“Antioxidative and Liver Protective Effects of Flagellaria indica Against Carbon Tetrachloride (CCl4)-Mediated Oxidative Damage in Rats”
by: Charles Gnanaraj A/L John Sandanaraj
Biotechnology Research Institute
Universiti Malaysia Sabah.
DATE: 15 January 2014 (Wednesday)
TIME: 3 – 4 p.m
VENUE: Lecture Room 4 (Level 3), Applied Sciences Building, QIUP
ABSTRACT
Antioxidative properties of plants or plant derivative products are well known for free radical scavenging activity. Flagellaria indica (FI) is a tropical plant used commonly as traditional medicine by the natives of Sabah to treat semi-paralysis. This study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidant capacity of FI leaf-extracts and its possible hepato-protective mechanism against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-mediated liver damage. Several in vitro studies were carried out to determine total phenolic and flavonoid content. Free radical scavenging activity of FI aqueous extracts was measured using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) which exhibited IC50 at 400 µg/ml. The experimental process is based on oral feeding of adult Sprague-Dawley rats with aqueous extracts of FI, once daily, for fourteen consecutive days at different doses (0 – 500 mg/kg bw), prior to CCl4 treatment (1.0 ml/kg bw) on the 13th and 14th day to induce liver damage. Positive control rats were administered with only aqueous extracts of FI (500 mg/kg bw) (without CCl4 treatment). All rats were sacrificed 24 hours after receiving the last dose of FI extract and immediately blood and liver samples were taken for biochemical and histopathological analysis. The extent of liver damage caused by CCl4 and the protective effect of FI extracts were determined by measuring liver damage marker enzymes, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), found in the blood serum. Mitochondrial antioxidant enzymes in liver tissue samples, namely, glutathione peroxidise, glutathione reductase, catalase, glutathione S-transferase and quinone reductase, were assayed to measure their free radical expelling activity. The results obtained provide evidence that a hepato-protective effect is induced after administration of aqueous leaf extracts of FI at 500 mg/kg bw, even after spiking with CCl4. Histopathological studies further confirmed the protective effects of FI against CCl4-mediated liver injury. Positive control rats given only FI did not exhibit any signs of toxicity. It can be concluded therefore, that the presence of antioxidants in FI aqueous extracts possibly contributes to its hepato-protective activity.
