Polyphenols contents and antioxidant potential of Nauclea latifolia Smith (Rubiaceae) acetonic fractions from Burkina Faso

Scientific information on antioxidant properties and phenolic content of Nauclea latifolia used in ethnoveterinary medicine in Burkina Faso are limited. Therefore, the quantification of the antioxidant activity of different parts of this specie remains an interesting and useful task, particularly for finding new sources for natural antioxidants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity and total polyphenols of Nauclea latifolia Smith (Rubiaceae) acetonic fractions from Burkina Faso. n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions of leaves, barks and root barks were tested for their antioxidant activities using DPPH, ABTS and FRAP methods. Folin-Ciocalteu and AlCl3 reagents were used to quantify the polyphenols. n-butanol fraction of barks (58.16 ± 0.76 mg GAE/100 mg), dichloromethane fraction of barks (51.13 ± 0.99; 26.14 mg GAE/100 mg) have presented the best total phenolic contents while the best total flavonoid contents were found in n-butanol fraction of leaves and n-hexane fraction of leaves with 4.85 ± 0.14 mg EQ/100mg and 2.92 ± 0.13 mg EQ/100mg, respectively. It was observed that n-hexane fraction of leaves was scavenge more DPPH free radicals with a value of 1011.98± 17,01 µmol EAA/g. That of n-butanol fractions of barks was showed the best ferric reduction power (3056.37 ± 96.66 µmol EAA/g) and the highest ABTS cation radicals scavenging capacity (7031.52 ± 254.98 µmol EAA/g). Nevertheless, this work encourages investigations on Burkina Faso plant species used in the ethnoveterinary medicine as sources of antioxidants. Keywords: Fraction; Ouagadougou; Barks, Total Polyphenols Contents; Radicals.

Anti-androgenic Impact of Nauclea latifolia on Testicular Weight, Testosterone, Follicle Stimulating Hormone and Glycogen Granules of the Testes

Purpose: Over time, plants have been a major source of medicine to treat and cure various ailments and diseases. In many cases, the dosages and standardization of these herbal products have been so ignored that it results in these products causing damages to certain organs of the body unnoticed. The impact of ethanolic leaf extract of Nauclea latifolia on the testes was determined using Wistar rats. Method: 500, 1000 and 1500 mg of ethanolic leaf extract of Nauclea latifolia /kg body weight was administered for 21 days to 4 groups of animals (n=10). Blood sample was taken for hormonal assay, testicular weight measured, and histological procedure done, and the tissues stained with PAS. Results: Result from hormonal assay showed reduced level of testosterone and follicle stimulating hormone. After histological staining using periodic acid Schiff method (PAS) and subsequent examination using a compound microscope, there was a reduced level of glycogen granules in all the Nauclea latifolia groups. Findings from this study also showed that the ethanolic leaf extract of Nauclea latifolia at all doses significantly reduced testicular weight (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study reveals that Nauclea latifolia is anti-androgenic.

Antidiabetic, Antilipidemic and Antioxidant Properties of Aqueous Extracts of Morinda Lucida and Nauclea Latifolia Leaves in Alloxan Induced Rats

The study sought to evaluate the antidiabetic, antioxidants and hypolipidemic properties of Morinda lucida and Nauclea latifolia leaves in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The rats used were grouped into six, including controls and standard drug groups. The body weights and blood glucose concentration of the animals were determined before and after induction of diabetes as well as after treatment with the aqueous extracts of the leaves. Superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione transferase, glutathione reductase, reduced glutathione, malondialdehyde, lipid profiles, and liver biomarker enzymes were also determined. The Morinda lucida and Nauclea latifolia extracts caused a significant reduction in the rats' glucose level after treatment. The status of reduced glutathione and antioxidants enzyme activities was significantly increased. However, the total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, triglyceride status showed reduction compare to the control. There was also a reduction in the concentration of malondialdehyde in the groups administered with Morinda lucida (2.88±0.00) and with Nauclea latifolia leaves extracts (3.85±0.12) compare to the diabetic control group (7.37±0.10). The biomarker enzyme activities were relatively reduced in the group administered with the extracts of both plants. However, the leaves extract of the plants exhibits hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, and antioxidant properties.

Antibacterial activity of crude extracts of the leaves of Nauclea latifolia Smith (Rubiaceae) and some selected conventional antibiotics on clinical isolates of Salmonella typhi

Background: Nauclea latifolia Smith (Rubiaceae) is a valuable medicinal plant used in folkloric medicine in the treatment of Typhoid fever. The public health significance of Salmonella typhi, the aetiologic agent in typhoid fever lies in the increasing resistance to antimicrobial agents. Objectives: To determine the antimicrobial potentials of the crude extracts of the leaves of Nauclea latifolia on clinical isolates of Salmonella typhi compared with some conventional antibiotics. Methods: Antibiogram was carried out on 25 biochemically confirmed clinical isolates of Salmonella typhi using disc diffusion method of Kirby Bauer. Nauclea latifolia leaves extracted with ethyl acetate and methanol in a Soxhlet apparatus were screened for secondary metabolites. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the extracts were determined by agar dilution method on the isolates. Results: The antibiogram of Samonella typhi showed the following resistance patterns: Augmentin® (24.0%), amoxicillin (44.0%), chloramphenicol (32.0%), gentamicin (20.0%), cloxacillin (96.0%), ciprofloxacin (8.0%), erythromycin (60.0%), tetracycline (32.0%) and cotrimoxazole (60.0%). The extracts showed good antibacterial activity on the clinical isolates including those resistant to antibiotics. The MIC of methanol extract ranged from1.56mg/ml to 6.25mg/ml and 3.13mg/ml to 25.0 mg/ml for ethyl acetate extract with exception of isolates 11, 12, 19 and 20 with high MIC values as 50mg/ml. The methanol and ethyl acetate extracts gave a yield of 11.7% and 3.5% respectively. Bioactive secondary metabolites were detected from the extracts. Conclusion: The crude extracts of the leaves of Nauclea latifolia contained antimicrobial agents that were active on Salmonella typhi which could be used alone and in supportive with conventional antibiotics for therapeutic management of typhoid fever.