ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIALS OF METHANOL LEAF EXTRACT AND CHROMATOGRAPHIC FRACTIONS OF SOLANUM AETHIOPICUM ON CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE-INDUCED MEGALOBLASTIC ANAEMIA IN RATS
O. A. Aja*, P. N. Okafor and S. I. Egbachukwu
ABSTRACT
The antioxidant potentials of methanol leaf extract and chromatographic fractions of Solanum aethiopicum on cyclophosphamide-induced megaloblastic anaemia in rats was evaluated using standard protocols. The toxicity study, proximate, vitamins and phytochemical analyses of the extracts were investigated. The fractionation and thin layer chromatography yielded five fractions. Proximate constituents results include moisture (39.46±0.08%), dry matter (60.54±0.08), ash content (72.12±0.02%), crude fiber (11.97±0.04%), crude fat (2.56±0.02%), protein content (15.48±0.07%), Important vitamins such as vit. C (53.27±0.05mg/kg), vit. B9 (60.24±0.50mg/kg), and vit. B12 (63.98±0.01mg/kg); and phytochemicals such as alkaloids (5.23±0.02mg/100g), flavonoids (21.49±0.16mg/100g), phenols (25.82±0.26mg/100g), and tannins (3.09±0.04mg/100g), were observed in the sample. The scavenging activities of DPPH, NO and FRAP compared favorably with their respective standards in this study. The acute toxicity (LD50) test revealed that the extract is safe up to the dose of 5000mg/kg.bw. Significantly (P<0.05) there was an increment in the value of GPx and a reduction in MDA in all the groups treated with graded doses of the crude extract when compared with the group II. The results also revealed a non-significant (P >0.05) increase in GPx, SOD, CAT, and MDA levels in all the groups treated with various fractions (F1-F5), when compared with the standard control group. The observed bioactive constituents of S. aethiopicum leaf could be behind the different degrees of efficacy exhibited by the fractions and crude extracts in this study. Therefore, S. aethiopicum leaf may possess free radical scavenging potentials at minimal dose that supports its use for the management of cellular oxidation.
Keywords: Antioxidants, Cyclophosphamide, Megaloblastic-anaemia and Phytochemicals.
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