ABSTRACT
The present study investigated the anti-inflammatory and diuretic activities of ethanolic extracts of leaves of Smilax anceps. Twenty (20) adults rats were used for this study. They were allowed to acclimatize to the environment for two weeks. The extracts were administered to the rats at doses of 125, 250, 500, 1000 and 2000mg/kg body weight. This was done intra-peritoneal during diuresis an orally during anti-inflammation. For inflammation, aspirin was used as positive control and normal saline for negative control. Four standard drugs (Furosemide, Hydrochlorothiazide, Spironolactone and Acetazolamide) were employed for diuretic activity and normal saline as control. The extracts produced a significant effect on the rats as compared to Aspirin during inflammation. The diuretic effects were evaluated by measuring urine volume. The plant extracts produced a significant effect on urine volume. Higher volumes were observed at 250 and 500mg/kg (1.10±0.14 and 0.80±0.57) respectively. The results obtained showed that the ethanolic leaf extracts of Smilax anceps has potential anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties. It could be suggested that it can be used in the treatment of inflammation and diuretic problems.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Title page i
Declaration ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgement v
Table of content vi
List of tables vii
List of figures viii
Abstract ix
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction 1
1.1
Botany
of the plant 4
1.2
Other
activities of Smilax anceps 5
1.3
Aims
and objectives 5
1.4
Objectives 6
1.5
Justification 6
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 Literature
review 7
2.1 Anti-inflammatory
activity of plants 7
2.2 Diuretic
activity of plants 8
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 Materials
and methods 10
3.1 Plant
collection 10
3.2 Preparation
of plant extract 10
3.3 Animal
stock 10
3.4 Diuretic
activity 10
3.5 Anti-inflammatory
activity 10
3.6 Statistical analysis 10 #
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 Results 13
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 Discussion,
conclusion and recommendation 16
5.1 Discussion 16
5.1 Conclusion 17
5.2 Recommendations 17
REFERENCES
APPENDIX
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Effect of ethanolic extract of Smilax anceps on Inflammation 13
Table 2: Effect of ethanol leaf extract of Smilax anceps on urine volume 14
Table 3: Effect of ethanolic leaf extract of S. anceps
on electrolyte excretion 15
LIST OF FIGURES
Fig. 1: Leaves of Smilax anceps 5
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Medicinal
plants can be important sources of unknown chemical substances with potential
therapeutic effects. Besides the world health organization has estimated that
over 75% of the world’s population still rely on plant-derived medicines,
usually obtained from traditional healers for basic health care needs
(Farnsworth et al., 1985). For
centuries, people have been trying to alleviate and treat diseases with
different plant extracts and formulations (Cowan, 1999). Plants represent a
large untapped source of structurally novel compounds that might serve as lead
for the development of novel drugs (Ahmad et
al., 1992).
It
is though that 64% of the world’s population uses medicinal plants, either as a
whole or in parts or in form of infusions and decoctions (Balunas et al., 2005). In technologically
developed countries such as the United States of America, 60% of the population
use medicinal plants for therapeutic purpose for certain diseases while in
Japan, there is increasing demand for herbal drug preparation (Duke et al., 2000). Human beings utilize many
species of flora for food and medicine. It is also expected that the
traditional and modern medicine uses about 50,000-70,000 species of plant
(Mayket et al., 2011).
By
definition, drugs which are used to increase urinary output and electrolyte
excretion are called diuretics; these drugs mostly act on different parts of
nephrons and increase urine volume (Bharna et
al., 20006). Reports show that these drugs are more useful in the treatment
of oedema, acute and chronic renal failure and moderate hypertension (Samiulla et al., 2000). High chilling and osmotic
diuretic agents are used in several poisoning condition to increase excretion
of poisoning agents (Samuilla et al.,
2000). Different types of diuretics are used in the treatment of hypertension,
congestive cardiac failure, liver cirrhosis and various kidney disorders (Singh
et al., 1991).
Diuretics,
commonly called water pills are a class of prescription medications that are
used to treat high blood pressure, heart disease and certain kinds of kidney or
liver disease. The drugs stimulate the kidneys to remove more water from the
body which is then passed through the urine.
The
types of diuretics include thiazide diuretics, potassium sparing diuretics,
coop acting diuretics and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. These four groups were
employed as standard drugs in this study. The thiazide diuretics reduces the
amount of sodium and water in the body, the loop-acting diuretics causes the
kidneys to increase the flow of urine e.g. furosemide. The potassium sparing
diuretics reduces the amount of water in the body and do not cause the body to
lose potassium e.g. Spironolactone whereas the carbonic anhydrase inhibitors
inhibit the transport of HCO3 out of the proximal convoluted tubule
into the interstium which leads to less sodium reabsorption and causing greater
sodium, bicarbonate and water loss in urine (Supuran et al., 2003; Sudipta et al.,
2010).
Despite
this, there is still need for extremely effective and less diuretics in
clinical practice. Some of the naturally used diuretic plants are Allium sativum, Allium sepa, Acacia
nilotica, Aloe barbidensis, Cinnamomum verrum etc (Cnitrata et al., 2013).
Inflammation
is a normal, protective response to tissue injury caused by physical trauma,
noxious chemicals or microbiological agents (Kumar et al., 2013). There are mainly two types of inflammation which are
as follows:
v Acute
inflammation: it is associated with increased vascular permeability, capillary
infiltration and emigration of leukocytes (Kumar et al., 2013).
v Chronic
inflammation: it is associated with infiltration of mononuclear immune cells,
macrophages, monocytes, neutrophilis, fibroblast activation, proliferation
(angiogenesis) and fibrous (Kumar et al.,
2013).
Inflammation
is a common, clinical conditions and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic
debilitating autoimmune disorders (Nadkami, 2000) that affects about 1% of the
population in developed countries (Cardinali and Esquifino, 2003). The classic
signs of inflammation are local redness, swelling, pain, heat and loss of
function (Perrical, 1999).
NSAIDS
are among the most commonly used drugs worldwide, they are prescribed for
orthopaedic conditions such as osteoarthritis, soft tissue injuries and
fractures etc (Malizos, 2009).
NSAIDS
e.g. Ibruprofen and naproxen etc are used in the above said conditions. The
greatest disadvantage in presently availiable potent synthetic drugs lies in
their toxicity and re-appearance of symptoms after discontinuation (Srinirasan et al., 2011). Therefore, the screening
and development of drugs for their anti-inflammatory activity is very important
and there are many efforts in finding anti-inflammatory drugs from indigenous
medicinal plants (Srinivasan et al.,
2011).
A
Huge number of medicinal plants mentioned in Ajurvedic system of medicine are
known to possess diuretic properties such as Achyranthus aspera, Boerharia diffusa, Anisochilis carnorus, Bixa orellana,
Costus specious, Xanthium strumarium, Kigella pinnata, Bacopa monnieri, Barbara
vulgaris, Morinda cirtrifolia etc (Suresh et al., 2014). Among these medicinal plants is the Smilax anceps wild.
1.1 BOTANY
OF THE PLANT
Simlax anceps is
a vigorous scrambling vine or shrub in the family Smilaceae (Arbonnier, 2004).
Description:
Liana, Spiny and climbing up to 10-12m long. Stem is glaborous, brownish,
usually bearing two simple tendrils at leaf base. Thorns are irregularly
scattered all along the stem, curved squat, 1-4mm long. Leaves are alternate,
glabrous, ovate or elliptic-lanceolate, 5-12cm long and 2-5(7) cm across with
rounded or subcordate base. Petioles are glabrous, 0.8-2.5cm long, nerves are
pinnate, prominent and very distinctive, the 3(-5) basal nerves all fusing at
the blade apex.
Inflorescence: Many
flowered umbels, long pendiculus upto 2-3 (-5)cm across. Flowers are rarely
bisexual, yellow or greenish, 1 tubular sepal with dentate edge, about 4mm in
diameter.
Fruits: A
globose berry, glabrous, smooth and shinny, 8-10mm in diameter, green, turning
yellow when ripe (Arbonnier, 2004).
Flowering: Usually
during rainy season.
Habitat:
Ubiquitous species, coppices and pond edges in Sahelian areas of Guinean and
Sudano-Guinean savannahs, on any type of soil (Arbonnier, 2004).
Distribution: From
Senegal to Cameroon, Southern and Tropical Africa; scattered, not common in
savannahs (Arbonnier, 2004).
Uses:
The roots are diuretic, purgative, diaphoretic; cures syphilis, gastralgia,
albuminuria in pregnant women. The stems and leaves act against rheumatism,
paralysis and teething in young children. Stems and leaves cure scabies; leaves
are used to treat Opthalmia and Snake bites. Locally, they are used as an
ornamental plants (shades) and stems are used in basketry and making ropes
(Arbonnier, 2004).
Fig. 1: Leaves of Smilax anceps
Source:
(Cowan,
1999).
1.2 OTHER
ACTIVITIES OF Smilax anceps
According
to Adebayo and Adegoke (2008), the plant Smilax
anceps is qualified to be called medicinal plants by virtue of the fact
that they have been in therapeutic use against various diseases like they have
been in therapeutic use against various diseases like parasitic infection,
urinary tract infection, syphilis, pneumonia and enteric fever as well as other
venereal diseases like gonorrhoea over one hundred years. They found out that
the crude extract of the plant showed variable degrees of antimicrobial
activity (Adebayo and Adegoke, 2008).
The
phytochemical analysis was carried out on the crude extract of Smilax anceps to confirm the presence of
alkaloids, anthraquinones, saponins, tannins and phlobatanins. Its results
clearly showed the presence of alkaloids and saponins whereas Anthraquinones,
Phlobatannin and tannins were absent (Adebayo and Adegoke, 2008).
An
ethno-botanical survey conducted in Akwa-Ibom State Nigeria by Ajibesin (2012)
reported that Smilax anceps was used
to treat skin infections. The leaves and twigs are prepared as decoction to
treat skin spots via external use bathing (Ajibesin, 2012).
Another
ethno botanical survey conducted was reported by Telefo et al. (2011 indicated that the leaves of Smilax anceps was used to treat female infertility in Baham,
Cameroon.
1.3 AIMS
AND OBJECTIVES
The
aim of this work is to determine the effect of Smilax anceps as diuretics and anti-inflammatory agents in
experimental animal models
1.4 OBJECTIVES
i) The
present study is to investigate the anti-inflammatory property of the ethanolic
extract of Smilax anceps leaves.
ii) To
investigate the diuretic activity of the ethanolic extract of Smilax aceps leaves.
1.5 JUSTIFICATION
It
has been widely observed that medicinal plants are used in most developing
countries as a normative basis for the maintenance of good health (Ranjan et al., 2010). Screening of natural
sources such as plant extracts has led to the discovery of many clinically
useful drugs that play important roles in the treatment of human diseases
(Kumar et al., 2009. Many medicinal
plants are used in the management of pain and inflammatory conditions (Musa et al., 2009). The presently available
diuretics drugs exhibit several adverse effects and therefore the provision of
plant drugs with fewer or no side effects is of utmost importance. The study of
Smilax anceps might help us achieve
this aim.
Login To Comment