemether was administered i.p., at three dose levels, equivalent to therapeutic dose (1.5 mg kg−1) as well as 5 and 10 times higher (7.5 and 15 mg kg−1). A three percentage v/v Tween 80 vehicle was used for the control experiment. The pathological changes in the kidney, heart, liver, and lungs evaluated using percentage mean organ:body-weight rat...

Artemether (AM), a highly effective treatment for multidrug-resistant malaria and a component of artemisinin combination therapy, has been associated with some neurotoxicity following repeated high doses. This study was aimed at investigating the effect of AM on pentobarbitone sleep and electrical activities in rats. Wistar rats received AM i.p. at 3 dose levels: 1.5, 7.5, and 15 mg/kg, whereas control rats received 0.2 mL of the vehicle (3% v/v Tween 80). AM administered 20 min before pentobarbitone had no significant effect on the onset and duration of sleep. However, after a 7-day pretreatment, AM dose-dependently prolonged pentobarbitone sleep, as did chloramphenicol. Electroencephalogram and electromyogram recordings 20 min after pretreatment showed that AM (15 mg/kg) exhibited inhibitory activity similar to chlorpromazine as opposed to the excitatory effect of amphetamine. When pretreated for 7 days, rats receiving 1.5 mg/kg AM also showed inhibitory activity of the cortical centres, whereas desynchronization of the optic tectum and reticular formation was observed in rats pretreated with 7.5 and 15 mg/kg AM. The present data suggest that although the therapeutic equivalent dose of 1.5 mg/kg AM had no appreciable effects on pentobarbitone sleep but caused reduced electrical activity in rats, higher doses have more profound effects on both indices.

Artemether, highly effective in multi-drug-resistant malaria is not routinely available for use in pregnancy due to the lack of adequate research data in animals and man. This study was therefore aimed at investigating some pregnancy-related effects of artemether. Artemether (1.5, 7.5 and 15 mg/kg i.p. daily for 7 days) did not produce changes in rat oestrous cycle. The drug did not prevent or prolong the rate of conception or parturition, cause pre-term delivery and affect litter size. Birth weight and growth rate of pups from artemether-pretreated dams were within the normal range. Artemether (48–480 µg/ml) had no agonist effect on the isolated uterine smooth muscles of both non-pregnant and pregnant rats and guinea pigs. However, the drug (24– 240 µg/ml) reduced oxytocin-induced contraction of uterine tissues concentration-dependently, particularly in pregnant uteri.

Background: Psychotropic medication adherence is a major challenge in psychiatric patients with comorbidity.Objective: The objective was to determine medication adherence behavior among psychiatric out‑patients with psychoactive substance use comorbidity in a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital.Settings and Design: A cross‑sectional study of a tertiary hospital in Northern Nigeria.Methods: Adult patients who have been attending the out‑patient clinic for at least 1 year were included. From the routine clinic, each consecutive fourth patient completed a socio‑demographic and drug use questionnaire, a self‑administered medication adherence scale, and a semi‑structured proforma which sought reasons for poor adherence, information on supervision and who keeps patient medications at home; until a calculated sample of 208 was attained.Statistical Analysis: Done by means of descriptive statistics using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 16. The level of significance was set at P < 0.05.Results: Totally, 208 patients participated in the study. 61 (29.3%) of them were substance users, out of which 59% never reported missing their medications. No statistically significant relationship was found between substance use and medication adherence. A significant proportion of substance users were compliant with medication use when the drugs were in their possession. For substance users and nonusers, the major reason for poor drug adherence was the unavailability of the medications, while nonsubstance users were more likely to complain about being tired of the medications. No report of side effects in supervised patients.Conclusion: The use of psychoactive substances in patients with other mental disorders influences their medication adherence behavior.Key words: Adherence, hospital, Nigeria, out‑patients, psychoactive, substance