Funmilayo D. Onajobi

Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of Costus afer Ker Gawl. hexane leaf fraction in arthritic rat models.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Costus afer Ker Gawl is an indigenous tropical African medicinal plant used as therapy in the treatment of inflammatory ailments such as rheumatoid arthritis. This study was designed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of the hexane fraction of C. afer leaves (CAHLF). MATERIALS AND METHODS The anti-inflammatory effect of varying doses of CAHLF on carrageenan, arachidonic acid, and formaldehyde induced arthritis in male albino rats׳ models were investigated in order to study the acute inflammatory phase. Complete Freund׳s Adjuvant (CFA)-induced arthritis model was used to study the chronic inflammatory phase. Two known anti-inflammatory drugs, Diclofenac sodium (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug [NSAID]) and prednisolone (glucocorticoid [steroidal drug]) were used as standards for comparison. Various biochemical indices viz. superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST), reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA), aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin (TB), total protein (TP), globulin and albumin levels were assayed using spectrophotometric methods. RESULTS Control animals in which arthritis have been induced using carrageenan, arachidonic acid, formaldehyde or CFA showed significant increases (P<0.05) in paw edema when compared with normal animals. Treatment of the arthritis induced rats with CAHLF significantly (P<0.05) suppressed the edema. in vivo antioxidant study showed that CAHLF treated animals had a significantly (P<0.05) elevated GSH level, SOD, CAT and GST activities while MDA levels were significantly (P<0.05) reduced in the plasma, liver, kidney and brain. CAHLF treated rats had a significantly (P<0.05) reduced plasma AST, ALT and ALP. Plasma TP, globulin, TB levels were reduced while albumin levels were elevated in CAHLF treated animals. CONCLUSIONS CAHLF possesses substantial anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities against inflammatory diseases especially arthritis. It could be considered as a choice candidate in pharmaceutical anti-inflammatory drug development.

Proximate composition, mineral content and in vitro antioxidant activity of leaf and stem of Costus afer (Ginger lily) -

Aim: This study was designed to determine the proximate composition and mineral content of Costus afer leaf and stem, as well as to identify the most active antioxidant fraction. Materials and Methods: The proximate composition and mineral analysis of C. afer leaf and stem were performed using the standard methods described by Pearson and Association of Official Analytical Chemist while the 1,1 diphenyl 2 picryl hydrazyl (DPPH), thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS), lipid peroxidation (LPO), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) assays were used to determine the in vitro antioxidant activity of aqueous, n-butanol, ethyl acetate and hexane fractions of C. afer leaf and stem. Results: Proximate analysis revealed that the carbohydrate content was highest in the leaf (55.83 ± 3.71%) and stem (50.38 ± 1.27%) while crude fat content was lowest in the leaf (1.83 ± 0.43%) and stem (1.75 ± 0.48%). The minerals detected in appreciable quantity in both the leaf and stem samples were calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, chromium, lead, manganese, nickel, and copper. Further study showed that the aqueous leaf fraction exhibited a significantly (P < 0.05) high DPPH scavenging activity (IC50 = 259.07 µg/ml) and TAC (7.95 ± 0.37 mg ascorbic acid equivalent/g) compared with the other test fractions while the aqueous stem fraction had the highest TBARS scavenging activity (IC50 = 0.37 µg/ml) and inhibition of LPO (IC50 = 41.15 µg/ml) compared with the other test fractions. Conclusion: The findings from this study indicate that C. afer could serve as a source of nutrient and minerals for animal nutrition and human metabolism. It also showed that the aqueous fractions of C. afer leaf and stem possess high antioxidant activity than the other fractions. In addition, this study may also explain the folkloric use of crude C. afer leaf or stem extracts in the treatment of oxidative stress associated diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and hepatic disorder.

Hematological and lipid profile evaluation of a hexane fraction of Costus afer leaves in arthritic rats

Abstract Context: Costus afer Ker Gawl. (Costaceae) is an ethnomedical plant used as therapy against inflammatory disorders. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the hematological and lipid profile analysis of hexane fraction of C. afer leaves (CAHLF) in arthritic rats. Materials and methods: Male albino rats were randomly distributed into seven groups of six rats each. Rats were induced with arthritis using formaldehyde and Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA) for 7 and 21 d, respectively. The animals were administered orally with 50, 100, and 250 mg/kg CAHLF, 10 mg/kg diclofenac and prednisolone, 0.9% NaCl (control), and 0.9% NaCl (normal). At the end of treatment periods, blood samples were withdrawn and subjected to hematological and biochemical analysis using auto-analyzer and spectrophotometric methods. Results: Hematological analysis revealed that in formaldehyde- and CFA-induced arthritic rat models, 250 mg/kg CAHLF-treated groups had significantly reduced (p < 0.05) hematocrit counts (HC) (30.98 ± 1.59% and 33.55 ± 1.10%), white blood cell counts (WBC) (5.50 ± 0.35 and 4.15 ± 0.82 × 109/L), and platelet counts (PC) (401.50 ± 48.94 and 246.33 ± 5.54 × 109/L) compared with control HC (46.90 ± 1.92 and 41.88 ± 2.19%), WBC (11.09 ± 0.26 and 7.37 ± 0.34 × 109/L), and PC (783.67 ± 59.51 and 593.83 ± 36.3 × 109/L). Furthermore, blood analysis showed that CAHLF-treated groups had reduced total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides while they had an elevated high-density lipoprotein compared with the control group. Discussion and conclusion: Findings from this study indicated that CAHLF could possess immunomodulatory and hypolipidemic properties in arthritic rats. CAHLF could be considered as a source of biopharmaceutical agents in anti-arthritis drug discovery process.

Evaluation of the levels of reactive di-carbonyl compounds and polyaromatic hydrocarbons in processed Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus)

Trachurus trachurus (locally called kote in Western Nigeria) is a table fish. During processing like poaching and smoking, fish come in contact with water, smoke and high temperatures, which may interfere with the nutrient contents and are potential sources of reactive di-carbonyl compounds (RDCs) and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This study was therefore conducted to determine the level of RDCs and PAHs in raw and processed Trachurus trachurus fillet; skin, head and bones (SHB). Fish samples were prepared by poaching and smoking (charcoal and wood). RDCs and levels of 5 individual PAHs including fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, benz(a)anthracene and naphthalene were determined in raw, poached and smoked (charcoal and wood) Trachurus trachurus using standard methods. Results indicated that all processing methods significantly increased (p < 0.05) levels of RDCs and PAHs in the fillet and SHB. In conclusion, the study demonstrated that charcoal smoke processing produced the lowest levels of RDCs and PAHs in kote fillet and SHB.