Browsing by Author "Martey, O.N.K."
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Item Absence of Organ Specific Toxicity in Rats Treated with Tonica, an Aqueous Herbal Haematinic Preparation(African Journal of Traditional, Complement and Alternative Medicines, 2010) Martey, O.N.K.; Armah, G.E.; Okine, L.K.The sub-chronic toxicity of Tonica, an aqueous herbal haematinic prepared from the stem barks of Khaya senegalensis, Mitragyna stipulosa and Kigelia africana, was investigated in male Sprague-Dawley rats at 28, 280 and 560 mg kg−1 day−1, representing the normal human dose, 10x and 20x that dose, respectively for 6 weeks. The growth rate of animals over the period of treatment and certain serum biochemical and haematological indices as well as urinalysis and weight of selected organs at termination, were determined. Results show that the extract did not affect the weight gain of the animals with time or the mean wet weights of selected organs. Although there were slight but insignificant (p>0.05) elevations in WBC (16–27%) and PLT (8–11%) counts in Tonica-treated animals compared to controls at 10x and 20x the normal dose, most serum biochemical, haematological and urinalysis data indicated no significant differences (p>0.05) between tests and control rats. There were also no changes in the morphology of liver, kidney, lung and heart tissues as a result of Tonica treatment. These findings suggest that Tonica is safe at the dosage regimens administered to the animals in this study, and there appears to be no overt organ specific toxicity associated with it.Item The Anti-dyslipidemic Effects of Milled Root Bark Ethanolic Extract of Capparis erythrocarpus in Sprague-Dawley Rats: Implications for Obesity and Cardiovascular Diseases(Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science, 2018-01) Saka, P.; Osafo, K.E.; Antwi, S.; Martey, O.N.K.; Quasie, O.; Antwi-Adjei, M.; Asiedu-Larbi, J.; Takyi, N.K.; Donkor, K.N.; Okine, L.K.N.Dyslipidaemia is a major risk factor of the onset of cardiovascular disease and obesity. Sirappac, the milled root bark of C. erythrocarpus has been reported to significantly reduce body weight and sizes of Sprague-Dawley rats with possible effects on the alteration of lipid metabolism. The present study was thus, aimed at determining the effects of sirappac on the body weight, food intake, serum lipid levels and blood pressures in rats. Male adult Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with sirappac at doses of 20, 100 and 200 mg/kg for a period of three months. Rats body weight and feed intake values were recorded daily. Serum triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDLC), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDLC) and leptin levels were determined monthly throughout the study period. At the end of the treatment period, there were significant (p < 0.05) dose-dependent reductions in body weight, food intake, serum levels of TC, LDLC, TG and serum leptin. However, the levels of HDLC increased significantly (p < 0.05) over the study period. Sirappac also significantly (p < 0.05) reduced rat systolic blood pressure without effect on the diastolic blood pressure. The results indicate that sirappac exerts anti-lipidaemic effects and could be indicated in management of cardiovascular diseases, whilst preventing obesity by reducing feed intake and the rate of increase in body weight in Sprague-Dawley rats.Item Assessent of Tonica, an aqueous herbal haematinic, in the modulation of rat hepatic microsomal CYP-mediated drug metabolizing enzymes: Implications for drug interactions(Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 2009-02) Martey, O.N.K.; Ocloo, A.; Koomson, E.; Okine, L.K.N.The effects of Tonica (TN), an herbal haematinic prepared from the stem barks of Khaya senegalensis, Mitragyna stipulosa and Kigelia africana, on the activities of hepatic microsomal cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes were investigated in Sprague-Dawley rats. TN was administered to rats, by oral gavage, at the normal human dose (28 mg/kg/day), 10x and 20x that dose for 6 weeks. Activities of certain hepatic CYP drug-metabolizing enzymes and pentobarbital-induced sleeping time were datermined in control and TN-treated animals. There were insignificant (p>0.05) increases in the microsomal protein content (3.25-31%) at all doses of TN in a non-dose-dependent fashion. However, there was a general insignificant attenuation of NADPH cytochrome c (P450) reductase activity in TN-treated animals compared to control (8.9-26.1%). p-Nitrophenol hydroxylase (pNPH) activity was insignificantly (p>0.05) elevated (14.8-23%) in the TN-treated rats compared to control. The activities of aminopyrine-N-demethylase (AmD) and nitroanisole-O-demethylase (NOD) at the normal and 10x the normal dose of TN were not significantly different from controls, but at 20x the normal dose these enzyme activities were insignificantly (p>0.05) elevated above controls (11.7 and 39.8% for AmD and NOD, respectively). Pentobarbital-induced sleeping time in TN pre-treated animals were insignificantly (p>0.05) inhibited compared to control (3.7-9.5%). These results suggest that TN by insignificantly elevating certain CYP isozymes may have the potential of modulating the metabolism of substances other than pentobarbital. © 2009 Academic Journals Inc.Item A Chronic toxicity study of the ground root bark of Capparis erythrocarpus (Cappareceae) in male Sprague-dawley rats(Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences, 2013-12) Okine, L.K.N.; Martey, O.N.K.; Armah, G.E.; Sittie, A.A.The safety evaluation of Capparis erythrocarpus (CE) on chronic administration at 18 and 180 mg kg-1 body weight for 6 months was investigated in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The effects of CE on certain serum biochemical, haematological, urine and histopathological determinations were used as indices of organ specific toxicity. Also the effects of CE on rat blood clotting time and pentobarbital-induced sleeping time were determined. Results indicate that CE had no effect on urine, haematological and serum biochemical indices at termination of treatment with the exception of serum ALT level which was significantly (p<0.05) attenuated in a dose-dependent fashion (21-35%). There were also no differences in blood clotting time and pentobarbital-induced sleeping time between CE-treated and control animals. Histopathological studies showed that CE did not adversely affect the morphology of the liver, kidney and heart tissues. However, lungs of CE-treated animals showed slight but insignificant inflammatory response in alveolar areas and Clara cell hyperplasia without the thickening of alveolar septa and bronchiolar epithelial wall. Organ weights were not adversely affected by CE treatment. There were significant (p<0.05) changes in weight of CE-treated animals with duration of treatment compared to control. These results suggest that there is no organ specific toxicity associated with chronic administration of CE in rats and its ability to reduce body weight may be useful for slimming in obese persons. © 2013 Asian Network for Scientific Information.Item Modulation of penile erection in rabbits by mondia whitei: Possible mechanism of action(African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, 2010) Quasie, O.; Martey, O.N.K.; Nyarko, A.K.; Gbewonyo, W.S.K.; Okine, L.K.N.Mondia whitei root was evaluated to validate its anecdotal use and determine its possible mode of action in the management of erectile dysfunction. Rabbits were administered with daily oral doses of 100–400 mg kg−1 crude ethanolic extract of M. whitei and sildenafil (50 mg kg−1) as positive control for 6 weeks. Cavernosal tissue NOS activity and levels of NO and cGMP, and NOS and PDE protein expressions were investigated. The effect of the crude extract, chloroform and petroleum ether fractions in vitro on cavernosal tissue NOS activity and levels of NO and cGMP at 0.01 and 0.10 mg g−1 tissue were also investigated. Results indicate that the crude extract increased NOS activity by 7% at 200 mg kg−1 with corresponding increases in NO (88%) and cGMP (480%) levels. No significant changes in these measurements were observed with the 100 and 400 mg kg−1 doses whilst sildenafil slightly reduced them (15.9–37.5%). NOS and PDE protein expressions in test animals were not different from controls. Pre-incubation of cavernosal tissue in vitro with the crude extract of M. whitei and its chloroform fraction markedly increased NOS activity (26–132%) and levels of NO (25%) and cGMP (50–400%) at 0.01 mg g−1 tissue but these were reduced to near control levels when their concentrations were increased to 0.10 mg g−1 tissue whilst the petroleum ether fraction had no effect. These findings suggest that M. whitei may influence erectile function through activation/stimulation of NOS with corresponding increases in tissue NO and cGMP levels and that certain chemical constituents present in the chloroform fraction may be responsible for biological activity.Item Safety and Effectiveness of Mist Antiaris, a Herbal Preparation for Treatment of Peripheral Neuropathy(BioMed Research International, 2019-07-24) Ocloo, A.; Antwi, S.; Asiedu-Larbi, J.; Martey, O.N.K.; Quasie, O.; Boakye-Yiadom, M.; Ayertey, F.; Yeboah, R.; Sapaty, C.A.; Offei-Abrokwa, D.; Oduro-Mensah, D.; Kumatia, E.K.Mist Antiaris is a herbal decoction for treatment of nervous disorders. Safety and efficacy were evaluated in Sprague-Dawley rats and human patients, respectively. Acute toxicity was assessed by administration of a single 5000 mg/kg oral dose of decoction to a group of six rats. For subchronic toxicity, four groups of six rats each received water (control) or 10, 100, or 200 mg/kg oral doses of decoction daily for eight weeks. Body weight, serum, urine, and hematological profile of the animals in each group were monitored over the period. Effects of treatment on pentobarbital-induced sleeping time and histology of liver, lung, heart, and kidney tissue were assessed at the end of the study. There was no evidence of acute toxicity within 48 hours of the oral dose. Over the 8-week period, body weight increases in Mist Antiaris treatment groups were reduced relative to the control group. There were no significant differences in urine profile, serum biochemistry, hematological parameters, and pentobarbital-induced sleeping time. Tissue histology revealed no differences relative to controls. Assessment of efficacy was by retrospective review of data on patients who presented with peripheral neuropathy. Treatment resulted in 53.7 % of patients reporting complete resolution and 15.7 % showing reduction in neuropathic symptoms. The data demonstrate that there is no toxicity due to subchronic administration of Mist Antiaris in Sprague-Dawley rats. The reduction or resolution of neuropathic symptoms indicated by patents’ file data provides evidence to suggest that Mist Antiaris has antineuropathic effects.