Evaluation Of In Vitro And In Vivo Antioxidant Activities of Methanolic Leaf Extract of Anthocleista Djalonensis in Triton Wr-1339 Induced Toxicity

Anthocleista djalonensis A. Chev (Gentianaceae), a wild tropical perennial herb called Cabbage tree is used by local practitioners for the several medicinal purposes. The present study evaluated the in vitro antioxidant activities, in vivo antioxidant activities in triton-induced toxified rats and the GC-MS analysis of the methanolic leaf extract. The phytochemical investigation revealed the presence of tannins, flavonoids, saponins, cardiac glycosides, anthraquinones, terpenoids and steroids. Quantitative antioxidant evaluation of ADL gave total tannin, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and total antioxidant capacity as 192.24±6.06 mg/g catechin equivalent, 78.71±3.03 mg/g gallic acid equivalent, 154.67±1.77 mg/g quercetin equivalent, and 112.33±4.50 mg/g ascorbic acid equivalent. ADL demonstrated appreciable in vitro antioxidant capacity and radical scavenging ability compared with reference standards. Toxicity was induced in wistar rats by single intraperitoneal (i.p) injections of Triton X-1339 at a dose of 200 mg/kg b.w. Twenty four hours after Triton induction different dosages of ADL (200 mg/kg b.w., 400 mg/kg b.w., 600 mg/kg b.w.). Plant extract was administered for 14 consecutive days. Animals were sacrificed 24 hours after the last administration. Heart and liver were collected for biochemical analysis. ADL restored cardiac and hepatic antioxidant status by significantly lower mean levels of GPx, SOD, GSH, CAT and FRAP. ADL also showed significant protection against triton induced lipid peroxidation; malondialdehyde (MDA) as a biomarker of oxidative stress. These findings suggest that the leaf of Anthocleista djalonensis has potent antioxidant activity which may be responsible for some of its reported pharmacological activities and can be used as antioxidant supplement.