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Objective: To evaluates the antioxidant and hepatoprotective potentials of Dicoma anomala Sond. (Asteraceae) on body weight, feed and water intake, biochemical parameters and organ histology., Methods: Various concentrations (1.56-25 μg/mL) were used in the in vitro assays 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH, superoxide anion, hydroxyl radicals, etc.). The effects of treatment with 125, 250 and 250 mg/mL Dicoma anomala aqueous roots extract (DARE) was investigated in vivo in the CCl4-induced hepatotoxic rats during the 15 days study., Results: Water extract exhibited the best activity (IC50: 15.20 ± 0.03, 11.70 ± 0.10, and 0.84 ± 0.05 μg/ mL) in vitro in DPPH, hydroxyl and superoxide anion radicals, respectively, when compared with standards. Pre-treatment and treatment with different concentrations of DARE significantly (P < 0.05) attenuated the elevated serum activities of aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase levels while increasing the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase. The histopathological evaluations revealed extensive liver damage characterized by severe vacuolar and cytoplasmic degeneration, hepatic necrosis, and cellular infilteration in pre-treated groups while in the treated groups; such liver damages were not observed most especially at 500 mg/kg dose., Conclusion: The results proved the hepatoprotective potential of DARE against CCl4-induced oxidative stress. Moreover, histopathological examinations revealed better therapeutic advantage of DARE than prophylactic use.

Felicia muricata is a medicinal plant used for the management of different human and livestock diseases in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The antioxidant potential of the leaves from this herb was investigated using its water, methanol, acetone and ethanol extracts. All the extracts were rich in phenols, proanthocyanidins and flavonols but low in flavonoids. The water extract exhibited low DPPH scavenging activity while the methanol, acetone and ethanol extracts showed higher activities. Again all the extracts showed high ABTS scavenging activity with a correlation between total phenolic content (R2 = 0.9965), DPPH (R2 = 0.982) and ABTS (R2 = 0.927). Traditionally, however, plant extracts are prepared with water as infusions, decoction and poultice. Our results have shown that both the water and ethanol extracts from Felicia muricata displayed strong antioxidant activity. Therefore, it would seem likely that both solvents were able to extract those compounds which are responsible for the antioxidant activity of F. muricata.

The foliar micromorphology of Felicia muricata (Thunb.) Nees (Asteraceae) was observed with the JEOL (JSM-6390LV) Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Both the abaxial and adaxial surfaces were characterized by anisocytic stomata which were more prevalent on the abaxial surface than the adaxial surface. The leaves have only one type of multicellular non-glandular trichomes that are long and cylindrical, tapering to a sharp point and running parallel to the leaf surface in the direction of the apices. Crystal deposits were also observed on the surfaces of the leaves near the stomata. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy-SEM shows that Na, Al, Si, and K were the major constituents of the crystal analyzed. Since no glandular trichomes were present on the leaves of this herb, the bioactive components present in this plant may be produced in some other tissues in the leaf other than the trichomes.

Purpose: To evaluate the protective potentials of the aqueous root extract of Dicoma anomala (AQRED) against isoproterenol (ISP)-induced myocardial damage in Wistar rats. Methods: Myocardial damage was induced in Wistar rats by isoproterenol (60 mg/kg body weight, b.w.) Various concentrations (125, 250, and 500 mg/kg b.w.) of AQRED and their effects on the rats’ feed and water intake, body weight changes, serum enzymes, including aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) creatinine phosphokinase (CPK), as well as tissue antioxidant enzymes, including catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GP) and lipid peroxidation, during a 30-day experimental period were examined. Results: ISP-treated rats showed no significant (p > 0.05) effect on the feed, water and body weight but increased significantly (p < 0.05) AST, ALT, CPK and lipid peroxidation while significantly reducing CAT and GP levels (p < 0.05). Treatment with different doses of AQRED significantly (p < 0.05) reversed the activity of these enzymes and cardiac lipid peroxidation towards control levels. Histopathological examination of ISP-induced myocardial rats treated with D. anomala revealed evidence of oedema and myocardial necrosis at 125 and 250 mg/kg b.w. doses, but these alterations were ameliorated or cleared at 500 mg/kg dose, suggesting attainment of maximum efficacy. Conclusion: The findings indicate the ameliorative potential of AQRED in myocardiac disease, and therefore, could be of therapeutic significance in the management or treatment of cardiac-related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]