In vivo and In vitro Antioxidant Activities of Aqueous and Ethanol Stem Bark Extracts of Vitex doniana on Doxorubicin-induced Oxidative Stress in Rats

Background: Oxidative stress is involved in the pathogenesis of hypertension, myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury, atherosclerosis, muscular dystrophy, aging and other associated diseases. Vitex doniana is used in Adamawa, northern Nigeria to treat oxidative stress associated diseases. However, the antioxidative effects of the plant have not been scientifically examined in oxidative stress experimental animal models. The aim of this study is to investigate the in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activities of aqueous and ethanol stem bark extracts of Vitex doniana in oxidative stress model of rats.

Methods: The study used 35 adult albino rats weighing 175 ± 25 g, of which 30 were induced with oxidative stress by intraperitoneal injection of doxorubicin (10 mg/kg) for three consecutive days. Animals were treated by oral administration of silymarin (100 mg/kg) and Vitex doniana aqueous or ethanol extract (100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg) for 14 consecutive days before they were sacrificed on the 15th day and blood was analyzed for biochemical indices of oxidative stress.

Results: The results of the phytochemistry showed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, steroids, phenols, saponins, terpenoids, glycosides: and total flavonoids (52.70 ± 1.60 mg/ml and 75.40 ± 0.80 mg/ml), total phenols (21.45 ± 1.54 mg/ml and 26.50 ± 1.22 mg/ml) for aqueous and ethanol stem bark extracts respectively. The extracts scavenged DPPH radical, reduced Fe3+ and inhibited lipid peroxidation. Doxorubicin significantly (p<0.05) lowered the levels of SOD, CAT, GR and TAS and significantly (p<0.05) but, increased the level of LPO. Oral treatment with Vitex doniana extracts significantly (p<0.05) increased the activities of CAT, GR, SOD and TAS while LPO was significantly (p<0.05) lowered. Vitex doniana stem bark extracts significantly (p<0.05) improved the biochemical derangements observed in the induced untreated animals in comparable manner to that of Silymarin.

Conclusion: The present study provides the scientific rationale for the use of Vitex doniana stem bark in traditional medicine and has a viable antioxidative capacity both in vitro and in vivo.