Evaluation of the Effects of Calliandra Portoricensis Extracts on Oxidative Stress Enzymes in Wistar Rats Challenged with Venom of Echis Ocellatus

Evaluation of the effects of Calliandra portoricensis extracts on oxidative stress (antioxidant) enzymes was carried out using wistar rat model. The anti-oxidant enzymes evaluated were superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). These extracts were used to ascertain their potency in enhancing these enzymes activities in envenomed rats. A total of 30 rats were randomly assigned into 5 treatment groups of 6 rats each. Group 1 (control) received nothing. Group 2 received viperian venom only. Groups 3, 4 and 5 received same amount of venom in addition to calculated doses of flavonoid-rich, polyphenol-rich and whole ethanolic extracts respectively. The dosages of the venom and the C. portoricensis extracts were administered intramuscularly. After about 4 hours, the rats were sacrificed, serum collected and the oxidative stress enzymes assayed. Marked decrease of SOD, CAT and GPx enzymes activities occurred in the group 2 rats while increases (P<0.05) were observed in groups 3, 4 and 5 experimental rats. These findings suggest that C. portoricensis extracts actually attenuated the obliterating effects of the viperian venom on the naturally-occurring anti-oxidant enzymes in experimental wistar rats.