Evaluation Of Laxative And Antioxidant Activities Of Ethanol Extract Of Senna Alata Leaves On Wistar Albino Rats:-

ABSTRACT ix Senna alata L, is a wildly growing plant reported to have a number of medicinal properties. The purpose of this present study was to evaluate the laxative and antioxidant activities of ethanol extract of leaf of Senna alata L. The laxative activity of ethanol leaf extract of S', alata was studied using seven groups of wistar albino rats; Group I, II, HI, IV, V, VI, and VII. Group I which served as the negative control, received 0.5ml/kg of normal saline, Group II which served as the positive control, received lOmg of Dulcolax, the rest of the groups received 2000, 1000, 500, 250, and 125mg/kg ofthe extract respectively (Group III-VII). The laxative activity of the ethanol leaf extract was expressed as the mean ofthe total weight offaecal output in each group. A significant dose dependent increase in the faecal output was observed at the 500mg/kg (3.15±0.15), lOOOmg/kg (4.00±0.10) and 2000mg/kg (4.50±0.10) doses when compared with the negative control. The antioxidant activity was determined using nitric oxide, lipid peroxidation and 2, 2- diphenyl-2-picryhydrazyl free radical scavenging activities. The plant extract showed 81.37% inhibition in nitric oxide at highest concentration (200pg/ml) used. This is higher when compared to DPPH and lipid peroxidation extract which is 75.27% and 65.33% respectively. The percentage inhibition of the plant extract showed high inhibition concentration against 50% (IC50). The result confirmed that the leaves ofS.alata possess laxative and antioxidant activity