Protective and Curative Potentials of <i>Sida corymbosa</i> Extract Against Antioxidant Depletion in Rats Administered Carbon Tetrachloride

Sida corymbosa plant is one of medicinal plants used in many parts of Africa, including Nigeria for the treatment of human diseases. The purpose of this work was to investigate the antioxidant effects of Sida corymbosa ethanolic leaf extract on rats administered carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). One hundred and sixty male-rats between 170-180 g were used. They were grouped into 8 major groups (groups A-H) and 4 subgroups (A1-H4) in each group making it 32 subgroups of 5 rats each. The major groups comprise A (positive control- normal rats giving feed and water only and left for 7-28 d), B (negative control-those administered CCl4 only at 0.4 ml/kgbw and left for 7-28 d), C-H (treatment groups-those administered extract before and after CCl4 administration at 5,000, 3,000 and 1,000 mg/kgbw for 7-28 d). Antioxidant assays were determined using UV-VIS spectrophotometer (model 752g, China). Results of serum antioxidant assays done revealed that levels of serum reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), supraoxide dismutase (SOD) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) increased significantly (P\u003c0.05) in the treatment groups from 7-28 d, when compared with the negative control. Oxidative assay carried out showed that serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were significantly lower (P\u003c0.05) in treatment groups than in negative control groups. These may be suggesting that the extract may have improved the antioxidant levels of the rats. Sida corymbosa ethanolic leaf extract may, therefore, have positive effects on antioxidant status of rats administered CCl4.