THE EFFECT OF METHANOLIC EXTRACT OF Vernonia amygdalina ON LIPID PEROXIDATION AND SOME ANTIOXIDANT ENZYME ACTIVITIES IN THE EARLY STAGE OF CYCASIN INDUCED TESTICULAR CARCINOGENESIS IN RATS

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of Vernonia amygdalina (V. amygdalina) on testicular lipid peroxidation, Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities in the early stages of cycasin-induced testicular carcinogenesis in rats. Fifty male Wistar rats with an average weight of 175g were divided into five groups of 10 animals each. Group 1 was fed with a Normal Diet (ND) and acted as experimental control. Group 2 was fed with a Normal Diet compounded with cycasin for 6 weeks. Group 3 to Group 5 were fed with Normal Diet compounded with cycasin V. amygdalina in varied amount and duration for 6 weeks. The results showed a significant (p< 0.05) increase in the level of lipid peroxidation and a significant (p< 0.05) decrease in the antioxidant activities of SOD and CAT in groups exposed to cycasin compared to the control group in both testes tissues. Feeding rats with the V. amygdalina significantly (p< 0.05) and gradually decreased the level of testicular lipid peroxidation compared with the Group 2. A significant (p< 0.05) and a gradual rise in the activity of SOD and CAT were also observed in the rats fed with V. amygdalina. The study shows cycasin fed to rats induces oxidative stress, and administration of V. amygdalina reverses the adversely effect in ways which suggest that V. amygdalina may protect rats from testicular carcinogenesis