Phytochemical profiling, toxicity studies, wound healing, analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of Musa paradisiaca L. Musaceae (Plantain) stem extract in rats.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The stem of Musa paradisiaca (plantain) has found application in traditional medicine for the treatment of diabetes, inflammation, ulcers and wound injuries. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study investigated the phytochemical composition, toxicity profile, wound healing, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of aqueous Musa paradisiaca stem extract (AMPSE) in rats. METHODS: Phytochemical analysis of methanol-MPSE was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Acute toxicity testing was carried out through oral administration of a single dose of AMPSE up to 5 g/kg. Four separate groups of rats were used for the subacute toxicity testing (n = 6). Group 1 served as a normal control and did not receive AMPSE, groups 2-4 received AMPSE daily by gavage for 28 days. In the experiments with excision and incision wounds, the rats were treated with 10 w/w AMPS extract. The anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of AMPSE were assessed using egg albumin-induced paw oedema and acetic acid-induced writhing methods, respectively. For the subacute, anti-inflammatory and analgesic studies, AMPSE was administered to the experimental rats at doses of 300, 600 and 900 mg/kg body weight. RESULTS: Bioactive compounds identified include ß-sitisterol, n-hexadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid, diethyl sulfate, p-hydroxynorephedrine, phenylephrine, nor-pseudoephedrine, metaraminol, pseudoephedrine and vanillic acid. No signs of toxicity and no deaths were observed in all the groups. For the groups treated with AMPSE for 28 days, a significant reduction in alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, urea, sodium, chloride, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were observed while high density lipoprotein cholesterol, glutathione and superoxide dismutase increased compared to control (p < 0.05). In wound healing experiments, AMPSE showed greater percent wound contraction and wound resistance fracture compared to the povidone-iodine (PI) treated and control groups. Treatment with 900 mg/kg AMPSE resulted in significant (p < 0.05) anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects compared to the control. CONCLUSION: This study shows that AMPSE is not toxic but contains biologically active compounds with hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, lipid-lowering and wound-healing effects. Treatment of rats with AMPSE has shown that AMPSE has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, hepatoprotective, lipid-lowering and wound-healing effects, supporting its therapeutic use in ethnomedicine.

Psidium guajava leaf extract improves gastrointestinal functions in rats and rabbits: an implication for ulcer and diarrhoea management.

PURPOSE: Psidium guajava L. (Family, Myrtaceae) is reportedly used in ethnomedicine for the treatment of diarrhoea, inflammation, and gastroenteritis. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the gastrointestinal function of Psidium guajava leaf extract (PGLE) in rats and rabbits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Crude ethanolic PGLE was subjected to phytochemical and toxicity tests (acute and sub-acute). Standard analytical procedures were employed to evaluate the in vivo gastrointestinal motility, and gastroprotective effect of PGLE against aspirin-induced ulcers. RESULTS: In the phytochemical analysis, phenols were the highest (48.32 mg) followed by flavonoids (32.74 mg) and least in tannins (7.31 mg). The acute toxicity of PGLE was >6000 mg/kg. Administration of PGLE decreased significantly (p < 0.05) the body weight, while the liver biomarkers were not significantly altered (p > 0.05) when compared to the control. PGLE significantly increased extractible mucus weight and lowered gastric acid secretion in rats (p < 0.05). PGLE decreased significantly (p < 0.05) ulcer scores and indexes, and increased percentage ulcer inhibition in a dose-dependent manner compared to the negative and omeprazole-treated groups. PGLE dose-dependently inhibited basal amplitudes of contractions, and significantly inhibited acetylcholine-induced contractions, terminating them completely at higher doses. CONCLUSION: PGLE may be a good anti-ulcer and anti-diarrhoeal agent, raising the prospect of novel drug development for such applications.

Gastrointestinal and uterine smooth muscles relaxant and anti-inflammatory effects of corchorus olitorius leaf extract in laboratory animal models.

ETHNO-PHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Corchorus olitorius is reportedly used in ethno-medicine to arrest threatened miscarriage and other conditions associated with excessive uterine contractions. The plant is also used as a purgative, demulscent and an anti-inflammatory agent. AIM OF THE STUDY: Against the background of ethno-medicinal use, this current work was designed to evaluate the gastrointestinal and uterine smooth muscles relaxant and anti-inflammatory effects of Corchorus olitorius leaf extract (COLE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pieces of uterine and gastrointestinal tissues were suspended separately in organ baths containing ideal physiological salt solutions bubbled with air and were tested for responses to standard drugs and COLE, then repeated in the presence of antagonists. Anti-inflammatory study was carried out via the egg albumin-induced paw edema model in rats. RESULTS: The application of COLE to pieces of uterine tissue significantly decreased the amplitudes of contractions in a dose dependent manner such that the highest dose applied (666.67 µg/ml) achieved a 100% inhibitory effect. Oxytocin induced contractions were also significantly inhibited by both salbutamol and COLE. On the isolated rabbit jejunum, the effect of COLE was also inhibitory and like atropine, significantly inhibited acetylcholine induced contractions. In the in vivo study, the extract inhibited charcoal meal movement in test rats when compared with control. Anti-inflammatory effect of COLE was significant and compared favourably with that of aspirin following in vivo trials. CONCLUSIONS: COLE therefore, may be a good tocolytic, anti-diarrheal and anti-inflammatory agent and offers hope of new drug discovery for such uses.

Antioxidant potentials and effects on the hematology and osmotic fragility scores of a polyherbal formulation used in Southeast Nigeria.

Background In this study, the hematological and antioxidant potential as well as the osmotic fragility effects of a Nigerian polyherbal formulation were evaluated. Materials and methods A total of 40 fats were divided into four groups of 10 rats each. Group 1 served as the control group, and the rest were assigned increasing daily oral administration of the extract for 28 days. At the end of treatment, blood was collected for hematological and osmotic fragility studies. The free radical scavenging effect of the extract was investigated via different in vitro models as well. Results Results showed that the nitric oxide scavenging and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) activities of the extract were significant (p < 0.05) and compared favorably with that of vitamin C. At 200 and 400 µg/mL, the nitric oxide scavenging activities for Ajumbise Polyherbal Extract (APE) were 60.71 ± 0.25% and 59.49 ± 0.98%, respectively, whereas for the same concentrations of vitamin C, 74.60 ± 0.25% and 85.24 ± 0.14 scavenging activities were obtained. The (DPPH) activity at 100 µg/mL was 81.24 ± 0.02% for the extract and 96.22 ± 0.18% for vitamin C. However, at all concentrations, the extract had significantly lower Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) activity than vitamin C. Red blood cell counts (RBCC), hemoglobin and packed cell volume values (PCV) were significantly lowered only in groups treated with 400 and 800 mg/kg of the extract (p < 0.05), whereas other RBCC parameters and white blood cell counts (WBCC) were not significantly affected (p < 0.05). Platelet (PLT) count was also significantly lowered in all extract-treated groups. The extract also significantly reduced RBCC percentage hemolysis (p < 0.05). Conclusions Ajumbise polyherbal may be free of hematoxicity and may improve the integrity of the RBC membrane due to its appreciable antioxidant activity.