Monodora myristica and Xylopia aethiopica are two underutilised spices that are hypothesized to be important in the management and treatment of certain stress-induced diseases such as depression. The present study was designed to test the anti-depressant effects of the essential oils of Monodora myristica (EOMM) and Xylopia aethiopica (EOXA) and the possible underlying mechanisms in a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) - induced depression in the rat. Forty-two male Wistar rats were assigned to seven groups (n = 6); group I received corn oil (p.o, unstressed control), group II (stressed control) administered corn oil, groups III-IV received EOMM (150 & 300 mg/kg, p.o), groups V – VI received EOXA (150 & 300 mg/kg, p.o) whereas group VII had fluoxetine (10 mg/kg, p.o in d/w). Corn oil served as the vehicle for the delivery of the essential oils and the doses were administered via gastric intubation to rat once daily for six consecutive weeks from the 2nd week. Open-field, tail suspension (TST), and forced swimming (FST) tests were used to evaluate the behavioural activity in addition to the biochemical parameters (catalase, superoxide dismutase, reduced glutathione, monoamine oxidase, corticosterone, protein carbonyl compound, malondialdehyde and nitric oxide). The result showed that the administration of EOMM (150 and 300 mg/kg b.wt.) and EOXA (150 and 300 mg/kg b.wt.) during CUMS significantly ameliorated these behavioural activities and some biochemical parameters in rats. EOMM and EOXA exhibited significant antidepressant-like effects in a rat model of CUMS. At treatment doses of especially 300 mg/kg b.wt, the antidepressant effects of EOMM and EOXA are comparable to a standard antidepressant drug, fluoxetine (Prozac ™). The EOXA especially at a dose of 300 mg/kg b.wt is more effective than EOMM even at 300 mg/kg dose level in ameliorating depression in stressed rats. In conclusion, the study revealed that both the EOXA and EOMM relieved depression-like states through the mitigation of oxidative stress with a reduction in serum Corticosterone (CORT) and brain Monoamine Oxidase-A (MAO-A) levels.

No abstract

No abstract

Hibiscus sabdariffa is among the medicinal plants which have been shown to possess several medicinal properties. The present study was conducted to investigate the antioxidant and haematological properties of the aqueous leaf extract of H. sabdariffa on acetaminophen-challenged liver using rat model. Twenty (20) Wistar albino rats were used for this study and were divided into 4 groups of 5 rats each. Group 1 rats were the normal control; group 2 (positive control) rats were administered acetaminophen only, at a dose of 750 mg/kg b.w. ip. Group 3 rats were administered mid dose (400 mg/kg b.w) of the extract after acetaminophen-induction while group 4 rats received high dose (600 mg/kg b.w) of the extract after acetaminophen-induction. Group 2 rats showed a significant (p<0.05) decrease in the activities of the enzymes, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and vitamin C concentrations when compared with group 1 rats. However treatment with the extract caused a significant (p<0.05) increase in the activities of the enzymes, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and vitamin C concentrations when compared with group 2 animals. More so, group 2 rats treated with acetaminophen only, showed significant increase (p<0.05) in white blood cell, neutrophil and lymphocytes counts when compared with the group 1 rats. Conversely, a significant decrease (p<0.05) was observed in packed cell volume, red blood cell count and haemoglobin concentration of the group 2 rats when compare with the group 1 rats. Treatment with the aqueous extract of H. sabdariffa caused a dose-dependent significant increase (p<0.05) in the pack cell volume, red blood cell count and haemoglobin concentration of the treatment groups (groups 3 and 4) when compared with the group 2 rats. Conclusively, the results of this study suggest that H. sabdariffa possess antioxidant properties and could be potent in boasting the blood level in a disease state.

Oxidative stress and impaired antioxidant system have been implicated in the pathophysiology of diverse disease states. This research was done to investigate comparatively the possible enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant properties of ethanol extracts of Cola nitida and Garcinia kola in H 2 O 2challenged rats. Thirty (30) Wistar albino rats were used for this study and were divided into 6 groups of 5 rats per group. Group 1 rats were normal control; group 2 rats were induced with H 2 O 2 only (positive control). Group 3 and 4 were challenged with H 2 O 2 and treated with 100 and 200 mg/kg b.w of ethanol extract of C. nitida, respectively. In the same vein, groups 5 and 6 rats represented H 2 O 2-induced rats treated with 100 and 200 mg/kg b.w of ethanol extract of G. kola seed respectively. Group 2 (positive control group) rats showed a significant increase (p<0.05) in malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration compared to rats in group 1 and the treatment groups. Conversely there was a significant decrease (p<0.05) in glutathione concentration of the group when compared to rats in group 2. Group 2 showed a significant decrease (p<0.05) in vitamin C concentration compared to rats in group 1 and the treatment groups. The effects of extracts were accompanied by a significant increase (p<0.05) in the activity of endogenous antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) when compared to the group 2 (positive control group). The two extracts exhibited a significant ferric reducing antioxidant properties (FRAP) in a concentration-dependent manner. This finding indicated that the extracts could contain antioxidant and thus have potential for scavenging free radicals, hence arresting oxidative stress. This may justify their local use in management of some hepatic dysfunction and stress related conditions. However, extracts of G. kola was seen to be more potent than that of C. nitida.