METHANOL EXTRACT OF Acanthus Montanus (ACANTHACEAE) LEAVES AMELIORATES OXIDATIVE STRESS AND IMPROVES HAEMATOLOGICAL INDICES IN RATS
UROKO ROBERT IKECHUKWU1 , EGBA SIMEON IKECHUKWU1 , OKWOR JOSEPHAT ANI2 , AGBAFOR AMARACHI1 , NWUKE CHINEDU PAULINUS1 , SANGODARE ROSE SIMON ADEYI3 , EZEMBU TOCHUKWU UKAMAKA1
1. Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria.
2. Laboratory Unit, Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria.
3. National Research Institute for Chemical Technology, Basawa Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria.
Afr. J Pharm Res Dev; Volume 12(1): 026-037 ; 2020
ABSTRACT
This study evaluated effects of methanol extract of Acanthus montanus leaves on oxidative stress markers and haematological indices in acetaminophen oxidative stress induced in rats. Forty-five male Wistar rats were divided into 9 groups of 5 rats and used for this study. Group 1 served as the normal control, group 2 and 3 served as negative and positive controls respectively. Group 4 and 5 were not oxidative stress induced but received 200 and 500 mg/kg of the methanol extract of A. montanus leaves. Group 6 – 7 were pre-treated with 200 and 500 mg/kg body of the methanol extract for 7 days before oxidative stress induction and treated with the extract for additional 7 days. Group 8 and 9 were oxidative stress induced and after 24 h treated with 200 and 500 mg/kg of the methanol extract respectively. The oxidative stress induction caused significant (P < 0.05) reductions in the activities of antioxidant enzymes (glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase) and significant (P < 0.05) increase in the malondialdehyde concentrations relative to the normal control. These indicated that the rats suffered oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. Significant (P < 0.05) reduction in the red blood cell count, white blood cell count, packed cell volume and haemoglobin concentrations were observed in oxidative stress induced rats, which predisposed them to anaemia. Treatment with the extract significantly (P < 0.05) restored the activities of the antioxidant enzymes, reversed the elevated levels of malondialdehyde and decreased levels of haematological indices to normal levels relative the negative control. The findings of this study show that the methanol extract of A. montanus leaves could ameliorate the effects of oxidative stress in the body, including prevention of lipid peroxidation and replenishing haematological components.
Email of correspondence:greaturoko@gmail.com
KEYWORDS: Acanthus montanus, acetaminophen, oxidative stress, antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation, haematology.