Effect of Magnifera indica Leaf Extract on Paracetamol-induced Hepatic Toxicity in Rats.

Aims: This study evaluated the effect of methanolic leaf extract of Magnifera indica on paracetamol-induced hepatic toxicity in rats. Study Design: Hepatic toxicity in rats was induced by oral administration of paracetamol followed by treatment with the leaf extract and evaluation of liver function parameters, lipid peroxidation activity and hematology. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Veterinary Physiology, Pharmacology and Biochemistry, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria/ One year. Methodology: Hepatic injury was achieved by oral administration of 2000mg/kg of paracetamol to rats. Three test doses (100, 200 and 300mg/kg) of Magnifera indica leaf extract (MILE) and a standard reference drug, silymarin (100mg/kg) were administered to the rats orally for ten days through gastric gavage. At the end of the treatment, blood was collected from the rats for liver function tests, hematology, malondiadehyde (MDA) levels and catalase activities. The effect of the extract was compared with silymarin and distilled water controls. Results: Liver function test showed that the extract and reference drug caused various levels of significant (P=0.02 to P=0.001) reduction of Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alanine aminotransferase (AST), Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin when compared to negative control. Hematological analysis indicated various levels of significant increase in packed cell volume, hemoglobin concentration, Red blood cell count and White blood cell count (P=0.05-P<0.001). The MDA was also significantly (P=0.043) reduced by silymarin and MILE at the doses of 200 and 300mg/kg while there was no significant (P=0.24) changes in catalase activities of both treated and control rats. Conclusion: This study showed that Magnifera indica leaf extract ameliorated paracetamol-induced liver toxicity with optimum effect at 300mg/kg.

Phytochemical Compositions and In vitro Antioxidant Capacity of Methanolic Leaf Extract of Axonopus Compressus (P. Beauv.).

Aims: We evaluated the phytochemical contents and antioxidant capacity of the methanolic leaf extract of the Nigerian Axonopus compressus. This is a preliminary investigation to determining the active principle which may be involved in the antidiabetic mechanism of the plant. Study Design: Phytochemicals and antioxidant capacity were determined using chromatographic and spectrophotometric detection methods of cold leaf extracts of Axonopus compressus. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike Abia State, Nigeria. Methodology: Antioxidant activities were investigated by three tests namely: 2,2- diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH), Fe3+ to Fe2+ transformation (ferric reducing antioxidant power, FRAP) and a modified version of TBARS assay. These in vitro antioxidant models were carried out after cold extraction maceration. The antioxidant capacity was measured at varying concentrations (10 ~ 400 μ/ml) of the extract required to quench the free radicals by 50% (IC50) and expressed as % inhibition. Phytochemicals were determined by standard detection and spectrophotometric methods. Results: The phytochemicals: saponin (1.2±0.1), alkaloid (2.10±0.12), tannin (0.71±0.4), flavonoid (1.92±0.13) and polyphenol (1.78±0.21) in mg/100g were strongly detected. The leaf extract was found to have a concentration dependent antioxidant activity comparable with that of ascorbic acid. Axonopus compressus’s DPPH reduction was highest at 400μg/ml (92.00 ± 0.002%) with IC50 of 52.2μg/ml. The ferric reducing power of the extract at 400μg/ml (78±1.83% [FRAP:0.92]) and the inhibition of lipid peroxidation measured as TBARS was 92.±1.21% Conclusion: The presence of these phytochemicals and the high antioxidant power may explain the astringent action of the plant observed in its ethnomedicinal use especially in the treatment of diabetes. Our findings therefore, suggest that Axonopus compressus possess a strong antioxidant property that may substantiate its ethnomedicinal efficacy.

Phytochemical Constituents and in vitro Antioxidant Capacity of Methanolic Leaf Extract of Oxytenanthera abyssinica (A. Rich Murno).

Aims: The antioxidant and phytochemical properties of leaf extracts of the Nigerian Oxytenanthera abyssinica were evaluated at different concentrations using ascorbic acid standard. This preliminary study investigates the potentially bioactive components of the plant which may renew research into its medicinal value. Study Design: Cold extraction of the leaf parts followed by evaluation of phytochemicals and antioxidant capacity using chromatographic and spectrophotometric methods. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture P.M.B.7267 Umudike Abia State, Nigeria. Methodology: The antioxidant properties were determined using three assay models: the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) colorimetric test and a modified version of in vitro antioxidant TBARS after cold extraction maceration. The activity was determined at different concentrations (10μg/ml,50μg/ml,100μg/ml,200μg/ml and 400μg/ml) of the extract and expressed as % inhibition. phytochemicals were determined by standard detection and spectrophotometric methods. Results: The yield of the methanolic leaf extract of Oxytenanthera abyssinica was 3.92% w/w dry matter. Steroids (steroid glycoside), alkaloids, saponins, tannins, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, phlobatanins, anthroquinone and terpenes were detected while cyanogenic glycosides were absent. The quantitative analysis yielded (in mg/100g): flavonoids (1.51±0.23), alkaloids (1.40±0.02), polyphenols (1.31±0.32), tannins (0.071±0.40) and saponins (1.2±0.10). Oxytenanthera abyssinica’s DPPH reduction was highest at 400μg/ml (82.10 ± 0.01%) with IC50 of 56.2μg/ml. The ferric reducing power of the extract at 400μg/ml was 61±1.52% (FRAP: 0.61) and the inhibition of lipid peroxidation measured as TBARS was 81.0 ±1.11%. Conclusion: There is an indication that Oxytenanthera abyssinica contains important phytochemicals and an antioxidant capacity comparable with standard antioxidant compounds that may be linked to its beneficial effects on health.

Antidiarrheal activity of Pterocarpus erinaceus methanol leaf extract in experimentally-induced diarrhea

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the antidiarrheal activity of the methanol leaf extract of Pterocarpus erinaceus in vivo.@*METHODS@#The methanol leaf extract of Pterocarpus erinaceus was evaluated using different doses (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight) orally for antidiarrheal activity using castor oil-induced diarrhea, charcoal meal transit time and castor oil-induced enteropooling in different groups of albino Wistar mice. The activity of the extract at different doses were compared to diphenoxylate (5 mg/kg) and atropine sulphate (3 mg/kg) which were used as standard reference drugs and also to the distilled water administered negative control group of mice.@*RESULTS@#The extract at the doses used caused a significant (P< 0.01) reduction in the wet faeces passed by the mice in the castor oil-induced diarrhea, decreased the distance travelled by the charcoal meal by up to 54.8% and also caused a dose dependent and significant (P< 0.001) reduction in the intraluminal fluid accumulation in the castor oil-induced enteropooling.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Our results indicate that Pterocarpus erinaceus extract produced significant antidiarrheal activity and the action may attribute to inhibition of gastrointestinal movement and fluid secretion.