ABSTRACT

The study aimed at evaluating the ameliorative potentials of methanol extracts of Telfairia occidentalis seed in sodium chloride (NaCI) induced hypertensive rats. Eighteen albino rats weighing 130g-280g were used for the study. The rats were divided into six (6) groups of three (3) rats in each groups. Group I serve as the normal control. Group II received daily dosage of 10mg/kg body weight sodium chloride and 100mg/kg plant extract in group III. group IV received 200mg/kg body weight plant extract, group V received 400mg/kg and group VI received 3.6mg/kg body weight captopril. All administration last for seven (7) days. The effect of the administration on pulse rate, phosphocreatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, serum sodium ion (Nat) concentration was evaluated. The study also determined the in-vivo antioxidant potentials of methanol extracts of Telfairia occidentalis seed assaying 2, 2-diphenyl-1- picryihydrazine (DPPH) scavenging activity, Nitric oxide inhibition activity, Anti-lipid peroxidation results obtained showed a significant dose dependant increase in percentage 2, 2- diphenyl- 1 -picrylhydrazine (DPPH) scavenging activity of the plant extract P<0.05. There was also a significant dose dependent increase in percentage nitric oxide inhibition of plant extract P<0.05. Antilipid peroxidation results equally showed a dose dependent increase of the methanol extract of Telfairia occidentalis seed P<0.05. There was an insignificant reduction in the pulse rate of experimental animals treated with the different doses of the extract compared to the negative control (258.00 ± 18.00) P < 0.05. Administration of the plant extract at doses of 200mg/kg body weight (130.88 + 1.39), 400mg/kg body weight (130.82 ± 4.67) shows a significant reduction in serum lactate dehydrogenase concentration compared to the negative control group (10mg/kg body weight sodium chloride) (144.81 ± 5.57) P <0.05. 400mg/kg body weight methanol extract of Telfairia occidentalis seed showed a significant reduction in serum phophocreatine kinase level compared to the negative control group P <0.05. The results gotten in the experiment were highly comparable to that of the standard drug captopril. The study shows that Telfairia occidentalis seed possesses antioxidant activity, being able to ameliorate the changes in hypertensive parameters induced by sodium chloride (NaCl).