Abstract
This study aims at establishing the effect of T. daniellii and A. cordifolia leaf extracts on the lipid profile of experimental rat models. A total of twenty five (25) adult male wistar rats were used for the study. The rats were divided into five groups of five rats each. Group I (normal control) was administered with 2ml/kg distilled water p.o. Group II was administered with 200mg/kg aqueous leaf extract of T. daniellii p.o. Group III was administered with 200mg/kg methanolic leaf extract of T. daniellii p.o. Group IV and V were administered with 200mg/kg aqueous and methanolic leaf extracts of A. cordifolia respectively. Administration of extracts lasted for 14 days after which animals were sacrificed and serum developed from blood samples was collected and used for analysis to evaluate the lipid profiles of experimental models using standard methods. Results obtained from the study show that the highest level of Low Density Lippoprotein (LDL) (31.21±0.04 mg/dL) was recorded on Group II and was not significantly different from the control group (33.20±0.10 mg/dL). However, for High Density Lipoprotein (HDL), the highest level was recorded on Group IV (48.14±0.08mg/dL). Similarly, this was not significantly different from the Control group (51.80±0.10mg/dL). Group II presented the highest level of Triacylglyceride (TG) (48.80±0.02mg/dL), which however, was considered not significantly different from the control group (51.17±0.08mg/dL). For Total Cholesterol (TC), highest level (64.64±0.49mg/dL) was recorded on Group II and value was not significantly different from that recorded on the normal control (63.83±0.10mg/dL). In conclusion, it can be deduced from this study that extracts of T. daniellii and A. cordifolia lacks the potential to alter the lipid profile of patients depending on them for one medicinal use or the other and may thus be considered potential candidates for drug development.
Highlights
The plant Alchornea cordifolia is a small shrubby tree which originates from Senegal, East to Kenya,Tanzania and South throughout Central Africa to Angola
Leaves of T. daniellii and A. cordifolia were harvested from a farm located in Achara Uturu Isiukwuato Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria after which they identified at the herbarium unit of the Department of Forestry, Micheal Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Abia State Nigeria
Results obtained from the study indicate that group II administered with 200mg/kg aqueous leaf extract of T. daniellii manifested the highest level of Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) (31.21±0.04 mg/dL) among the treatment groups i.e. though not significantly differently from the control (33.20±0.10 mg/dL)
Summary
The plant Alchornea cordifolia is a small shrubby tree which originates from Senegal, East to Kenya,Tanzania and South throughout Central Africa to Angola. A. cordifolia is richly endowed with diverse phytochemicals. This is evident by the fact that the leaves, roots and stem bark have terpenoids, steroid, glycosides, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, imidazopyrimidine alkaloids, alchorneine, alchornidine and several guanidine alkaloids. The globally prominent plant Thaumatococcus daniellii Benn (Benth.) belongs to the family Maranthaceae (Makinde and Taiwo, 2004). It predominates in Southern Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire as well as Nigeria (Yeboah et al, 2003). It has long, slender stalks that can grow up to two or three meters high, each bearing a single tough, ovoid shaped leaf of varying sizes depending on the plant’s age and habitat (Makinde & Taiwo, 2004). The leaf sap of this plant is used in the treatment of venoms, stings and bites, while the leaf and root sap have been used successfully as sedatives as well as in the treatment of mental illness (Onwueme et al, 1979)
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