M. I. Akpanabiatu

Rat serum electrolytes, lipid profile and cardiovascular activity onNauclea latifolia leaf extract administration.

Aqueous extract of the leaf and root ofNauclea latifolia Sm. (Rubiaceae) is used in Nigerian folk medicine for the treatment of hypertension. This work is carried out to investigate the effect ofNauclea latifolia leaf extract on lipid profile and cardiovascular activity of rats. Normal and 10% coconut oil fed rats were treated with the water-soluble fraction of the ethanol extract ofNauclea latifolia leaf for 2 weeks. Forty-eight mature male albino rats of the Wistar strain were divided into two experiments of four groups, each group having 6 animals. Experiment I animals were treated with the water-soluble fraction of the ethanol extract whilst experiment II animals were fed 10% coconut oil meal before treatment with the water-soluble fraction of the ethanol extract. A single oral dose ofNauclea latifolia was 170, 340 and 510 mg/kg body wt/day of the extracts respectively for 2 wks. There was no significant change in the lipid profile of the experimental animals as compared with the controls. There was about 40% relaxation on contracted thoracic aorta that was pre-contracted with 2 μM phenylephrine. The viability of the tissue was tested against 10 μM of acetylcholine. There was no significant (P>0.05) change in Na+ concentration in the serum. However, the K+ concentration in the serum of the experimental animals showed a significant increase. The study shows that ethanol extract ofNauclea latifolia has vasodilator action on the aorta and that lipid profiles of experimental rats were not affected. Furthermore, the increase in the K+ may be contributing to the vasodilator effect ofNauclea latifolia.

Biochemical and Histological Effects of Eleophorbia drupifera Leaf Extract in Wistar Albino Rats

Water extract of Eleophorbia drupifera Leaves was administered orally in graded doses of 10, 20, 30 and 40 mg/kg body weight of experimental animals for 2 weeks. The effect of the extract on some biochemical parameters and the histology of the liver and kidney tissues were evaluated in Albino Wistar rats. Serum glucose levels were significantly (P < 0.05) elevated. The cholesterol, triacylglycerol and ALT levels of the test groups demonstrated no significant change, but AST showed a significant decrease (P < 0.05) at 20, 30 and 40 mg/kg body weight. Computed AST/ALT ratio showed a decrease but no histopathological lesions were observed in either liver or kidney tissue. The results suggest that no adverse biochemical changes are associated with the use of the extract in phytotherapy. The extract may contain some hepatoprotective agent(s) and antihistopathologic agents.

Influence of Nauclea latifolia Leaf Extracts on Some Hepatic Enzymes of Rats Fed on Coconut Oil and Non-Coconut Oil Meals

Abstract This work focuses primarily on the comparative response of rat liver enzymes to oral administration of the water-soluble fraction of 95% ethanol extract of Nauclea latifolia. Sm. (Rubiaceae) leaves with 10% coconut oil meal and normal rat chow fed for 8 weeks. Forty-eight mature male albino rats of the Wistar strain weighing between 200 and 230 g were divided into two experimental groups. In experiment 1, group 1 (n = 6) was fed normal rat chow for 8 weeks, and groups 2, 3, and 4 (n = 6) were on normal rat chow for 8 weeks before treatment with 170, 340, and 510 mg/kg body weight, respectively, of oral dose of the water-soluble fraction of the ethanol extract of N. latifolia. leaves. In experiment 2, group 1 (n = 6) was fed the 10% coconut oil meal as the experimental control, and groups 2, 3, and 4 (n = 6) were fed the 10% coconut oil meal for 8 weeks before commencing treatment for 2 weeks with the extract of N. latifolia. leaves. The effects of the N. latifolia. leaf extract on some marker enzymes were analyzed. There was a significant increase (p < 0.05) of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity in all the groups when compared to the control, but the increase was higher in the 10% coconut oil meal fed groups. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity decreased significantly (p > 0.05) in experiment 1 animals when compared with control. Increase in ALT activity was however observed in experiment 2 (p < 0.05). Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities did not change in both experiments. There was no significant (p > 0.05) change in γ-GT activity in experiment 1, but in experiment 2 glutamyl transferase (GGT) decreased in the water-soluble fraction of the ethanol extract. N. latifolia. leaf extract is capable of reducing the activity of γ-GT if raised by other factors. We also concluded that feeding animals with 10% coconut oil meal predisposes them to more adverse effects by the extract of N. latifolia. leaves.

Effect of folic acid and vitamin B(12) administration on phenytoin induced toxicity in rats.

Folic acid and vitamin B12 are very important vitamins needed for normal cellular metabolic activities. The effects of folic acid and vitamin B12 on liver integrity of growing Wistar albino rats following therapeutic dose of phenytoin administration were investigated. The activities of serum AST, ALT, ALP were investigated. Serum total protein level and lipid profile were also measured as indices of biochemical changes. The ingestion of phenytoin alone in rats significantly reduced serum protein while AST, ALT activities incresed as compared to the control (P<0.05). Supplementation of phenytoin with oral administration of 70microgram/kg body wt of folic acid resulted in a significant reversal in serum total protein and suppression in serum AST and ALT activities. Vitamin B12 supplementation did not afford any significant protection against the effect of phenytoin ingestion but rather phenytoin toxicity was exacerbated in this study. However, the combined effects of vitamin B12 and folic acid ameliorated the effects of phenytoin on serum enzymes of experimental rats. The effect of combination of phenytoin with folic acid or folic acid and vitamin B12 is an interesting finding. Supplementation of phenytoin with folic acid or combination of these vitamins may be recommended for the purpose of ameliorating the adverse biochemical changes which are associated with phenytoin therapy. Further work is ongoing to help elucidate the effects of phenytoin and these vitamins on oxidative stress inducing mechanism.