ABSTRACT
Objective: Nauclea latifolia (Rubiaceae) stem-bark enjoys wide patronage in ethnomedicine due to multiplicity of usage. Acute and subacute hematological and biochemical toxicity studies are available in literature but none underpins its ameliorative effect with a histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDAC), valproic acid (VPA) which mediates multifocal toxicity in different histological milieu. Methods: Subacute exposure of experimental albino rats with a high dose of valproic acid (500 mg/kg) was executed orally one hour before post-treatment with Nauclea latifolia stem-bark (NLS) extract in three doses (50, 100, 200 mg/kg) and with another group of rats with reference drug, vinpocetine, 25 mg/kg daily for 28 consecutive days after which hematological and biochemical analyses were executed. The liver, kidney and lungs were abstracted for histopathological evaluation. Results: The HDAC inhibitor, Valproic acids induced multifocal biochemical insults on liver function enzymes, lipid profiles, electrolytes and kidney function which were dose- dependently and significantly (P < 0.05 – 0.001) abrogated by the varying doses of administered NLS extract. On the histology the NLS extract effects corroborated the biochemical study in the liver and kidney. The NLS did not demonstrate significant toxicological impingement on the hematology and did not alter VPA-induced histomorphological injury in the lungs cytoarchitecture. The reference drug, vinpocetine was unresponsive to VPA-induced alteration in all the tissues investigated in the administered posology. Conclusion: The NLS extract was effective in abrogating toxicological insults in the liver and kidney but not in the lungs. Further studies are required to understand the mechanism of pharmacological effects of NLS extract and the differential in tissue response.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the traditional antidiabetic uses of some indigenous Sudanese plants on streptozotocin-induced diabetes rats. METHODS: Diabetic rats were treated with a 400 mg/kg dose of aqueous extracts of five plant species orally for 2 h (acute) or 14 days (chronic). In acute model blood glucose levels were monitored at specific intervals. In the chronic model blood samples were collected from overnight fasted diabetic rats on day 15 to estimate blood glucose level. And the body weight, serum lipid profile and activities of liver and kidney enzymes were measured. Histopathological observations of liver sections were also studied. RESULTS: In the case of acute treatment, aqueous extracts of Tinospora bakis (T. bakis), Nauclea latifolia (N. latifolia) and Randia nilotica (R. nilotica) at 400 mg/kg significantly lowered (P < 0.05) blood glucose levels in diabetic rats whereas, chronic treatment of diabetic rats with 400 mg/kg of T. bakis, N. latifolia, R. nilotica and Mitragyna inremis proved to have significant (P < 0.05) antihyperglycemic effect and have the capacity to correct the metabolic disturbances associated with diabetes. Histopathological studies showed that the aqueous extracts of these four plants reinforced the healing of liver. However, Striga hermonthica aqueous extract did not exert any antihyperglycemic effect to diabetic rats. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that T. bakis, N. latifolia, R. nilotica and Mitragyna inremis have therapeutic value in diabetes and related complications and thus supporting the traditional uses of these plants in Sudanese traditional medicine.
ABSTRACT
This study was designed to examine the effects of ethanolic leaf extracts of Nauclea latifolia and Emilia sonchifolia on anxiety, fear and locomotion in mice infected with plasmodium berghei berghei. Thirty male Swiss albino mice weighing between 26-30g divided into five groups with six mice in each group. Group 1 served as the Control group and was treated with 0.2ml of normal saline, Group 2 served as the parasitized non-treated, Group 3, was parasitized and treated with Coartem®, Group 4 was parasitized then treated with Emilia sonchifolia, Group 5 was parasitized and treated with Nauclea latifolia and Group 6 was parasitized and treated with a combination of Nauclea latifolia and Emilia sonchifolia respectively. The mice were passaged with the parasite intraperitoneally and then administered extract orally using an orogavage cannula for a duration of 5 days. Behavioural tests were performed pretreatment (day 6 after parasite passage) and posttreatment (day 11). The results obtained showed that grooming frequency and stretch attend frequency were significantly (p<0.001) lower in groups 3-5 compared with the Control group. The combined extract treatment in group 5 was significantly (p<0.001) reduced compared with the parasitized non treated group. Line crossing duration was significantly (p<0.001) lower in groups 2 and 4 but significantly higher in groups 3 and 5 compared with the control group. This preliminary study consolidates the view of herbal practitioners that the extract is effective in reducing anxiety and fear and enhances increases locomotion in plasmodium berghei infected mice.
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Aim: Ethanolic extracts of Kigelia africana, Nauclea latifolia and Staudtia stipitata were investigated for their phytochemical constituents and antiulcerogenic potential on aspirin induced ulcer in albino rats at 150mg/kg, 300mg/kg, and 450mg/kg body weights. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at Department of Biochemistry, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria, between June 2009 and August 2010. Methodology: Ulcer was induced by administering aspirin (200mg/kg body weight) orally to albino rats. Phytochemical screening of leaf extracts was done using standard methods after ethanolic extraction had been concluded. Biochemical parameters showing the effects of ethanolic extracts of the different leaves used in treating ulcer were tested using standard methods. Result: The extracts gave positive results to saponin, tannins, phylobatannins, anthraquinones and cardiac glycosides. K. africana at a concentration of 450 mg/kg body weight gave the best results with a significant decrease in ulcer index (0.67±0.16) on aspirin-induced ulcerogenic animals compared to 3.0 for the reference drug (Cimetidine at 300mg/kg) and control with 1.67±0.27, while the leaf extracts of S. stipitata showed the least efficacy. Conclusion: This study contributes to the search for potent and locally available plant materials for managing ulcer disease caused by non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs.
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In this study, stem bark extracts of Cylicodiscus gabunensis, Nauclea latifolia and Araliopsis soyauxii were investigated for possible adverse effects on male reproductive organs and sex hormones of male albino rats of about eleven weeks weighing between 120-180g. The total of twenty eight rats were divided into seven groups (A, B, C, D, E, F and G) with four rats in each group. Two levels of each plant extract 125mg/kg body weight (BW) and 225 mg/kg BW (low and high dose) were administered to the rats by oral intubation. Group A served as the control and were fed with normal commercial feed only, group B and C were fed with 125 and 225mg/kg BW of C. gabunensis, group D and E were fed with 125 and 225mg/kg BW of N. latifolia while F and G were fed with 125 and 225mg/kg BW of A. soyauxii. The results of the phytochemical screening showed significant differences (p<0.05) in the bioactive components of the three plants. The results obtained on the reproductive organs showed no significant effect (p>0.05) on organ weight (testes and epididymides) semen pH, sperm count and sperm head abnormality among the different groups but there were differences (p<0.05) in sperm motility and sperm viability in the different groups of the rat. On the hormonal analysis, the sex hormones under this study were generally decreased (p<0.05) as the concentration of each extract
ABSTRACT
Aim of the Study: To evaluate the effects of ethanolic leaf extracts of Gongronema latifolium (G.L) and Nauclea latifolia (N.L) on antioxidant enzymes activity (GPx, SOD and CAT) and hormonal status (T3, T4, Insulin, c-peptide) in streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats. Material and Methods: Thirty six (36) albino Wistar rats of both sexes weighing 150-250g were divided into 6 groups of 6 rats each. Groups 1, 2 and 3 received 400mg/kg body weight (b.w) of G.L, N.L and 200mg/kg b.w each of G.L and N.L respectively while group 4 received 5 iu/kg b.w of insulin subcutaneously daily for 21 days, Groups 5 and 6 served as controls (diabetic and Normal) and received placebo. Fasting blood glucose was determined at the start of the experiment and thereafter at 72 hours interval and at the end of experimental period. The animals were sacrificed and sera preparations were used for antioxidant enzymes and hormonal assays. Results: Blood glucose in diabetic animals decreased significantly (P=.05) by 66.34%, 18.12%, 67.73% and 86.62% of initial values upon treatment with G.l, N.l, G.I plus N.I and insulin respectively. There was only a 24.44% decrease in the diabetic control. A significant decrease (P=.05) in insulin and T3 levels was observed in the diabetesinduced rats (65 and 85% respectively) compared to NC. The levels of the hormones where however significantly increased (P=.05) on treatment of the diabetic animals with G.l, N.l, G.I plus N.I and insulin. Whereas a significant decrease (P=.05) was observed in T4 level of DC rats compared to the NC, treatment with the leaf extracts and insulin did not result in any elevation of the hormone relative to DC. The C-peptide levels for all groups were much lower than the corresponding insulin levels, suggesting a type 1 diabetes in the diabetes-induced rats. A significant decrease (P=.05) in activity was observed for GPx and SOD in the DC group relative to NC. A combination of G.l and N.l gave a much higher reversal in activity (P<.01) when compared to treatments with individual leaf extracts. There was a significant increase (P=.05) in CAT activity in the DC animals relative to NC. This was potentiated in all treatment groups with the combination group showing a synergy in its potentiating effect. Conclusion: There was a reversal in the level of the hormones and the activity of the antioxidant enzymes towards normal control, and comparable to the reversals by treatment with insulin, on treatment of the diabetic animals with the leaves extracts especially in combination. The results taken together indicate a synergy that makes the combination of the two plants extracts a potent antidiabetic remedy.