Anti-inflammatory medicinal plants: The effect of three species on serum antioxidant system and lipids levels in rats

Abstract

To determine the effect of ethanolic leaves extracts of three medicinal plants;
Globumetulla branuii, Acalypha torta and Lecaniodiscus cupanioides on the serum antioxidant system and lipid profiles of albino rats. Materials and methods: The pulverized leaves of the plants were each extracted in cold 80 % ethanol and the extracts were administered orally to different groups of test rats at a dose of 200 mg kg -1 for 21 days

Results: The extracts exhibited significantly lower (p<0.05) superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in the serum of treated rats when compared to the control and vitamin E treated rats. The MDA level which was used as an index of lipid peroxidation was significantly higher (p<0.05) in rats treated with L. cupanioides extract (4.20 ± 0.35 mMol L -1 ) compared to the control rats (2.87 ± 0.23 mMol L -1 ). Evaluation of lipid profile showed that triacylglycerides levels were observed to be significantly (p<0.05) lower in all the extract treated rats in the following order, L. cupanioides > A. torta > G. branuii. Extracts of G. branuii and L. cupanioides also exhibited significant (p<0.05) reduction of total cholesterol. In addition, G. branuii cleared LDL completely and elevated HDL. The lipid lowering abilities of the extracts were better than that of vitamin E except G. branuii. Conclusions: The study suggests that the mode of anti- inflammatory action of these plants extract might be due to the modulation of oxidative status in cells as well as the
regulation of lipid levels of the treated rats. The presented data lends support to the use of these plants in ethno- medicine practice in rural Nigerian communities.