March 2008

RNA interference: a pathway to drug target identification and validation in trypanosome

    RNA interference (RNAi) is a phenomenon through which double stranded RNA (dsRNA) induces potent sequence-specific degradation of homologous transcripts. Besides its function in cellular defense and developmental regulation, it has emerged as an invaluable tool for elucidation of gene function and drug target validation. This is particularly useful when substantial genome sequence data are...

Author(s): Owino, A. Vincent. , , Masiga, K. Daniel , Limo, K. Moses.

March 2008

Study of the immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects of evening primrose oil in adjuvant arthritis

  The present study was carried out to evaluate the anti-arthritic nature of evening primrose oil (EPO) rich in γ-linolenic acid (GLA), on adjuvant-induced arthritic rats. Results were compared to those of diclofenac sodium, a reference standard non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. Arthritis was induced by subcutaneous injection of complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA) in the right hind paw of male...

Author(s): Manal F. Ismail, Shohda A. El-Maraghy, Nermin A.H. Sadik

March 2008

Diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in rats: possible chemoprevention by blueberries

  Nitrosamine compounds are known hepatic carcinogens. This study was designed to study the efficacy of dietary supplementation with blueberries (BB) on diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-initiated hepatocarcinogenesis in male wistar rats. Rats were divided into three groups. The first group served as normal control group, the second group received DEN at a dose of 10 mg/kg body weight five times a week for 15 weeks. The...

Author(s): Nermin A.H. Sadik, Shohda A. EL-Maraghy and Manal F. Ismail

March 2008

Effects of intraperitoneal administration of vitamins C and E or A and E combinations on the severity of Trypanosoma brucei brucei infection in rats

  The effects of intraperitoneal administration of combinations of vitamins C and E (100mg/Kg b.w each) or vitamins A and E (10,000i.u/Kg, 100mg/Kg b. w., respectively)  on Trypanosoma brucei brucei  infection in rats were compared. The rats were infected intraperitoneally with the same parasite load and the experiment lasted for 17 days. The two vitamin combinations significantly (P<0.05) and...

Author(s): Umar, I. A. Rumah, B. L., Bulus, S. L., Kamla, A. A., Jobin, A., Asueliman, B. I., Mazai, M.H., Ibrahim, M. A. and Isah, S.