Abstract

ANTIOXIDANT EFFECT OF ETHANOLIC LEAF EXTRACT OF PIPER GUINEENSE IN ALUMINIUM CHLORIDE INDUCED REPRODUCTIVE TOXICITY AND OXIDATIVE STRESS IN MALE ALBINO RATS.

Arhoghro E. M.* and Sule O. J.

ABSTRACT

Aluminium is one of the highly abundant element in the environment and the and the third most common metal in the earth crust. Piper guinense is herbal medicine used for the treatment of many diseases like infertility. This study shows the antioxidant effect of Piper guineense on infertility caused by aluminium chloride in male wistar rats. Male wistar albino rats weighing between 150-200g was randomly separated into five different groups. The first group served as negative control and received distilled water and standard feed. Group two served as positive control and received AlCl3 (4.3mg/kg bw) and Group three received AlCl3 (4.3mg/kg bw) and Piper guineense (100mg/kg bw) for 21 days. There was a significant (P<0.05) decrease in the activities of SOD, CAT, GPX, GST, GSH and there was a significant (P<0.05) increase in LPO from, in rats treated with AlCl3 (4.3mg/kg bw) compared to the negative control.Also there was a significant (P<0.05) increase in the activities of SOD , CAT, GPX, GST and GSH in rat testis treated with Piper guineense (100mg/kg bw) plus AlCl3 (4.3mg/kg bw) compared to the positive control while there was a significant (P<0.05) decrease in LPO from12.75 ± 0.521to 9.02 ± 0.439 in rat’s testis treated with Piper guineense (100mg/kg bw) plus AlCl3 (4.3mg/kg bw) compared to the positive control. There was a significant (P<0.05) increase in activities of ALT and AST, in rat serum treated with AlCl3 (4.3mg/kg bw) compared to the negative control and there was a significant (P <0.05) decrease in ALT and AST, in rat serum treated with Piper guineense (100mg/kg bw) and AlCl3 (4.3mg/kg bw) compared to the positive control. The results obtained indicate that Piper guineense have very high protective properties against reproductive toxicity, this high level of antioxidant activities present in the plant alters the toxic effect of aluminium chloride which induces depletion of the defence system in the testes.

Keywords: Piper guineense Aluminium chloride biochemical parameters, oxidative stress.