ABSTRACT

 This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Citrullus lanatus (watermelon) seed oil extract on antioxidant activities of Wistar albino rats. The standard procedures of Laxminatrain and Hildebert (2007) were followed for the extraction of the oil. The animals were grouped into five groups; A to E, containing five animals each. Group A was the control which were fed only feed and water, B were fed 800mg/kg extract, C- 1,200 mg/kg extract, D800mg/kg olive oil and E- 1, 200mg/kg olive oil, for a period of 28 days. The results for lipid peroxidaton showed no significant (P>0.05) difference in the Malondialdehyde (MDA) level of the various test groups, the results for Superoxide dismutase (SOD) showed a significantly higher difference in the control when compared to other test groups, thus giving the value of the control as (10.95 ± 2.85), 800mg/kg watermelon seed oil as ( 5.46 ± 1.92), 1,200mg/kg watermelon seed oil as (3.88 ± 1.70), 800mg/kg olive oil as (3.54 ± 1.09) and 1,200mg/kg olive oil as (4.64 + .48) and Catalase (CAT) results showed a significantly higher difference in the 1,200mg/kg olive oil test group as compared to the 1,200mg/kg watermelon seed oil test group, thus giving the value of 1,200mg/kg olive oil as (11.88 ± 1.94) and 1,200mg/kg watermelon seed oil as (7.85 ± 2.56). It can be concluded from this study that Citrullus lanatus (watemelon) seed oil extract has no significant effect on lipid peroxidation and does not induce oxidative stress, thus could be said to have a positive effect on the antioxidant activities of Wistar albino rats. Keywords: Watermelon seed oil extract, antioxidants, lipid peroxidation (MDA), Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT).