Antihyperlipidemic and Antioxidant Activity of Syzygium Aromaticum Extract in Rats Fed Cycas Diet doi.org/10.26538/tjnpr/v5i5.26

Abstract

Cycads contain toxins, when consumed may cause oxidative stress, hepatotoxicity and even colon cancer. Spices show potential health benefits as they possess hepatoprotective, antihyperlipidemic and antioxidant activities. Hepatotoxicity chemoprevention by using antioxidant approaches has been suggested to offer a good potential of central importance. The study was aimed at ascertaining the effect of Syzygium aromaticum (clove) on lipid profile and antioxidant status of rat fed cycas formulated diet. Twenty albino Wistar rats (100 - 180 g) were used. The rats were fed normal diet only (Group 1), cycas diet only (Group 2), cycas containing diet plus S. aromaticum extract (Group 3), and normal diet plus S. aromaticum extract (Group4). The aqueous extract of S. aromaticum was administered orally at 200 mg/kg b.w and the diets were fed for 28 days. The parameters evaluated for antioxidant activity were reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) while total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triacylglycerol (TAG) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined for lipid profile using standard methods. The results showed significantly lower SOD, CAT, GSH and HDL-C level and higher TC, TAG, LDL-C and MDA level in liver of rats fed cycas containing diet in comparison with rats fed normal diet. The administration of the extract showed significantly higher CAT and SOD activity and lower MDA level when compared with the animals fed cycas containing diet only. It is concluded that the extract protects against cycas-induced toxicity.