Browsing by Author "Okanya, Patrick W."

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Coenzyme Q10 Ameliorates potassium cyanide-induced toxicosis in a mouse model
(2023-03-07) Okanya, Patrick W.; Biwott, Kipchumba; Gitaua, Grace Wairimu
Potassium cyanide (KCN) is one of the most lethal and feared poison; which devastates cellular respiration resulting in death due to hypoxia. Several antidotes exist, but most face major limitations of safety and efficacy. Moreover, there is a need for new strategies to minimize post-exposure pathological sequel, which includes harmful oxidant and in- flammatory changes. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a powerful antioxidant, which has shown efficacy against chemical-induced toxicity. In the present study, the potential protective ef- fect of CoQ10 against KCN-induced toxicosis was evaluated. Female Swiss white mice (3–4 weeks old) were divided into three treatment groups. The first group was used as the con- trol, the second group was supplemented with 200 mg/kg of CoQ10 for one month before administration with 8 mg/kg of KCN. For this group, co-administration of CoQ10 and KCN was continued to the end of the experiment. The third group was administered 8 mg/kg of KCN. The experiment was terminated after 42 days post-treatment to enable investiga- tions into the effect of KCN and CoQ10 on various physiological, biochemical, and cellular processes. The results of this study showed that KCN severely impaired the health of mice, more so, the neurological integrity. KCN-driven depletion of cellular glutathione (GSH) was noted in the liver and brain. This constitutes a characteristic impairment of the antioxidant capacity due to the induction of severe oxidative stress. CoQ10 significantly reinforced the neurological integrity and restored cellular glutathione (reduced form) in both the liver and brain, a clear indication of reduced oxidative stress. Remarkably, KCN-induced ane- mia, leukocytosis, and suppression of platelets were reversed by CoQ10 supplementation. Moreover, histopathological analysis revealed that CoQ10 supplementation blocked KCN- driven liver, kidney, and brain inflammation, and characteristic hypoxia-induced lesions. These findings open possibilities for further scrutiny and development of adjunct therapy utilizing CoQ10 to treat KCN poisoning.
South-to-south mentoring as a vehicle for implementing sustainable health security in Africa
(2023-03-07) Okanya, Patrick W.; Norlock, Stephanie Marie; Trataris, Anastasia
Background: While sustainability has become a universal precept in the development of global health security systems, supporting policies often lack mechanisms to drive policies into regular practice. ‘On-paper’ norms and regulations are to a great extent upheld by frontline workers who often lack the opportunity to communicate their first-hand experiences to decisionmakers; their role is an often overlooked, yet crucial, aspect of a sustainable global health security landscape. Initiatives and programs developing transdisciplinary professional skills support the increased bidirectional dialogue between these frontline workers and key policy- and decisionmakers which may sustainably narrow the gap between global health security policy design and implementation. Methods: The International Federation of Biosafety Associations’ (IFBA) Global Mentorship Program recruits biosafety and biosecurity champions across Africa to provide local peer mentorship to developing professionals in their geographic region. Mentors and mentees complete structured one year program cycles, where they are provided with written overviews of monthly discussion topics, and attend optional virtual interactive activities. Feedback from African participants of the 2019–2020 program cycle was collected using a virtual Exit Survey, where aspects of program impact and structure were assessed. Results: Following its initial call for applications, the IFBA Global Mentorship Program received considerable interest from professionals across the African continent, particularly in East and North Africa. The pilot program cycle matched a total of 62 individuals from an array of professional disciplines across several regions, 40 of which were located on the African continent. The resulting mentorship pairs shared knowledge, skills, and experiences towards translating policy objectives to action on the front lines. Mentorship pairs embraced multidisciplinary approaches to harmonize health security strategies across the human and animal health sectors. South-to-South mentorship therefore provided mentees with locally relevant support critical to translation of best technical practices to local capacity and work. Conclusion: The IFBA’s South-to-South Global Mentorship Program has demonstrated its ability to form crucial links between frontline biosafety professionals, laboratory workers, and policy- and decision-makers across several implicated sectors. By supporting regionally relevant peer mentorship programs, the gap between health security policy development and implementation may be narrowed.