Methanol extract of Melastoma malabathricum leaves exerted antioxidant and liver protective activity in rats

Siti Syariah Mamat,Mohamad Fauzi Fahmi Kamarolzaman,Siew Mooi Ching,Muhammad Syahmi Shahril,Muhammad Taher,Krystal Feredoline Jakius,Farhana Yahya,Zainul Amiruddin Zakaria,Deny Susanti,Norhafizah Mohtarrudin,Nur Diyana Mahmood

doi:10.1186/1472-6882-13-326

Abstract

BackgroundMelastoma malabathricum L. (Melastomaceae) is a small shrub with various medicinal uses. The present study was carried out to determine the hepatoprotective activity of methanol extract of M. malabathricum leaves (MEMM) against the paracetamol-induced liver toxicity in rats model.MethodsThe respective chemicals and herbal solutions (10% DMSO, 200 mg/kg silymarin or MEMM (50, 250 and 500 mg/kg)) were administered orally to rats once everyday for 7 days followed by the hepatotoxicity assay. The blood samples and livers were collected and subjected to biochemical and microscopical analysis. Prior to the hepatoprotective study, MEMM was subjected to determination of the total phenolic content (TPC) and the antioxidant properties using several standard assays (e.g. 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl- and superoxide anion- radical scavenging assay, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay).ResultsMEMM exerted significant (p < 0.05) and high antioxidant activity in which high TPC was recorded; while in the hepatotoxicity study, the extract exhibited significant hepatoprotective effects against the paracetamol-induced hepatotoxic model. The results observed for serum liver enzymes (ALT, ALP and AST) as well as the microscopic observations and microscopic scoring supported the hepatoprotective potential of MEMM. The phytochemical and HPLC analysis of MEMM demonstrated the presence of flavonoids as its major constituents.ConclusionsThe MEMM-induced hepatoprotective activity could be allied partly to its antioxidant activity and the presence of flavonoids.

Highlights

Melastoma malabathricum L. (Melastomaceae) is a small shrub with various medicinal uses
The MEMM did not cause any signs of toxicity at the dose of 5000 mg/kg according to the results shown by all the blood parameters and serum biochemical analysis
The oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) value recorded for MEMM was more than 27,000 μM Trolox Equivalent (TE)/100 g

Summary

Introduction

Melastoma malabathricum L. (Melastomaceae) is a small shrub with various medicinal uses. One of the medicinal plants that have been widely used in the Malay traditional medicine is Melastoma malabathricum L., which is locally known as “Senduduk”. This small shrub belongs to the family Melastomaceae and is native to tropical and temperate Asia, including Malaysia, and the Pacific Islands. Despite being a well-known herb in Malaysia wherein its leaves, shoots and roots are prepared in various ways to treat various types of diseases (i.e. to treat cuts or wounds, puerperal infections, high blood pressure, diabetes, dysentery, diarrhea, piles, leucorrhea, epilepsy, ulcers, gastric ulcers, scar, skin diseases, pimple and black spot at skin, hemorrhoidal bleeding, rheumatism, arthritis, prolonged fever, cancer and tenderness in the legs, to stop bleeding, to prevent scarring from smallpox, and to relieve a toothache), attempts to scientifically investigate and confirm those claims are lacking [6]. The plant has been reported to possess various types of pharmacological activities (i.e. antibacterial, antiviral, antiparasitic, cytotoxicity, anticoagulant, platelet-activating factor inhibitory, wound healing, antiulcer, antidiarrheal, antivenom, antiinflammatory, antinociceptive and antipyretic) at different doses or concentrations [7]

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