TITLE:
Phytochemical screening, hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of leaf extracts of Zapoteca portoricensis
AUTHORS:
Kingsley Nwonu Agbafor, Moses Eje Ogbanshi, Emmanuel Iroha Akubugwo
KEYWORDS:
Albino Rats; Carbon Tetrachloride; Zapoteca portoricensis; Phytochemicals; Liver Enzymes; Antioxidant Activity
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Biological Chemistry,
Vol.4 No.1,
February
27,
2014
ABSTRACT: Fresh leaves of Zapoteca portoricensis are used in
Eastern Nigeria for management/treatment of various disorders without any
scientific basis. Hepatoprotective and antioxidant properties in albino rats,
and phytochemical composition of distilled water and ethanol leaf extracts were
studied. Fifty-five animals were placed in eleven groups (A-K) of five in each.
Different doses (100, 200, 400 and 600 mg/kg body weight) of the extracts, 20 mg/kg
body weight of vitamin C (standard antioxidant) and distilled water were
orally administered to groups A-H, I and J-K respectively for six consecutive
days. On the seventh day, 2.5 ml/kg body weight of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)
was given intraperitoneally to groups A-J, while group K received distilled.
Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase
(AST) and gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT) were used to study hepatoprotective
effect. Malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT)
levels in the liver were monitored to assess antioxidant activity. Phytochemical
analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, saponins, flavonoids,
anthraquinones, terpenoids and cardiac glycosides in the extracts. Pretreatment
of the rats with the extracts produced a significant decrease (p