Aluminum Chloride-Induced Oxidative Damage to Serum and Combined Intervention of Ascorbic Acids and Massularia Acuminata On Selected Markers Of In Vivo Antioxidant Enzymes in Wistar Rats
Authors: Bakare Oluwafemi , Adedugbe Omowunmi , Owoloye Afolabi 
Published: April 2021

This study evaluates the synergistic antioxidants effects of extracts of Massularia acuminata and ascorbic acid in aluminum chloride-treated oxidative stress in wistar albino rats with a view to investigate the preventive potential of co-administration of Massularia acuminata and ascorbic acids. The in vivo antioxidant properties of the extract were evaluated using in vivo catalase activity, superoxide dismutase activity and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances assay by standard methods via spectrophotometry. The in vivo studies were carried out on rats, grouped majorly into positive control, negative control and the treated groups. The positive control group was administered with normal saline (distilled water) orally, while the negative control group was orally induced with the toxicant (aluminium chloride). The treated group was orally administered with the extract after toxicant administration. Ascorbic acid was used as standard antioxidant in the study. The effects on enzymatic antioxidants and lipid indices were evaluated. Forty healthy Wistar rats sub-grouped into ten (10) groups were induced with aluminum chloride. Some rats were treated with ascorbic acid which is a well-known antioxidant, while others were treated with various extracts of Massularia acuminata (Pako Ijebu) at various doses. The experiment is designed as follows: in Group 1, animals were used as control group. Animals in Group 2 were the toxicant-treated groups administered with AlCl3 (34 mg/kg body weight). Ascorbic acid treated groups are the standard control (group 3) administered with 200 mg/kg body weight.  Animals in Group 4 were co-treated with AlCl3 and Ascorbic acid (34 mg/kg aluminum chloride and 200 mg/kg body weight of ascorbic acid). Animals in group 5 were co-administered with ethanolic extract (50 mg/kg body weight) of Massularia acuminata and AlCl3 (34 mg/kg body weight), respectively. Animals in group 6 were also co-treated and administered with ethanolic extract of Massularia acuminate (100 mg/kg body weight) and AlCl3, respectively. Experimental animals in group 7 were equally co-administered with methanolic extract of Massularia acuminate (50 mg/kg body weight) and AlCl3, respectively. Animals in group 8 were co-administered with methanolic extract of Massularia acuminate (100 mg/kg body weight) and AlCl3, respectively. Group 9 animals were co-administered with butanolic extracts of Massularia acuminata (50 mg/kg body weight) and AlCl3, respectively. Group 10 experimental animals were also co-administered with butanolic extract of Massularia acuminate (100 mg/kg body weight) and AlCl3, respectively. At the end of the experiment, the animal was sacrificed after three weeks by cervical dislocation after they were immobilized using chloroform. Results show that ethanolic and methanolic extracts of Massularia acuminata contain antioxidant properties. Both doses of ethanolic extract dose (50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg body weight) group of methanol extract also reduced the level of MDA but not as ascorbic acid group. Both doses of methanolic extract of Masssularia acuminata act contrariwise from other extracts in that they show the highest level of malonaldehyde even more than AlCl3. The results of superoxide dismutase (SOD) assay test in this study show that the control group, ascorbic acid combined with AlCl3 group, 50 mg/kg body weight of ethanolic extract. Both doses of methanolic extract groups have the same comparative value of SOD. The group treated with toxicant (aluminum chloride) and ascorbic group has similar relative value. The group treated with 50 mg/kg body weight of butanolic extract shows the highest value of superoxide dismutase activity that follow closely by 100 mg/kg of ethanolic extract group. The study concluded that Massularia acuminata, like ascorbic acids, can induced antioxidant enzymes such as SOD and CAT in aluminium chloride-induced oxidative stressed rats. It may therefore be used to protect the body against any pathological attacks from free radical and oxidative insults.