EFFECT OF METHANOL EXTRACT OF NAPOLEONAE IMPERIALIS ON FREE RADICAL SCAVENGERS AND LIPID PROFILE OF WISTAR ALBINO RATS

Aloh,G.S.,*Obeagu, Emmanuel Ifeanyi, Odo Christian Emeka, Kanu, Ugwu Getrude Uzoma and Mba, Obinna Joseph

ABSTRACT

The present study was aimed at investigating the effect of methanol extract of Napoleonae imperialis on free radical scavengers and lipid profile of wistar albino rats. Sixteen (16) rats of mean weight 130g were assigned into four groups of four rats each. Two groups served as positive and negative controls, while the rest are the test groups that received 250mg/kg and 500mg/kg of the plant extracts. The positive control received only feed and water, while the other groups were induced with CHCl3 and C6H14 (60:40) for hepatotoxicity. The negative control was induced but not treatment, while the test groups were orally administered with 250 and 500mg/kg body weight of the plant extract for 10 days. The rats were sacrificed after 10 days and the free radical scavengers status: vitamin C, vitamin E, catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione (GSH), and the lipid profile status: total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), and triacylglycerol (TAG) were analysed. The result from the comparison of the mean difference of the test groups and the control groups analysis showed a significant increase (p< 0.05) in the level of catalase and vitamin C and a non-significant difference (p> 0.05) in the level of vitamin E, GSH, SOD, and MDA, while the comparison of the mean difference of lipid profile between the test groups and control groups showed a non- significance difference (p> 0.05) in the total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and TAG. The increased and decreased levels of the antioxidant status confirmed the free radical scavenging activity of Napoleona imperialis, while the non-significant difference in the lipid profile status shows that the plant extract has no effect on the lipid profile of the rats.

Keywords: methanol extract of Napoleonae imperialis, lipid profile.