Résumé
The effects of ethanol leaf extracts of Spilanthes uliginosa, Ocimum basilicum, Hyptis spicigera and Cymbopogon citratus on mice infected with malaria parasite was investigated. Eighty four (84) swiss mice of both sexes were used for the study. All the mice were passaged intraperitoneally with 0.2 ml parasitized blood suspension and parasitemia assessed by Geimsa stain thin blood films after seventy two hours. The mice were divided into 6 groups namely; A, B, C, D, E and F. Groups B, C, D and E were subdivided into three (3): B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, D1, D2, D3, E1, E2 and E3. Both groups and subgroups contained 6 mice each. The subgroups were treated with the extracts of Spilanthes uliginosa (Sw), Ocimum basilicum, Hyptis spiligera and Cymbopogon citratus each for five (5) consecutive days with 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight via oral intubation daily respectively. The results indicated a general significant (P<0.05) decrease in the average body weight of the parasitized untreated mice while the histological photomicrographs showed alterations in the liver architecture of parasitized untreated mice and restorative effects of all the plant extracts and standard drug on the liver architecture of the parasitized treated mice.
Résumé
Coconut water, a natural nutritious beverage that contains several biologically active chemical substances, is used in the management/treatment of several disorders in Eastern Nigeria. This study was set up to evaluate the antioxidant potential of coconut water and its effect on the cardiovascular system in albino rats. Twenty five adult male albino rats, used in this work, were placed into five groups (A, B, C, D and E), of five rats per group. Groups A, B, C and D were administered orally with 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 ml/kg body weight respectively of the coconut water for fourteen consecutive days. Group E was the control. Glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were used to investigate antioxidant activity of the coconut water, while lipid profile was determined as an index of its cardiovascular effect. GPX and SOD activity was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the test groups than in untreated group, while MDA levels decreased significantly (P< 0.05) in the treated groups relative to the control. There was a significant reduction (P< 0.05) in total cholesterol, triglycerides and low density lipoprotein, while high density lipoproteins increased significantly (P< 0.05) in the test animals relative to the control. These observations were found to be linearly dose-dependent. These results may be due to the chemical constituents of the coconut water, and could be partly responsible for its application in the management of some disorders.