Due to their phytochemical diversity, plants may exhibit various biological activities. They may be medicinal as well as toxic. As a result, investigating their toxicities is as important as investigating their medicinal properties. This study investigated the chemical, genotoxic and haematological properties of the n-hexane extract of Olax subscorpioidea leaves. The chemical investigation of the extract was done by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Genotoxic and haematological investigation were done using in vivo models in mice. Genotoxic effects were estimated by evaluating DNA fragmentation with agarose gel electrophoresis and diphenylamine (DPA) assays. Haematological indices were measured on an Auto Haematology Analyzer. With GC-MS analysis, eight compounds were identified in the extract. The major compounds were 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z, Z)-(18.00%), n-hexadecanoic acid (17.60%), and squalene (4.12%), which are of reported medicinal properties. Genotoxicity results indicated that the extract markedly and significantly reduced DNA fragmentation in testicular and hepatic cells in mice. Haematological analysis showed that the extract significantly increased white blood cells (WBC), lymphocytes (LYMP), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and significantly reduced packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin concentration (HB), and red blood cell (RBC) count. These results indicate that the n-hexane extract of Olax subscorpioidea leaves contain compounds that possess useful pharmacologic properties, and may reduce DNA damages as well as alter haematological indices.
Phytochemical constituents of plants extracts have been well investigated as leads for drug discovery and development. However, aside their immense medicinal properties, their safety is also of paramount importance, therefore evaluating the toxicity of plants extracts and their phytochemicals is an important aspect of quality measures to meet the requirements for consumption.This study was done to identify the volatile phytochemical compounds present in n-hexane extract of Uvaria chamae stems (UCSH) with the aid of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and to evaluate the effects of this non-polar extract on DNA using diphenylamine (DPA) and agarose gel electrophoresis assays, also to investigate the haematological parameters using an auto Haematology Analyzer.The GC-MS analysis of UCSH identified some compounds which include; squalene, lupeol, stigmasterol, β-sitosterol, and Benzyl benzoate with excellent medicinal properties. Genotoxicity assays results showed significant reductions in DNA fragmentation in liver and testis cells of mice as against the DNA biomarker and vehicle control group. Haematological results showed significant increase in white blood cells (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), platelets (PLT) and lymphocytes (LYMP) but significant reduction in mean corpuscular - volume (MCV), haemoglobin (MCH), and haemoglobin concentration (MCHC).The present study showed that the phytochemicals present in the n-Hexane extract of Uvaria chamae stems may play protective role in the genomic DNA of liver and testis tissues and also may induce hematological changes which may enhance the immune system.
The use of antioxidants has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for the management of mitochondrial dysfunction and other oxidative stress-related degenerative pathologies. Tetrapleura tetraptera is a well-known tree and its fruit is applied traditionally as spice and in the preparation of remedies for different ailments. In this study, the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis and mitochondrial functionality potential of T. tetraptera fruits were investigated. GC-MS was used to detect compounds in then-hexane and ethanol extracts of T. tetraptera fruits. Cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) assay was used to evaluate the mitochondrial functionality potential of the ethanol extract. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of six compounds in then-hexane extract of T. tetraptera fruits. These compounds were detected in trace quantities, the most abundant being 2,3-dimethyl-3-buten-2-ol (0.04%). The compounds: cis-vaccenic acid (35.37%), n-hexadecanoic acid (28.09%), 6-octadecenoic acid (25.21%), and octadecanoic acid (11.33%) were identified in the ethanol extract of the fruits. Consequently, the ethanol extract was subjected to CUPRAC assay. The ethanol extract exhibited a concentration-dependent high cupric reducing capacity, returning CUPRAC values in the range of 0.090 to 0.403 at the concentration of 10 – 80 μg/ml. This activity was comparable to that of the positive control, naringenin, which showed CUPRAC values of 0.059 – 0.378 at the same concentrations. These results indicate that T. tetraptera fruits possess good antioxidant property as evaluated by other related antioxidant assays. This could be attributed to a synergistic effect of the phytochemical constituents. Hence consumption of T. tetraptera fruits could be beneficial for the prevention of mitochondrial dysfunction and other oxidative stress-related degenerative disorders.
Keywords: Tetrapleura tetraptera, mitochondrial dysfunction, degenerative disorders, CUPRAC, GC-MS, Nigeria
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