Project Materials

EFFECTS OF TELFERIA OCCIDENTALIS AND VERNONIA AMYGDALINA ON ANTIOXIDANTS (SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE, AND CATALASE) AND MALONDIADEHYDE IN BRAIN, PLASMA AND LIVER IN HIGH SUCROSE DIET FED RATS

Chapter one

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the development of many chronic diseases, including diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. High sucrose diets have been associated to oxidative stress because they include a high concentration of free radicals and reactive oxygen species. Antioxidants are known to help counteract oxidative stress by neutralising free radicals and reactive oxygen species.

The purpose of this study is to look into the effects of Telferia occidentalis and Vernonia amygdalina on antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and catalase) and malondialdehyde in the brain, plasma, and liver of rats fed a high sucrose diet. T. occidentalis and V. amygdalina are commonly used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments due to their high antioxidant qualities.

This study aims to investigate their potential as therapeutic agents in treating the oxidative damage associated with high sugar diets. The findings of this study may help to create novel therapeutic techniques for controlling and preventing oxidative stress-induced illnesses.

Oxidative stress contributes significantly to the development of a variety of diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

High sucrose diets are recognised to be a primary source of oxidative stress because they include high levels of free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) (Alemika et al., 2021).

ROS can damage biological components such as DNA, proteins, and lipids, resulting in the development of chronic illnesses. Antioxidants are essential in countering oxidative stress since they neutralise ROS and lower the risk of chronic illnesses (Ghorbani & Hadjzadeh, 2021).

Telferia occidentalis and Vernonia amygdalina are two popular medicinal herbs in Nigeria. They have long been utilised to treat a variety of conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, and oxidative stress (Bamisaye et al., 2020).

These plants are known to have strong antioxidant effects due to their high polyphenol and flavonoid content (Bamisaye et al., 2020). T. occidentalis and V. amygdalina’s antioxidant properties make them ideal candidates for studying their potential protection against oxidative stress-induced damage in rats fed a high sucrose diet.

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) are two important antioxidant enzymes that help fight oxidative stress. SOD is an enzyme that catalyses the dismutation of superoxide radicals into hydrogen peroxide and molecular oxygen, whereas CAT converts hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen (Ghorbani & Hadjzadeh, 2021). These enzymes cooperate to protect cells from oxidative stress-induced damage.

Malondialdehyde (MDA) is a measure of lipid peroxidation, a process in which free radicals destroy lipids within the cell membrane. MDA levels are measured to determine the amount of lipid peroxidation in the cell membrane and to detect oxidative stress (Bamisaye et al., 2020).

T. occidentalis and V. amygdalina may have antioxidant properties, according to several research. Bamisaye et al. (2020) examined the antioxidant properties of T. occidentalis and V. amygdalina in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

The researchers discovered that both plants dramatically improved antioxidant enzyme activity while decreasing oxidative stress indicators. Alemika et al. (2021) also investigated the