ABSTRACT
Aim:The study evaluated the effects of the combined extracts of Vernonia amygdalina(VA) and Gongronema latifolium(GL) on pancreatic GLUT 2 expression and caspase 3 activity in streptozotocin (STZ, 45 mg/Kg)-induced diabetic rats.Study Design:Fifteen Albino rats were used for the study and were placed in 3 groups of 5 rats each: A -normal control, B –Diabetic control and C–experimental group.Place and Duration of Study:The study was carried out in the department of Anatomy, University of Calabar.Duration:6 months.Methodology:Half of the diabetic rats were treated with VA+GL (400mg/kg, ratio 1:1, DE group) for 28 days, while the other half was untreated and served as diabetic control (DC). Normal control (NC) rats were untreated. After 28 days, the rats were sacrificed and their blood glucose, serum GLUT 2 and caspase 3 activity were measured. Histochemical evaluation of the pancreas was also carried out.Results:Blood glucose concentrations for the 3 groups were 60.31±7.28, 257.00±4.43, and 116.60±10.11 mg/dl for NC, DC and DE respectively. This represented a 4-fold increase in the DC compared with NC and a significant amelioration in the extract-treated DE group compared with DC group. Serum GLUT 2 concentrations were 70 ng/ml in NC, dropped to 8 ng/ml (p<0.05) in the DC and recovered to 20ng/ml in DE (p<0.05). Serum caspase was 3.2 ng/ml for NC, increased to 8.5 ng/ml in DC (p<0.05) and reduced to 1.8ng/ml in DE (p<0.05). The histology of the pancreas showed distorted, degenerated and shrunken β-cells mass in DC compared with NC and DE groups. The DE group showed clear signs of regeneration of the islet cells which was corroborated by positive Feulgen’s reactioncompared with the DC group. Conclusion:The data suggests that the combined VA+GL extract has the potential to effectively reverse pancreatic damage in diabetes
ABSTRACT
To assess the hypolipidaemic properties of aqueous extract of Psidium guajava leaves (AEPGL) and ascorbic acid (vitC) in male albino Wistar rats. Study Design: Three groups of rats were respectively administered distilled water, 200mg/kg of AEPGL and vitC orally, for thirty days, to determine the hypolipidaemic properties of AEPGL and vitC. The hypolipidaemic properties were determined from the serum lipid profile of the rats. Place and Duration of Study: This work was carried out in Biochemistry Department, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria between January and February, 2012. Methodology: Eighteen albino Wistar rats, divided in three groups of six rats each, were used in this study. The rats in group I (control) were administered, by oral gavage, with 2ml of distilled water. While the rats in groups II and III received 200/mg/kg body weight oral daily doses of aqueous extract of AEPGL and vitC, respectively, using orogastric tubes for 30 days. The hypolipidaemic properties of AEPGL and vitC were determined from their effect on serum lipid profile of the treated rats, using serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), TG/HDL-C and artherogenic index of plasma (AIP). Standard reagent kits were used to determine serum TC, TG and HDL-C, while LDL-C, VLDL-C, TG/HDL-C and AIP were calculated. Result: The results showed that serum HDL-C level obtained for rats treated with AEPGL (7.10 ± 0.11mg/dl) and vitC (6.93 ± 0.11mg/dl) were significantly (p<0.05) increased, compared respectively to that of the control rats (3.73 ± 0.18mg/dl). While the levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, VLDL-C, TG/HDL-C and AIP obtained rats treated with AEPGL (4.63 ± 0.21, 3.45 ± 0.14, -3.15 ± 0.28, 0.68 ± 0.02mg/dl, 0.48 ± 0.02 and -0.32 ± 0.02, respectively ) and vitC (4.68 ± 0.18, 3.65 ± 0.15, -2.98 ± 0.24, 0.73 ± 0.03 mg/dl, 0.53 ± 0.03 and -0.28 ± 0.03, respectively) were significantly (p<0.05) decreased, compared respectively to the control rats (7.22 ± 0.06, 6.87 ± 0.10, 2.12 ± 0.21, 1.37 ± 0.02mg/dl, 1.88 ± 0.08 and 0.27 ± 0.02, respectively). However, the percentage increase in serum HDL-C, and decrease in serum TC, TG, (LDL-C), VLDL-C, TG/HDL-C and AIP associated with administration of AEPGL was observed to be insignificantly (p>0.05) higher than that recorded for vitamin C. Conclusion: In conclusion, the results of this study indicate that AEPGL and vitC possess hypolipidaemic, hence antiatherogenic, properties in male rats, thereby supporting the local use of P. guajava leaves in the management of hypertensive conditions.
ABSTRACT
Evaluation of the effects of Calliandra portoricensis extracts on oxidative stress (antioxidant) enzymes was carried out using wistar rat model. The anti-oxidant enzymes evaluated were superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). These extracts were used to ascertain their potency in enhancing these enzymes activities in envenomed rats. A total of 30 rats were randomly assigned into 5 treatment groups of 6 rats each. Group 1 (control) received nothing. Group 2 received viperian venom only. Groups 3, 4 and 5 received same amount of venom in addition to calculated doses of flavonoid-rich, polyphenol-rich and whole ethanolic extracts respectively. The dosages of the venom and the C. portoricensis extracts were administered intramuscularly. After about 4 hours, the rats were sacrificed, serum collected and the oxidative stress enzymes assayed. Marked decrease of SOD, CAT and GPx enzymes activities occurred in the group 2 rats while increases (P<0.05) were observed in groups 3, 4 and 5 experimental rats. These findings suggest that C. portoricensis extracts actually attenuated the obliterating effects of the viperian venom on the naturally-occurring anti-oxidant enzymes in experimental wistar rats.
ABSTRACT
This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of Calliandra portoricensis extracts in ameliorating the histopathological changes in the heart, liver and kidney of wistar rat challenged with venom of Echis ocellatus. A total of 30 rats were randomly assigned into 5 treatment groups of 6 rats each. Group 1 (control) received nothing. Group 2 received 200μg venom/rat. Groups 3, 4 and 5 received, in addition to the same amount of venom, 0.5 ml of 100mg/100g body weight of rat as “antidote” concentration 4 hours after the administration of the venom. The dosages of the venom and the extracts were administered intramuscularly and after 4 hours the heart, liver and kidney were harvested for histopathological study of the changes in these organs. The groups treated with the extracts showed reduction in tissue injury compared to the venom alone, though not as good as the control group. This reduction is more marked in treatment group 4, which is polyphenol-rich and which is believed to be the component that is involved in complexation with the venom. This implies a restoration of these organs to a near normal state after the viperian envenomation.
ABSTRACT
Effect of whole ethanolic and selective solvent extracts of C. portoricensis plant was carried out in wistar rats to ascertain their efficacy in ameliorating or attenuating the haemotoxicity of venom of carpet viper. A total of 30 wistar rats were used, divided into 6 rats per group of control, venom, venom/flavonoid-rich, venom/polyphenol-rich and venom/whole ethanolic extracts. The control was given nothing while the other groups were given 200μg venom/rat and 0.5 ml 100mg/100g body weight (b.w.) of rat as “anti-dote” concentration. This “antidote” was given intramuscularly 4-6 hours after the administration of the venom. The result obtained showed significant increase (P<0.05) in the haemoglobin concentration, red blood cell count, mean corpuscular volume, white blood cell count especially in neutrophils and marked decrease (P<0.05) in platelet parameters. These findings suggest that whole ethanolic and selective solvent extract of C. portoricensis may be effective in ameliorating and indeed reversing the haemotoxicity occasioned by carpet viper haemotoxin in wistar rats.