Anti-inflammatory and Hepatoprotective Potentials of Methanol Leaf Extract of Arachis hypogea
R. C. Ibeh *
Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Biochemistry, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria and Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
G. S. Aloh
Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
G. C Ikechukwu
Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
S. O. Ebhohon
Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
U. I. Edward
Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
C. J. Njoku
Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
F. O. Azubike-Izah
Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
E. U. Ejiofor
Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
C. I. Nwankwo
Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
C. E. Oriaku
Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective properties of methanol extract of Arachis hypogea leaves were studied. At 400 mg/kg, the extract significantly suppressed the development of hind paw oedema induced by egg albumin, which compares favorably with a standard anti–inflammatory drug aspirin (acetylsalicylate) which at 100 mg/kg inhibits egg-albumin induced rat paw oedema. It was observed that the extract significantly inhibited platelet aggregation in a dose dependent fashion. At 0.6 and 0.7 mg/ml the percentage inhibition of platelet aggregation was observed to be 53.13 and 68.75% which compare closely to the standard drug indomethacin at 0.2 and 0.4 mg/ml which was found to be 53.13 and 65.63% respectively. Similarly, there was also an observable decrease in the activity of prostaglandin synthase which was dosage dependent at 0.1, 0.5 and 1 mg/ml, the percentage enzyme activity was 65, 70 and 95% respectively. Also, at 1 and 4 mg/ml of indomethacin, the percentage enzyme activity was 94.75 and 99.25% respectively. There was non-significant difference (P<0.05) in the selected liver function parameters assayed in all the groups after 21 days of administration. The study shows that the extract may contain anti-inflammatory agents with hepatoprotective properties and may yet serve as template for the development of more synthetic anti-inflammatory agents of clinical significance.
Keywords: Anti-inflammation, Arachis hypogea, hepatoprotective, egg-albumin, aspirin and platelet.