Antioxidant Activity of Aqueous Extract of Blighia Sapida Stem Bark in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats
Blighiasapida is a plant belonging to the family of sapindaceae. In this study we aimed to evaluate thein vivo antioxidant activitiesof aqueous extract of Blighiasapida stem bark in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Administration of the extract at 100mg/kg body weight significantly (P<0.05) increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes catalase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase in the kidney and pancreas tissues of diabetic rats. Also the concentration of reduced glutathione increased in the kidney and pancreas tissues of the diabetic rats while the levels of malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl generally decreased in the kidney and pancreas tissues of alloxan-induced diabetic rats during the course of the experiment. These are indications of antioxidant properties of the stem bark of Blighiasapida with 100mg/kg body weight of the aqueous extract showing good antioxidant activities by comparing favourably well with metformin, a standard antidiabetic drug.
