Cytoprotective treatment of flavonoid fractions of phyllantus amarus leaf on the hippocampus of adult wistar rats following pentylenetetrazol induced convulsion

Abstract

Phyllanthus amarus Schum and Thonn herb is in traditional medicine for more than 3000 years. It belongs to a family of Euphorbiaceae and commonly known by the name of carry me seed, stone breaker, gala of wind, etc. It is a branching annual herb of 30-60 cm height widely spread throughout tropics and sub-tropics as a weed. Phyllanthus amarus is gaining momentum for its hepatoprotective, anti-carcinogenic, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and more activities as it contains different combinations of secondary metabolites, which render them medicinal properties. The major class of bioactive compounds like alkaloids, flavonoids, lignans, sterols, tannins, triterpenes and volatile oils has been isolated. Flavonoids are secondary metabolites that are very abundant in plants, fruits, and seeds, responsible for the color, fragrance, and flavor characteristics. In plants, flavonoids perform many functions like regulating cell growth, attracting pollinators insects, and protecting against biotic and abiotic stresses. The study grouped animals used into seven (7) groups with six (6) animals per group. Group 1 were given standard animal feed and water only, group 2 were given 33mg/kg of PTZ only, group 3 were given 100mg/kg of tannin fractions and 33mg/kg of PTZ, group 4 were given 200mg/kg of tannin fractions and 33mg/kg of PTZ, group 5 were given 400mg/kg of tannin fractions 33mg/kg of PTZ, group 6 were given 400mg/kg of tannin fractions while group 7 were given 6.4ml of carbamezepine drug and 41.2mg/kg of PTZ. Administration of Flavonoid was oral while PTZ was administered intraperitoneally all for a period of 20 days. Data generated was analyzed using SPSS ver. 23. Thresh-hold responses to PTZ as recorded with a digital timer and histological observations were done. Findings from this study showed that PTZ caused considerable weight loss, animals in group 2 which were given 33mg/kg of PTZ only showed that highest latency response and those in group 3 which were pretreated with 100mg/kg of flavonoid and given 33mg/kg of PTZ exerted the highest thresh-hold response. Histological observations showed that 33mg/kg of PTZ caused degranulation of neurons in the dentate granular layer of the hippocampus and mild tissue traumatic encephalopathy of the dentate gyrus. Flavonoid fractions also exhibited protective traits for neurons in the dentate gyrus.

Keywords: Flavonoid; Convulsion; Phyllanthus amarus; encephalopathy