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Objectives Xylopia aethiopica (XAE), commonly known as African pepper or Ethiopian pepper, is a plant native to West Africa and known for its aromatic and medicinal properties. It was used to investigate the antioxidative, antihepatotoxic, and antinephrotoxic potentials of XAE in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in Wister albino rats. Methods The proximate, and vitamin composition, oxidative stress indicators, and indices of kidney and hepatic functions were performed by standard methods. Results The proximate composition of the XAE leaf showed varied concentrations of Mg, Ca, Na, Zn, Se, and Cl, as well as vitamins A, E, B3, D, C, K, B2, and Bi. The activities of catalase glutathione, superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde levels, K, Na, Cl − , urea, uric acid, and creatinine in the kidney were increased in testosterone propionate (Tp)-induced BPH compared with the control groups. Total protein levels significantly decreased in Tp-induced BPH compared with XAE-treated groups increased on XAE treatment. The aspartate transaminase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase activities were not significantly different in Tp-induced BPH, XAE, and normal controls. Conclusion The study revealed that XAE can be used in the management of oxidative stress and hepatorenal damage in BPH condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Methotrexate (MTX) is a frontline antimetabolite anticancer drug which is used in different cancer treatments but its nephrotoxicity is a notable drawback that limits its clinical use. The present study was undertaken to examine whether Datura stramonium leaf extract (DSLE) could block MTX nephrotoxic side effect in rats. Materials and Methods: Animals were divided randomly into Control, Ethanol extract, MTX, and Extract + MTX groups. DSLE (200 mg/kg bw) was orally administered for 21 days, while MTX was injected intraperitoneally (ip) on the 18th day. Serum levels of urea, creatinine and uric acid were determined. Kidney samples were used to determine glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities, and renal levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), nitric oxide (NO), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and caspase-3. Results: Injection of MTX resulted in considerable increases (p<0.05) in creatinine, urea, and uric acid levels as well as renal MDA, NO, IL-6, TNF-α and caspase-3 compared to the controls. SOD and GPx increased significantly, while GSH was significantly depleted. Interestingly, DSLE markedly reduced (p<0.05) levels of creatinine, urea, uric acid, TNF-α, NO, MDA and caspase-3, whereas renal GSH increased markedly compared to the MTX group. Conclusion: DSLE has nephroprotective activity against MTX toxicity. However, further mechanistic studies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have implicated reactive oxygen species in perpetuation of inflammation and subse-quent destruction of joints in patients with arthritis. Antioxidant effects of Buchholzia coriacea ethanol leaf-extract, aqueous and ethyl acetate fractions on oxidative stress indices in rheumatoid arthritic female Wistar albino rats were examined. 180 rats were randomly divided into 12 groups. Fifteen rats were placed in each group. Rats without arthritis were placed in Group 1. Rheumatoid arthritis was induced in groups 2 to 12 by intradermal injection of 0.1 ml complete Freund’s adjuvant into the left hind paws of rats. Group 2 (arthritic rats) did not receive any treatment but rather were given normal saline while group 3 (arthritic rats) received 5 mg/kg indomethacinTM (a standard drug). Rats in Groups 4 to 12 were administered the samples at doses of 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight. Freund’s ad-juvant administration led to inflammation and oxidative stress which were marked by significant (P<0.05) increase in paw sizes, oxidative stress markers and reduced body weight of the rats. Arthritic rats were treated with standard drug and samples (at varied doses) and this resulted to reversal of the trend of those parameters in a time and dose-dependent manner. Rats that received 800 mg/kg of the aqueous fraction displayed the best desirable result which was similar to the effect of indomethacin. Thus, Buchholzia coriacea ethanol extract and fractions may be useful in the management of oxidative stress which is very common among individuals with rheumatoid arthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]