Abdulkadir Umar Zezi

Analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities of the methanol leaf extract of Dalbergia saxatilis Hook.F in rats and mice

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The decoction of the leaves of Dalbegia saxatilis is used in Traditional Medicine for various ailments such as cough, small pox, skin lesions, bronchial ailments and toothache. The study is aimed at evaluating the analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic effects of D. saxatilis to provide scientific basis for its use. MATERIALS AND METHODS Phytochemical screening and evaluation of oral median lethal dose was carried out on the methanol leaf extract of the plant. Analgesic activity using acetic acid induced writhing and hot plate method in mice, anti-inflammatory activity using carrageenan induced paw oedema in rats, and antipyretic activity using Brewer׳s yeast induced pyrexia in rats were evaluated at 250mg/kg, 500mg/kg, and 1000mg/kg doses of the extract. RESULTS The oral median lethal dose was found to be above 5000mg/kg. The extract was found to contain alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, cardiac glycosides, and triterpenes. The extract and the standard drug (Aspirin) significantly decreased the number of writhes caused by acetic acid at p<0.001. There was statistical significant increase in reaction time in standard group, extract 250mg/kg, and 1000mg/kg from 60 min at p<0.05 and p<0.01, from 30 min in 500mg/kg group at p<0.05 and p<0.01 compared with 0 min. A statistical significant decreases in paw sizes at p<0.05 and p<0.01 compared to the peak increase in both standard and test groups was observed. Statistical significant reduction in rectal temperatures was observed in standard group at 21 and 23 h, and in 500mg/kg and 1000mg/kg doses of the extract at 23 h at p<0.05 compared with the 19h. CONCLUSION The results obtained indicated potential analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects of the methanol leaf extract of D. saxatilis observed at doses tested which support the claim for the traditional use of the plant in treatment of toothache.

Flavonoid mixture ameliorates increase in erythrocyte osmotic fragility and malondialdehyde concentration induced by Trypanosoma brucei brucei-infection in Wistar rats.

The experiment was performed with the aim of investigating the effect of a flavonoid mixture, Daflon® 500 mg (DF) on the erythrocyte fragility and lipoperoxidative changes, induced by Trypanosoma brucei brucei infection in Wistar rats. Fifty adult male rats randomly divided into five groups of 10 animals each were used. Rats in the control group were administered (1 mL/kg) distilled water only, while the other groups were infected with T. brucei brucei and treated with Daflon® 500 mg and/or Diminazene aceturate. At the end of 5 weeks, EDTA-blood samples and serum samples were collected from the rats, and were used to determine erythrocyte osmotic fragility (EOF) and serum malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration respectively. The results showed that EOF and MDA concentration significantly (P<0.05) increased in the infected untreated group when compared to the treatment groups. Treatment with Daflon® 500 mg and Diminazene aceturate significantly (P<0.05) reduced trypanosome-induced increases in EOF and lipoperoxidative changes, suggesting possible antioxidant properties of Daflon® 500 mg and its therapeutic value in trypanosomosis.

Preliminary evaluation of ethanol leaf extract of Borreria verticillata Linn (Rubiaceae) for analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects

Borreria verticillata L is used for the treatment of some painful and inflammatory conditions by traditional medical practitioners in Nigeria and other countries. The ethanol leaf extract of B. verticillata (EEBV) was investigated for possible analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects in mice and rats. The models used for the analgesic study were acetic acid induced abdominal writhes, hot plate tests in mice and formalin induced pain in rats. Carrageenan and formalin induced rat paw oedema were used to investigate anti-inflammatory effects. The oral (p.o) median lethal dose (LD50) was greater than 5000 mg/kg body weight in mice and rats, while the intraperitoneal (i.p) LD50 in mice was 3807.88 mg/kg and greater than 5000 mg/kg in rats. The results of the study showed that the extract to have significant (p<0.001) analgesic effect at dose range of 200 to 1000 mg/kg p.o/i.p in mice in the acetic acid induced writhes and hot plate tests. Significant (p<0.05) analgesic effect was observed at 500 and 1000 mg/kg p.o in both phases of formalin induced pain in rats. EEBV exhibited anti-inflammatory effects which were found to be significant (p<0.001, p<0.05) at doses of 200 to 1000 mg/kg p.o/i.p in the rats and in all models used. Key words: Borreria verticillata, analgesic, anti-inflammatory.

Haematological Changes in Trypanosoma brucei brucei Infected Wistar Rats Treated with a Flavonoid Mixture and/or Diminazene Aceturate

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of treatment with DAFLON® 500 mg (DF) and/or diminazene aceturate (DZ) on hematological parameters in rats, infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Rats in the control group were administered with distilled water (DW) only (5 mL/kg), while those in other groups were infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei (106 cells/ml), and treated with DF and/or DZ. Packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb) concentration, erythrocyte (RBC) and neutrophil counts were lower in the infected untreated and DF-treated group, than in any other group. Total leucocyte, lymphocyte, platelet counts and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) decreased in the infected untreated group, compared to values obtained in those administered with DF and/or DZ. The MCV reduced in the DZ-treated group, compared to the groups treated with DF and the combination of DF and DZ. Mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) was lower in the infected untreated and DF treated group than in the DW or DZ group. Rats administered with DZ had higher leucocyte and lymphocyte counts compared to those in DF-treated group. It is concluded that the administration of DF and/or DZ ameliorated the anaemia caused by Trypanosoma brucei brucei - infection in Wistar rats.

Elucidation of the possible mechanism of analgesic actions of butanol leaf fraction of Olax subscorpioidea Oliv

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Preparations of Olax subscorpioidea have been used traditionally for the management of pains, inflammatory diseases, yellow fever, cancer and rheumatism. Previously, the analgesic activity of its leaf extract have been reported. Furthermore, an analgesic assay guided fractionation showed that the butanol soluble fraction is the most active. However, the mechanism of this activity remains to be elucidated. This present study investigated the possible pharmacological mechanisms involved in the analgesic activity of the butanol leaf fraction of Olax subscorpioidea (BFOS) using the acetic acid induced writhing test in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS Animals were orally administered distilled water (10ml/kg), BFOS (1,000mg/kg) and morphine (10mg/kg) 60minutes before i.p administration of acetic acid and the resulting writhing were counted for 10minutes. To establish the possible mechanism(s) of action of BFOS, separate group of animals were pretreated with naloxone (2mg/kg, i.p), prazosin (1mg/kg, i.p), yohimbine (1mg/kg, i.p), propranolol (20mg/kg, i.p), metergoline (2mg/kg, i.p), glibenclamide (5mg/kg, i.p) and l-arginine (50mg/kg, i.p) 15minutes before BFOS. RESULTS BFOS and morphine showed marked analgesic activities (p<0.001); the pretreatment of animals with naloxone, metergoline and l-arginine significantly (p<0.05 and p<0.001) reduced the analgesic activity of BFOS; however, pretreatment with prazosin, yohimbine, propranolol and glinbenclamide showed no effect on its analgesic activity. CONCLUSION Results obtained in this study suggest the involvement of opioidergic, serotonergic and nitric oxide-l-arginine pathways in the analgesic effect of butanol leaf fraction of Olax subscorpioidea.

Anti-histaminic and bronchodilatory activities of aqueous and methanol extracts of Calotropis procera (Ait) R.Br. root bark on allergic asthma in rodents

The root bark of Calotropis procera ( C. procera ) (Asclepiadaceae) has been reported to be a part of herbal remedies for the management of allergic conditions including asthma. However, there is paucity of data on its anti-histaminic and bronhodilatory activity in asthma. This study therefore aimed to provide some pharmacological rationale for the ethnomedical use of C. procera as an anti-histamine and bronchodilator in asthma. The aqueous and methanol extracts of C. procera were investigated for anti-histaminic and bronchodilatory activities using histamine induced contraction of isolated guinea pig tracheal chain (at 0.5 ml, 1 ml and 2 ml, and stock concentration of 0.5 mg/ml), histamine induced contraction of isolated guinea pig ileum strip test (at 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8 and 1 ml, and stock concentration of 10 mg/ml), and haloperidol induced catalepsy test in rats (at 200 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg doses). Both extracts of C. procera significantly relaxed (p˂0.01) histamine induced contraction of isolated guinea pig trachea. The extracts also significantly inhibited (p˂0.001) histamine induced contraction of isolated guinea pig ileum. The aqueous extract did not significantly inhibit haloperidol-induced catalepsy. However, methanol extract significantly inhibited (p˂0.05) haloperidol-induced catalepsy at 300 mg/kg. The aqueous and methanol root bark extract of C. procera was found to poses anti-histaminic and bronchodilatory activities in in vivo and in vitro antiasthmatic test on animal models, with the methanol extract having greater activity than the aqueous extract, thus support the folkloric use of the plant in inflammatory and allergic conditions including asthma. Keywords: Calotropis procera , Anti-histaminic, Bronchorelaxant, Anti-asthmatic, Histamine