Inhibitory Activity of Ethanolic Extract of Horseradish (Moringa oleifera) (Lam) on Oxidative Stress Parameters in Some Organs of Dexamethazone Induced Hypertensive Wistar Rats.

The use of herbal remedies in various local communities throughout the world to assuage the scourge of indigenous diseases has gained tremendous popularity. One of the many plants species of herbal remedies is Moringa oleifera (horseradish) which has been widely used in West Africa and Nigeria in particular for treating numerous human ailments such as malnutrition, cardiovascular, hepatotocicity and many others. Regardless of its wide use by communities around the world, there is inadequate scientific information available on the actual pharmacological effects of ethanolic extract of Moringa oleifera leaves on the heart and kidney dysfunction. Hence this work aimed at determining the inhibitory activity of ethanolic extract of horseradish on oxidative stress in the heart and kidney of dexamethazone induced hypertensive wistar albino rats. The air-dried leaves of horseradish were pulverized and crude ethanolic extract was prepared. The animals were grouped into four groups of five animals each. Group A animals served as control and fed with water and feed while Groups B and C animals were administered with 0.5 mL of 40% w/v ethanolic extract of Moringa oleifera leaf and 0.5 ml of 1.67 mg/kg body weight dexamethasone respectively. Group D animals were treated with 0.5 ml of 1.67 mg/kg body weight dexamethasone and 0.5 mL of 40% ethanolic extract of Moringa oleifera leaf intermittently for 21 days. The results obtained from the study showed that the ethanolic extract of Moringa oleifera leaf possessed the ability to inhibit and reverse the dexamethasone mediated tissues oxidative damage of both organs as seen in cholesterol, reduced glutathione and malondialdehyde concentrations. The same protective trend was also observed in activities of alkaline phosphatase, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase and catalase enzymesin both organs of the hypertensive rats. Hence, ethanolic extract of Moringa oleifera leaf reduced the extent of antioxidant loss and restoration of organ dysfunction caused by dexamethasone in the rats.