ABSTRACT

Background: Oxidative stress is implicated in the pathogenesis of many chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and rheumatic arthritis.

Objectives: This study determined the bio-efficacy of methanol and chloroform extracts of B. brieyi root bark on inflammation-induced oxidative stress in Wistar rats.

Methods: Oxidative stress was induced in Wistar rats using cotton pellet-induced inflammatory model. The rats were treated with 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg body weight of methanol and chloroform extracts of B.brieyi and 50 mg/kg of indomethacin (standard drug) for 7 days. On day 8, their blood collected by cardiac puncture was used for the determination of biochemical parameters of oxidative stress such as the extent of lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione, vitamins C and E as well as zinc, selenium, and iron concentrations along with antioxidant enzymes activities using standard methods. The bioactive compounds responsible for bioactivity were determined with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic (FTIR) and Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques.

Results: There were significant (p < 0.05) decreases in malondialdehyde concentration, an increase in reduced glutathione, zinc, and selenium concentrations, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activities and a decrease in serum iron was observed in the extracts and indomethacin-treated groups when compared with the untreated group. A total of sixteen bioactive compounds with known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities were identified in the extracts with 9-Ocadecenoic acid being the most abundant.

Conclusion: The result of this study suggests that B. brieyi has antioxidant activities, and hence could be used in the management and treatment of oxidative stress-related diseases.