Effect Of The Methanol Extract Of The Leaves Of Musaparadisiaca On Lipid Peroxidation Of Indomethacin-Ulcerated Rats

ABSTRACT

The use of plants and plant products for medicinal treatments predates written

human history and such practice is still widely adopted today such as the use of the

leaves of M paradisiaca in the treatment of gastric ulcer. The objectives of this

work were therefore, to examine the phytochemical constituents, acute toxicity and

lethality and effect of the methanol extract of the leaves of M paradisiaca on the

concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) of indomethacin-ulcerated rats. The

preliminary phytochemical screening revealed that the extract contained alkaloids,

flavonoids, tannins, saponins, carbohydrates, reducing sugars, proteins, steroids,

terpenoids and fats and oils. Resins, glycosides and acidic compounds were not

detected. The extract was found to be safe even at a dose as high as 5000 mg/kg

body weight (b.w). The extract at the tested doses (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg b.w)

caused significant (p < 0.05) and dose-dependent decreases in the concentration of

MDA of the rats in the test groups compared to the value obtained for the rats in

the control group. The effect of the 400 mg/kg b.w of the extract was similar to that

of the standard anti-ulcer drug, famotidine at the dose of 50 mg/kg b.w. The results

indicate that the methanol extract of the leaves of M paradisiaca contains some

pharmacological active principle which may reduce the concentration of MDA in

ulcerated rats.