Antioxidant activity of Vitex doniana ethanol extracts in poloxamer-407-induced hyperlipidemic rats

The ethanol extracts of leaves, stem bark, and root bark of Vitex doniana were evaluated for antioxidant activity in poloxamer-407-induced hyperlipidemic rats. Fifty four (54) mixed sex Wistar rats weighing between 100 and 200 g were used. The animals were divided into nine different groups of six rats per group; normal control, hyperlipidemic control, hyperlipidemic rats treated with standard drug (atorvastatin), and ethanol extracts of V. doniana (leaves, stem bark, and root bark), respectively, and normal rats treated with ethanol extracts of V. doniana (leaves, stem bark, and root bark), respectively. The P-407, atorvastatin, leaves extract, stem bark extract, and root bark extract were administered at doses of 1000, 20, 100, 100, and 30 mg/kg body weight, respectively. The liver and kidneys were collected from the rats in all the groups at the end of the experiment for determining the levels of thiobarbituric acid (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activity. At the end of 21 days, the result shows there was significant (p < 0.05) higher level of TBARS and lower level of catalase and SOD in hyperlipemic rats compared with the control and all the treated groups. All extracts in the liver and in the kidney (leaves and stem bark) significantly (p < 0.05) lower TBARS of normal animal compared to normal control and all induced-treated groups. SOD in the liver and kidney shows no significant (p > 0.05) difference in normal rats treated with the extracts while other treated groups are significantly (p < 0.05) lower compared with the control. All the extracts in the liver and leaves extract in the kidney of normal rats treated shows significant (p > 0.05) higher level of catalase compared with control and other treated groups.