Authors : O.R. Aderibigbe, A.A. Odetola, F.S. Oluwole, E.O. Farombi, O.O. Onabanjo and O.A. Jiboku
Abstract: Parquetina nigrescens is a plant used in folk medicine in treating gastric ulcer. This study investigated the antioxidant properties of P. nigrescens in ethanol ulcerated rats. Rats were pretreated for 7 or 14 days with graded doses (500 and 1000 mg kg-1) of methanol extract of P. nigrescens before ulcer was induced on 8th or 15th day with absolute ethanol (1 mL/rat). The antioxidant properties of P. nigrescens were assessed using standard procedures. Intoxication with ethanol caused increased lipid peroxidation, reduced activities of Super Oxide Dismutase (SOD) and Catalase (CAT) and reduced protein concentration. Pretreatment with P. nigrescens, however, lowered lipid peroxidation, caused increases in activities of SOD, CAT and protein levels. This study therefore, shows that P. nigrescens possesses antioxidant properties that can protect against free radical induced ulcer.
O.R. Aderibigbe, A.A. Odetola, F.S. Oluwole, E.O. Farombi, O.O. Onabanjo and O.A. Jiboku, 2011. Antioxidant Properties of Methanol Extract of Parquetina Nigrescens in Ulcerated Rats. International Journal of Tropical Medicine, 6: 25-29.