Evaluation of the ＂In Vitro＂ and ＂In Vivo＂ Antioxidant Potentials of ＂Aframomum Melegueta＂ Methanolic Seed Extract

Aframomum melegueta Schum (Zingiberaceae) is a perennial herb widely cultivated for its valuable seeds in the tropical region of Africa. The present study evaluated the antioxidant effects of methanolic seed extract of A. melegueta. The antioxidant effects were evaluated using in vitro, 2, 2-dipheny...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Tropical Medicine 2014-01, Vol.2014 (2014), p.18-23
Main Authors: Chukwu, Martins Ndubuisi, Ezeja, Maxwell Ikechukwu, Omeh, Yusuf Ndukaku, Onoja, Samuel Okwudili
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Antioxidants
Materia medica, Vegetable
Physiological aspects
Plant extracts
Reactive oxygen species
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Summary:Aframomum melegueta Schum (Zingiberaceae) is a perennial herb widely cultivated for its valuable seeds in the tropical region of Africa. The present study evaluated the antioxidant effects of methanolic seed extract of A. melegueta. The antioxidant effects were evaluated using in vitro, 2, 2-diphenylpicrylhydrazine photometric assay and in vivo serum catalase, superoxide dismutase and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance assay method. The extract (25–400 μg/mL concentration) produced concentration dependent increase in antioxidant activity in 2, 2-diphenylpicrylhydrazine photometric assay. The extract (400 mg/kg) showed a significant ( P < 0.05 ) increase in serum catalase and superoxide dismutase activity when compared with the control group. The extract (400 mg/kg) showed a significant ( P < 0.05 ) decrease in the serum level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance when compared with the control group. These findings suggest that the seed of A. melegueta has potent antioxidant activity which may be responsible for some of its reported pharmacological activities and can be used as antioxidant supplement.
ISSN:1687-9686
1687-9694
DOI:10.1155/2014/159343