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.