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This study investigates the effect of omega 3 and Vitamin A on joint inflammation in Wistar rats. Joint inflammation was induced by carrageenan and the animals were treated with omega 3, Vitamin A or a combination of both for 10 days. Changes in Knee diameter (KnD), Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α) level and C-Reactive protein (CRP) level were assessed to determine treatment efficacy. Carrageenan caused significant increase in KnD, TNF-α and CRP compared to the control. Treatments with Omega 3 alone or in combination with Vitamin A significantly reduced the elevated KnD, TNF-α and CRP. Vitamin A alone produced similar effect on KnD and TNF-α but had no effect on CRP. It is thus concluded that though both treatments decreased knee diameter at the 10 th week, Omega 3 alone and in combination with Vitamin A showed a better outcome with a higher decrease in TNF-α and CRP than Vitamin A alone.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the in-vivo and in-vitro potentials of ethyl acetate extract of P. americana leaf in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Quantitative phytochemicals analyzed includes; flavonoids, saponins, tannins, alkaloids and phenolics. Measurement of antioxidant activity using 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, total antioxidant capacity, hydroxyl radical, hydrogen peroxide, superoxide radical and ferric reducing activity of the extract was carried out. Hyperglycemia was induced by intraperitoneal injection of alloxan monohydrate to albino rats. In-vivo anti-oxidant potentials of the extract were evaluated by measuring liver homogenate activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase and malondyaldehyde in alloxan-induced diabetic rats administered with the extract.  A total of 30 Albino rats were used for this experiment and they were divided into six groups of 5 rats each. Group A; normal control, Group B; diabetic control, Groups C-E; experimental groups administered with different doses (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight respectively); of the extract and Group F; glucophage (84 mg/kg body weight, standard drug) for 4 weeks. This study was conducted in the Department of Biochemistry, Bayero University, Kano, in August, 2018. Data was analyzed using one-way ANOVA with P=.05 value considered as significant. Results of the quantitative phytochemical investigation shows that the extract is rich in phenolics (184.1±0.6), flavonoids (115.8±2.1), alkaloids (41.5±1.8), with least concentration of tannis (21.2±0.8) and saponins (15.2±2.3). The extract exhibited high radical scavenging activity against synthetic free radicals (DPPH), reactive oxygen species (peroxide, superoxide and hydroxyl acid) and high ability to reduce Fe3+ to Fe2+ (FRAP). The activities of antioxidant enzymes of the treated rats were increased significantly (P=.05) while the level malondyaldehyde was significantly decreased (P=.05) in the treated groups. Ethyl acetate leaf extract of Persea americana contains phytochemical substances which improved antioxidant status and can be use as herbal therapy for the management of oxidative stress induced by diabetes mellitus and associated complications.

The aim of this present study was to evaluate the effect of ethyl acetate extract of P. americana (avocado) on liver and kidney function, lipid profile as well as haematological parameters in albino rats. A total of 20 albino rats were used for this experiment and they were divided into four groups of 5 (A-D) rats each. Group A served as normal control, group B-D served as experimental groups administered with 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight of ethyl acetate extract of Persea americana leaf per day for 4 weeks respectively. This study was conducted in the Department of Biochemistry, Bayero University, Kano, in the month of May, 2018. Liver function test (colorimetric method), kidney indices and lipid profile (spectrophotometry method), and hematological examination (SYSMEX XE-2000) were analysed. Administration of ethyl acetate extract did not produced significant effect on liver and kidney indices in all the treated groups. The extract significantly (P=.05) decrease total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein and very low density lipoprotein in all the treated groups. Haematological parameters analysed were not significantly affected in all the treated groups. Thus, ethyl acetate extract of P. americana leaf possesses hypolipidemic potentials and relatively safe for kidney, liver and hematological indices but extremely high doses may not be advisable.