title: Hepato-protective potential of methanol extract of leaf of Ziziphus mucronata (ZMLM) against dimethoate toxicity: biochemical and histological approach.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The leaves of Ziziphus mucronata are used locally as food and a health drink; the leaf paste can also be used in the treatment of boils. The root of the plant is usually used in the treatment of a wide range of pains.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study was carried out to evaluate the hepatoprotective potential of the methanol leaf extract of Ziziphus mucronata (ZMLM).
  
  
  METHODS
  The extract was prepared by soaking in 70% methanol/water and rotary evaporation. The phenol content of extract was then estimated. Twenty five adult male Sprague dawley rats (aged 21 weeks) were divided into five groups of five rats each and treated as follows; normal control (NC) received distilled water. Dimethoate control (DC) (received 6 mg/kg.bw.day(-1) dimethoate dissolved in distilled water). Experimental Groups (E1) received dimethoate (6mg/kg.bw) + ZMLM (100 mg/kg.bw(-1)); (E2) received dimethoate (6 mg/kg.bw) + ZMLM (200 mg/kg.bw(-1)) and (E3) received dimethoate (6 mg/kg.bw) + ZMLM (300 mg/kg.bw(-1)). In both the cases a normal control and dimethoate control were kept to compare the results. After 90 days, blood was collected and rats were sacrificed to collect the liver tissue for biochemical assays and histological estimations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of E1 did not show much change from the normal control group but was significantly different from the dimethoate control group (P≤ 0.05). The preventive effect which was tested in E2 and E3 proved that the extract could almost retain the normal condition in 90 days time. Histological observations also agreed with the results obtained in biochemical parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ziziphus mucronata methanol leaf extract possesses a preventive effect against dimethoate induced oxidative stress as observed in male albino Sprague Dawley rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana.
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Kwape
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chaturvedi
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science and Production, Botswana College of Agriculture, Gaborone, Botswana.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kamau
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Biomedical Sciences, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: George
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001835:Body Weight; D002374:Catalase / Q000097:blood; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D002802:Cholinesterases / Q000378:metabolism; D004117:Dimethoate / Q000633:toxicity; D005978:Glutathione / Q000097:blood; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D000432:Methanol; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D024505:Tocopherols / Q000097:blood; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D031957:Ziziphus
chemical_list: D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D010936:Plant Extracts; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D002802:Cholinesterases; D005978:Glutathione; D024505:Tocopherols; D004117:Dimethoate; D000432:Methanol
keywords: Leaf methanol extract; Ziziphus mucronata; hepatoprotective; oxidative stress; phenol content