Project Materials

EFFECT OF TELFERIA OCCIDENTALIS AND VERNONIA AMYGDALINA ON ANTIOXIDANTS AND MALONDIALDEHYDE IN HEART, PLASMA AND BRAIN IN HIGH SUCROSE DIET FED RATS

Chapter one

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

High sucrose diets have been associated to a variety of health issues, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive impairment. High sucrose diets are known to cause oxidative stress in a variety of tissues, including the heart, plasma, and brain (Bai et al., 2018; Lee et al., 2018).

Oxidative stress arises when reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation exceeds the antioxidant defence system, resulting in cellular damage and malfunction (Sies, 2017).

Antioxidants serve an important role in reducing the consequences of oxidative stress by neutralising ROS and shielding cells from their harmful effects.

Telferia occidentalis and Vernonia amygdalina are two green vegetables that are widely consumed in West Africa. They are known for their high antioxidant content and have been proven to provide a variety of health advantages, including anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, and hypolipidemic effects (Okwu & Ndu, 2011; Udoamaka et al., 2020).

Telferia occidentalis and Vernonia amygdalina have been used in traditional medicine for generations to treat a variety of conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, and malaria (Nwokocha et al., 2012; Orish et al., 2014).

However, the effects of Telferia occidentalis and Vernonia amygdalina on the antioxidant status in the heart, plasma, and brain of rats fed a high sucrose diet have yet to be fully understood.

Several studies have looked into the antioxidant activities of Telferia occidentalis and Vernonia amygdalina. In one study, Telferia occidentalis was discovered to have high total phenolic content and good antioxidant activity (Udoamaka et al., 2020).

Vernonia amygdalina was found to have high antioxidant activities and to be able to reduce the effects of oxidative stress in liver tissues (Adegbola et al., 2020). Nevertheless, the