RESUMO
Background:Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a noncancerous enlargement of the prostate gland. The condition is associated with symptoms like frequency in urination, hesitancy, nocturia, weak urine streamand sexual dysfunction.The effect ofVernonia amygdalinaextract (VA) on kidney and liver function indices in BPH was investigated.Methods:A total of 30 rats weighing 200-300 g were divided according to body weight into five groups (n=6). One group was used as a control and the other groups received subcutaneous injections of testosterone and estradiol for 3 weeks to induce BPH. Groups I andII were treated with different doses of VA extracts and group III receivedfinasteride, all by gavages for thirty-five days. While group IV was left untreated, groupV served as normal control. After thirty-five days of treatment with VA extract, the ratswere anaesthetised by short contact with trichloromethane vapour. Blood was collected by cardiac puncture and the sera centrifuged and used for the determination of different biochemical indices. The prostates were harvested and weighed.Results:The level of urea and creatinine were significantly (P<0.05) reduced when compared to the BPH control. No significant differences in serum concentrations of AST, ALT, ALP, and GGT were recorded in all treatment groups compared to the BPH control. Conclusion:Theextract of Vernonia amygdalinaseed exhibited nephroprotective effect on the kidney of BPH induced rats, while there was no observable effect on the liver as benign prostate hyperplasia appeared not to have had any alteration on the liver enzymes.
RESUMO
Objective: To analyse the phytochemical contents of leaf, stem bark and root of Jatropha curcas (J. curcas) in four solvent extracts and their proximate and mineral compositions. Methods: Standard analytical procedures were used for the determination of phytochemicals, proximate and mineral compositions of the leaf, stem bark and root extracts of J. curcas. Results: Results of the analysis showed the presence of polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, coumarins, saponins, terpenoids, steroids, triterpenoid saponins, carotenoids, phlobatannins and tannins in the leaf, stem bark and root of all the solvent extracts. Flavonoids were present in the highest amount in the ethyl acetate extracts of the leaf (7.35% ± 0.02%), stem bark (4.12% ± 0.01%) and root (3.35% ± 0.02%) followed by polyphenols in the methanol extracts of leaf (4.62% ± 0.02%), stem bark (2.77% ± 0.05%) and root (2.49% ± 0.02%). Poly-acetylated compounds were absent in all the solvent extracts of the leaf, stem bark and root. However, some anti-nutritional agents such as oxalates, phytates and cyanates were present in all the solvent extracts of the leaf, stem bark and root except the ethyl acetate. Phytates were high in the aqueous solvent of the leaf (6.12% ± 0.00%) but low in the stem bark (1.00% ± 0.05%) and root (0.89% ± 0.03%). Proximate composition showed appreciable amounts of total carbohydrate (36.33% ± 0.72%), crude protein (26.00% ± 0.47%) and reducing sugars (5.87% ± 0.14%) in the leaf, while crude fat was more in the stem bark (16.70% ± 0.30%). There was corresponding substantial energy in the leaf [(1514.77 ± 20.87) kJ/100 g] and stem bark [(907.00 ± 8.52) kJ/100 g]. Moisture and ash contents of the leaf, stem bark and root were within acceptable limits for the use in drugs formulation. The mineral composition showed substantial amounts of important elements such as Fe, Ca, Na, Mg and Zn. Others were P, K and Se. Conclusions: The outcome of this study suggests that the leaf, stem bark and root of J. curcas have very good medicinal potentials, meet the standard requirements for drug formulation and serve as good sources of energy and nutrients except for the presence of some anti-nutritional elements predominant in the leaf.