METHANOL LEAF

Hypertension or high blood pressure is a worldwide problem that effects approximately 15-20%of all adults (Wang et al., 2008). Hypertension is known as silent killer as it showed no symptom. Although Hypertension is simple to diagnose and usually can be controlled by healthy diet, regular exercise, medication prescribed by doctors or a combination of these, however untreated hypertension can cause serious conditions (Campbell et al., 2002). It has been shown that Hypertension is associated with cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, obesity, carbohydrate tolerance, hyperuricacidemia, and atherosclerosis (Yeh et al.,2009). Hypertension affects the structures and functions of small muscular arteries, arterioles and other blood vessels and can cause damage at variable rate to various target organs including kidney, brain and eye, related with the end stage of renal disease and to be the cause of stroke (Escobales et al., 2005; Lee et al., 2010). It is associated with the alterations in the blood vessels wall that affecting the endotheli, the media and the adventitia, whereas alteration in the media leading to remodeling of the vessel wall (Escobales et al., 2005).

The plant commonly known as the forest fever tree has been widely used in African traditional medicine for treating fever, jaundice, malaria, and liver-related disorders. Its hepatoprotective potential is attributed to its rich phytochemical composition, including flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, and saponins. The study investigated the effect of methanol leaf extract of Anthocleista grandiflora on liver enzyme activities in Wistar rats. Fresh leaves were collected, authenticated, air-dried, pulverized, and extracted using methanol. Twenty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups of five rats each. The control group received distilled water, while the other groups were administered 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg, and 800 mg/kg body weight of the methanol extract daily for 28 days. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were determined as biomarkers of hepatic function using standard diagnostic methods. The results revealed no statistically significant (p > 0.05) differences between treated and control groups. ALT values ranged from 80.40 ± 3.79 to 101.40 ± 6.39 U/L, AST from 157.60 ± 4.33 to 169.40 ± 2.73 U/L, and ALP from 373.20 ± 19.78 to 451.00 ± 67.33 U/L. These results indicate that the methanol leaf extract of A. grandiflora did not induce hepatotoxicity at the tested doses. The stability of liver enzyme levels within normal physiological limits suggests that the extract maintained hepatic integrity and may possess hepatoprotective properties. The observed effects are attributed to the presence of antioxidant phytochemicals that prevent lipid peroxidation, stabilize hepatocyte membranes, and enhance cellular defense mechanisms. These findings support the traditional use of A. grandiflora in managing liver ailments and demonstrate its potential as a safe natural therapeutic agent. Further studies are recommended to isolate and characterize the specific bioactive constituents responsible for its hepatoprotective action

Anxiety disorders are prevalent globally and the limitations in current treatments necessitate the exploration of ethnomedicinal plants. This study evaluated the putative anxiolytic-like potential of methanol leaf extracts of Ficus iteophylla (MEFI) and Tamarindus indica (METI) in mice, based on their traditional uses in Nigeria for neurobehavioural conditions. Qualitative phytochemical screening and oral acute toxicity in mice were conducted on the extract. For each extract, mice were randomly allotted to groups (n=4): group 1 (negative control, given oral 1% Tween 80), groups 2, 3, 4 (extract-treated with doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg p.o.), and group 5 (given 0.5 mg/kg of diazepam, i.p.). The animals were subjected to the hole- board test (HBT) and elevated plus maze (EPM). Groups of mice given 0.2 ml/day, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg/day of the extract for 14 consecutive days. After the last dose on the 14th day, their brains were for the assay of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (Gr), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels.