Search

Baillonella toxisperma stem bark is used in Cameroonian traditional medicine to control many ailments such as diabetes mellitus. The present study was designed to evaluate the anti-diabetic potential of Baillonella toxisperma stem-barks aqueous extract on STZ-induced type 1 diabetes in rats. Experimental diabetes was induced by intravenous (penile vein) injection of 55 mg/kg of streptozotocin. Animal received distilled water (10 mL/kg), insulin (10 UI/kg) or the aqueous extract of B. toxisperma (100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg). Hypoglycemic effect was assessed by a single oral administration of the extract to normal and diabetic rats and anti-diabetic effect evaluated by administrating daily doses to diabetic rats for 28 days. At the end of experimental period, blood pressure was recorded and serum (blood glucose levels, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, AST, ALT, creatinine, sodium, calcium and urea), urinary (creatinine, sodium, calcium, urea and protein) biochemical parameters were evaluated. Some oxidative stress parameters were evaluated, and histomorphometry of the pancreas performed. A single oral administration of the plant extract significantly reduced blood glucose levels in both normal and diabetic rat with a marked effect at higher dose. Injection of streptozotocin induced chronic hyperglycaemia accompanied by polyphagia, polydipsia, polyuria, weight loss, dyslipidemia, oxidative stress, rising on blood pressure, liver, kidney damages and degenerative changes in pancreas. The administration of Baillonella toxisperma stem-barks aqueous extract (200 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg) significantly decreased blood glucose levels and blood pressure parameters as compared to diabetic control 28 days post-treatment. Furthermore, the extract improved lipidemia, liver, renal parameters, and countered oxidative stress. Similarly, the plant extract improved morphological changes in pancreas by increased the area of islets cells of Langerhans as compared to diabetic control. These findings suggest that Baillonella toxisperma stem-barks aqueous extract exerts its anti-diabetic property by its hypolipidemic and anti-oxidative effects. These results justify the use of this extract in the management of diabetic condition.

Introduction: Liver and kidney affection is a life-threatening disease caused by factors including drug-based treatment. Treatment based on methotrexate could result in liver and kidney damages. The study evaluates the preventive effects of Sorindeia juglandifolia leaves on methotrexate-induced liver and kidney impairment in rat. Methods: Healthy rats divided into 6 groups daily received distilled water, methotrexate (20 mg/kg), sub-cutaneous injection of L-carnitin (500 mg/kg) and methotrexate and the plant extract doses of 150, 250 and 350 mg/kg and methotrexate for 10 days. During treatment, body weight was recorded. At the end of the treatment, animals were sacrificed; venous blood were collected for haematological and biochemical analysis. Liver and kidney were collected for oxidative markers and histological examination. Results: The consecutive treatment of animals with plant extract and methotrexate showed a significant prevention of the body weight decrease and enhancement of the relative weight of liver and kidney. Sorindeia. juglandifolia extract also protected from the significant increase in transaminase activities, bilirubin and protein level, hypercholesterolemia, atherogenic index, and in the kidney from hypercreatininemia and the increase in serum urea level. The extract prevented the decrease of sodium level and glomerular filtration. Plant extract improved reactive oxygen species detoxification agents and protected from the histological disorganization of the liver and kidney tissues, observed in the MTX control. Conclusion: Sorindeia juglandifolia leaves extract expressed hepatorenal protective properties and could be useful to prevent liver and kidney damage induce by methotrexate.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic autoimmune inflammatory disease which treatment remains a challenge, due to adverse effects caused by conventional medicines. The study assesses the effects of aqueous extract of Tapinanthus globiferus leaves on complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA)-induced rheumatoid arthritis in rat. Rheumatoid arthritis was induced by inoculation of 0.1 mL of CFA under the plantar aponeurosis of rat. Animals were daily treated for 10 days with distilled water (10 mL/kg), sodium diclofenac (5 mg/kg) and aqueous extract of T. globiferus at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg. Healthy animals received distilled water (10 mL/kg). The volume of edema of the hind paw was measured using a plethysmometer. At the end of the treatment the animals were sacrificed, blood was collected for hematological and biochemical analyses. Some organs such as liver, kidney and tibiotarsal joint were used for biochemical and histological analyses. The administration of the aqueous extract of T. globiferus to diseased rats significantly alleviated physiological impairement by reducing of paw volume (p < 0.001), protecting animals from anemia (p < 0.001), leukocytosis (p < 0.001), transaminases activity increasing (p < 0.001), alkaline phosphatase (p < 0.01) and hypercreatininemia (p < 0.001). The plant extract has improved the antioxidant status of animals (p < 0.001) and the architectural organisation at joint level. The beneficial effects generated by the aqueous extract of T. globiferus leaves against the physiological dysfunctions caused by CFA justify its current use in the traditional treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: The entire plant of Eleusine indica is used in Cameroonian folk medicine to treat several diseases including renal problems. We investigated the preventive effects of Eleusine indica aqueous extract (EIAE) against L-NAME induced renal damages in rats. Methods: Animals were divided into a control group (0.9 % saline, 10 mL/kg, ip) and 4 experimental groups. The rats in the negative control group received L-NAME (30 mg/kg, ip). The positive group was treated with losartan (12.5 mg/kg, per os) and L-NAME while the two last groups received EIAE (100 mg/kg or 200 mg/kg, per os) and LNAME injection. After 60 days of treatment, blood pressure was measured; lipid profile, kidney and some oxidative stress parameters were evaluated. Results: Intraperitoneal injection of L-NAME induced a significant elevation in blood pressure, of total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-c, with a significant reduction of HDL-c levels as compared to the control groups. Nephrotoxicity was evidenced by significant elevation in serum levels of creatinine, urea and K+ , accompanied by a significant reduction of Na+ and GFR as compared to controls. Catalase, GSH and nitrites were significantly decreased in L-NAME injected group. L-NAME solution gave simultaneously with Eleusine indica prevented the rise of blood pressure, improve lipid profile, kidney function and antioxidant defenses. Conclusion: These results confirm the nephroprotective effects of Eleusine indica aqueous extract and highlight its protective properties in L-NAME-induced renal failure and its antioxidant capacities against kidney damages.

The present study investigated the toxicological potential of the oral administration of the stem bark aqueous extract ofR. vomitoriaon the liver and kidney in rats. Acute oral toxicity study of the extract to a single dose of 2000 mg/kg was studied in 10 rats of both sexes. Sub –acute oral toxicity of aqueous extract of was carried out on 60 rats. We constituted 4 groups of 10 rats each (5 males and 5 females) which were orally administered 300, 600, and 900 mg/kg of aqueous extract and control group received water. 2 group satellites (SAT) of 10 rats each (5 males and 5 females) in which one group (SAT 900 mg/kg) was received orally 900 mg/kg of aqueous extract and another (SAT control) water. Serum blood was collected for biochemical and haematological parameters. The liver and kidney served for histological examination. No deaths of acute oral toxicity were recorded. In female rats, Aspartate Aminotransferase (ASAT) activity increased by 31.20 % and Alamine Aminotransferase (ALAT) increased by 37.20 %. In male rats, only ALAT activity increased significantly by 35.37 % compared to control. Haematological analysis revealed in male rats treated at the dose of 900 mg/kg an increase significant (p