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Background: The relationship between iron, hypoxia, inflammation, and erythropoietin in cellular homeostasis is well documented. Patients on radiotherapy are known with active immune/inflammatory disorders often accompanied with reduced iron uptake or unavailability of circulatory iron and hence, must be adequately evaluated. The present study hypothesized “aqueous extracts of Camellia sinensis, Telfairia occidentalis and Parquetina nigrescens have chemical properties of ameliorating and restoring to normal, functional iron deficiency sequel to Cobalt 60 irradiation effect”. Materials and Methods: Fifty-Five young male guinea-pigs approximately 450 gram in weight were recruited and thirty were randomly assigned to 3 groups (A, B and C) for the study. Groups A and B were further divided into 4 (A1-4 and B1-4) with 3 animals (n=3) per group. Three guinea-pigs were also assigned to group C. Groups A and B belonged to Pre and post-irradiation groups while groups C served as control. Each animal was given 400r (4.0 Gy) whole-body gamma-irradiation under general anaesthesia, using a Co60 therapy unit as a source. Groups A1, A2, A3 and A4 had 1,400 mg/kg C. sinensis, 4000 mg/kg P. nigrescens, 3,500 mg/kg T. occidentalis and Combined dose (1,400 mg/kg C. sinensis + 400 mg/kg P. nigrescens + 3,500 mg/kg T. occidentalis) respectively twice daily 72 hours prior to irradiation and continued throughout the 14 days of the study. Groups B1, B2, B3 and B4 had similar treatment but commenced 24 hours after exposure to radiation and likewise continued throughout the 14 days of the study. Group C were not given any treatment but also had irradiation. Results: Total Iron Binding Capacity, Ferritin, Serum Transferrin receptor and Iron were all increased significantly for all the extracts pre and post irradiation. However, C-reactive protein decreased significantly. Conclusion: Aqueous extracts of Camellia sinensis, Parquetina nigrescens and Telfairia occidentalis leaves have good ameliorating effect on irradiation-induced injuries.
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OBJECTIVE@#Drug-induced liver injury complicates antituberculosis drug treatment and is a leading cause of death worldwide. The aim of this study is to establish the ethnomedicinal claim of hepatoprotective effects of fruit pulp extract of Telfairia occidentalis against rifampicin (RIF) and isoniazid (INH)-induced oxidative stress in rats.@*METHODS@#T. occidentalis pulp extract (TOPE) (125-500 mg/kg) and silymarin (50 mg/kg) were evaluated in an induced hepatotoxicity model of oxidative stress in Wistar rats by intoxication with RIF and INH (100 mg/kg each) orally for 60 d. Markers indicating oxidative stress and hepatic damage such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were assessed. Biomarkers of antioxidant status, including catalase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase, and marker of lipid peroxidation, malondialdehyde (MDA), were assayed using standard procedures. The hematological profile, lipid profile, serum markers for kidney function and histopathological examination were also assessed.@*RESULTS@#Intoxication with RIF and INH markedly reduced the hematological indices and elevated the biochemical enzyme markers (AST, ALT and ALP, P < 0.001) and lipid profile (P < 0.001), while antioxidant biomarkers were significantly (P < 0.01) depressed and MDA was elevated. However, pretreatment with TOPE significantly (P < 0.001) alleviated this alteration and sustained the antioxidant potentials. The histopathological morphology supports the biochemical evidence of hepatoprotection.@*CONCLUSION@#Current study is indicative of potential antioxidant activity, hepatoprotective effects and plausible therapeutic alleviation of RIF-INH-induced hepatotoxicity of TOPE in laboratory animals.
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This study was carried out to investigate the immune modulatory properties of different graded stored powdered of Telfairia occidentalissupplemented diet on male wistar rats. Twelve male wistarrats weighing 120g±20g were purchased, acclimatised and randomly allotted into four (T1, T2, T3, T4) Telfairia occidentalissupplemented groups (0% 5%, 10% and 15%). The rate of their feeding was monitored for three weeks after which the animals were decapitatedand the blood and organs were removed for haematological and endogenous antioxidant analysis. The result showed that the highest feed intake was observed in animal fed with the highest level of Telfairia occidentalis supplementation. Also from the haematological analysis, the white blood cell of the highest supplementation was boosted when compared to other graded level likewise the endogenous Antioxidant level was enhanced when compared with the control group.
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This study investigated the mycoremediation effects of Pleurotus ostreatus and selected surfactants (Triton x-100 and meshed Costus aferstem)on the growth performance of fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) in crude oil impacted soil and their effects on the electrolytes, urea and creatinine levels of Wistar rats fed with aqueous leaf extract of fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) cultivated on the amended soil. Crude oil highly impacted soil excavated from an oil spill site at Obeche community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria was used. Remediation was induced using white rot fungus (Pleurotus ostreatus), phyto-emulsified surfactant (Costus aferstem) and chemical surfactant (Triton x-100). Seven experimental cells (20cm diameter x 20cm high polypropylene bags) labelled A-G, each containing 2kg of polluted soil were used. The application of amendments to the crude oil impacted soil affected the growth of fluted pumpkin. Cell D (PSS + Triton x-100) was observed to have the highest number of leaves (15.00 ± 0.70), highest vine length (45.00 ± 0.00), highest fresh weight of leaves (16.50 ± 0.70) when compared with other cells. The control cell, cell A (CISS) and cell F (CISS + Pleurotus ostreatus+ Triton x-100) also were observed to have a positive effect on the growth performance of fluted pumpkin. When the aqueous leaf extract of fluted pumpkin was administered to the Wistar rats, potassium level was observed to be decreased in groups C to G with cell D having the lowest value (3.99 ± 0.00) when compared with group A (29.39±34.44). The results also indicated that groups C, D, F, and G were decreased when compared with group A for sodium, only group E was decreased when compared with group A for Chlorine, all the groups for Calcium where significantly (p?0.05) decreased when compared with group A. There was a significant (p?0.05) difference when group A is compared with group G for Bicarbonate. Histopathological evaluation of the kidney of Wistar rats revealed the presence of congested renal vessels and haemorhage.
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Aims: The radioprotective effect of Telfairia occidentalis aqueous extract (TOE) against gamma irradiation induced oxidative damage and altered sperm parameters in rats. Study Design: Randomized controlled experiment Place and Duration of Study: Experimental Animal Unit and Department of Anatomy, University of Ibadan between January and April, 2012. Methodology: Male Wistar strain rats were divided into six groups and pretreated with TOE (400, 800 and 1600 mg/kg of b.wt.) and vitamin E (VE) 50 mg/kg of b.wt prior to whole body gamma irradiation exposure of 2Gy. Sections of the testes were taken for the assessments of biochemical markers of oxidative stress: Lipid peroxidation (LPO), Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT) and Glutathione (GSH) and histopathological variations. Results: Exposure of animals to 2Gy gamma radiation resulted in decreased sperm characteristics and increased sperm morphological abnormalities; significant elevation in lipid peroxidation (LPO) and hydrogen peroxides, and decreased activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione-s-transferase (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) in testes; distorted architecture of seminiferous tubules from day 1 to 30 post-irradiation. The rats pretreated with TOE showed normal sperm parameters, normal testicular histo-architecture and normal antioxidant enzymatic activities. Conclusion: Aqueous extract of Telfairia occidentalis has radioprotective activities.
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Objective: To assess the efficacy of Hibiscus sabdariffa (H. sabdariffa) and Telfairia occidentalis (T. occidentalis) extracts in the attenuation of CCl
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OBJECTIVE@#To assess the efficacy of Hibiscus sabdariffa (H. sabdariffa) and Telfairia occidentalis (T. occidentalis) extracts in the attenuation of CCl4-mediated oxidative stress.@*METHODS@#Seventy-two healthy matured male albino rats weighing between (120±20) g were divided into 6 groups (A-F) in a 2×6 factorial experiment using completely randomized design. Rats in Group A received only water, B received 1 mL/kg CCl4, C received 300 mg/kg, D received 600 mg/kg, E received CCl4+300 mg/kg while F received CCl4+600 mg/kg for each of the extract, respectively. Semen from epididymes was obtained for sperm analysis while blood was obtained through cardiac puncture for biochemical analysis, after the treatment regimen.@*RESULTS@#Our results showed that CCl4 induction elevated aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, total protein, globulin levels significantly (P<0.05) while albumin was reduced. For sperm profile after CCl4 induction, sperm count, viability and motility were significant (P<0.05) reduced while sperm head abnormality increased. However, administering H. sabdariffa and T. occidentalis extracts at the doses of 300 and 600 mg/kg caused the reversal of these effects significantly.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Implicitly, the implication of our results is that H. sabdariffa and T. occidentalis extracts might be ted and optimized for the management of oxidative stress-related organ injuries, including infertility, though further researches are needed.
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Telfairia occidentalis Hook. f., Cucurbitaceae, is a leafy vegetable used in soup and folk medicine in southern Nigeria. This study was conducted to investigate the anxiolytic and sedative activities of the hydroethanolic extract of the leaves of T. occidentalis in mice. The hole-board, elevated plus maze, open-field, light-dark, and social interaction tests were used in this study. T. occidentalis (50-400 mg/kg) and diazepam (1 mg/kg) were administered p.o. to different groups of mice and appropriate observations were made. T. occidentalis increased the number of sectional crossings (p<0.01) and duration of head dips (p<0.05) at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg respectively; increased number of entries into open arms (p<0.01) at the dose of 100 mg/kg; increased number of central squares crossed (p<0.01) at the dose of 50 mg/kg; and increased number of social interactions (p<0.001) at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg. At the dose of 400 mg/kg, T. occidentalis reduced number of head dips and sectional crossings (p<0.01); reduced time spent in open arms and increased time spent in closed arms (p<0.01, 0.001) at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg; reduced number of assisted rearings (p<0.001) at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg; increased latency of entry into and time spent in dark box (p<0.01, 0.001) at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg; and reduced number of social interactions (p<0.001) at the dose of 400 mg/kg. The findings in this study suggest that T. occidentalis possess anxiolytic property at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg, and sedative activity at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg.