ABSTRACTS
Jatropha gossypiifolia is a shrub that belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae, it ethnomedicinal report showed several therapeutic use such as inflammatory, nociceptive, diabetes, diuretic, ulcer, lipidamia, anemia and others associated with the plant.The aim of this study was to evaluate some therapeutic activities of the n-hexane extracts of leaves and roots of Jatropha gossypiifolia Linn
The leaves and root of J. gossypiifolia were shade dried, pulverized and prepared into extracts. Single doses of the extracts were administered orally to Wistar rats at 10, 100, 1600, 2900 and 5000 mg/kg body weight to determine the lethal dose (LD50) in acute toxicity. In subchronic toxicity study, 150, 300 and 600 mg/kg body weight oral doses of the extracts were administered daily to fresh rats for 28 consecutive days. Blood and tissue samples were then collected for haematological, biochemical and histopathological evaluations. Therapeutic doses of 30, 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight of the leaves and root extracts of J. gossypiifolia were investigated for diuretic, antidiabetic, antianaemic, nociceptive, antiinflammatory, antilipidemic, hepatoprotective, antidepressant, anxiolytic, antidiarrhoea, antiulcer and Immunoprotective properties using routine animal based models. Functional group characterization of the active principles of the extracts where determined by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, while atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) served as tool for the screening of nutriceutical composition of the extracts. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to quantify the alkaloids and flavonoid contents. The vitamins, minerals, elemental compositions, ex-vivo antioxidant capacity and DNA nicking profiling on the extracts were also evaluated.
Jatropha gossypiifolia n-hexane leaves and root extracts showed no mortalities or clinical adverse effect even at 5000 mg/kg. Hence, the LD50 was calculated for sub-chronic doses. The sub-chronic studies revealed that no harmful effects were recorded in the hematological, biochemical and histopathological paramenters of the blood and visceral organs. The results also showed that in the Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) nicking using significant primer, administration of J. gossypiifolia extracts had no deleterious effect in rat visceral organs. Effective doses (ED50) were observed at 30, 50 and 100 mg/kg of the leaves and root extracts, which exhibited normal physiological effects in diuretics, antidiabetic, antianaemic, nociceptive and antiinflammatory, antilipidemic, hepatoprotective, antidepressant and anxiolytic, antidiarrhoea, antiulcer and immunoprotective properties. FTIR analysis on the extracts elicited the presence of hydroxyl and ketone functional groups. The nutritional constituent of J. gossypiifolia leaves and root samples on the Fiber, ash, caloric, protein, fat and carbohydrate contents were relatively abundant in the plant. The phytochemicals includes; alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, cardiac glycosides and saponins. Mineral composition included macro molecule (sodium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium and potassium) and micro molecule (chloride, manganese, iron and zinc). The vitamins present include thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, folic acid and quinones up to daily requirement as stated by World Health Organization standards. The HPLC analysis showed the presence of alkaloids (cytisine and berberine) and flavonoids (luteolin and quercetin) coinciding at the highest and lowest peaks respectively. Ex-vivo antioxidant capacities of 1, 1-Diphenyl-1-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2, 2-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiozoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) and H2O2 of J. gossypiifolia were comparable with standards. In conclusion, this study lends credence to the use of J. gossypiifolia as a nutriceutics and pharmaceutics, which corroborates ethnomedicinal reports
