Antioxidant Enzymes Activities and Lipid Peroxidation of Aqueous Extracts of selected Vegetables in Isoproterenol‐induced Myocardial Infarction in Male Wistar Albino Rats

Abstract

Vegetables constitute a substantial portion of most daily diet and also a part of an overall healthy diet worldwide. This present study examined five leafy vegetables generally eaten in some parts of South Western, Nigerian and include L. taraxacifolia (Wild lettuce), C. crepidioides (Fireweed), S. nigrum (Black nightshade), B. alba (Indian spinach) and S. biafrae (English spinach). The vegetables were air dried in the laboratory for two weeks and extracted with water using maceration techniques. The effect of the extract on isoproterenol‐induced (ISO) myocardial infarction model was evaluated in male Wistar rats (150‐200 g).The rats were randomized into eight groups of six rats each. Groups A and B served as normal and ISO controls and were fed with rat pellet and water ad libitium. Groups C, D, E, F, G and H were the experimental groups pre‐treated orally with 200 mg kg‐1bw‐1 of each extract respectively for 28 days. Group H however, received a combination of all the extracts in ratio 1:1:1:1:1. On day 29 and 30, groups B to H excluding group A received ISO subcutaneously at a dose of 20 mg kg‐1 bw‐1 to induce myocardial infarction based on the preliminary results from our laboratory.The activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and reduced glutathione were significantly elevated (P<0.05) in all the pre‐treated groups compared to the ISO control while the malondialdehyde levels decreased significantly (P<0.05) in all the groups including normal control compared to ISO group.We therefore, suggest that these vegetables extract may be effective in the management and prevention of myocardial infarction and so could be formulated into food supplements