CHARACTERIZATION OF THE LIPID PEROXIDATION ACTIVITY OF METHANOLIC EXTRACTS OF Detarium microcarpum, Danielli oliveiri. and Boswellia dazielli LEAVES

It is a known scientific fact, that, oxidative stress is the leading cause of most degenerative diseases. A major source of reactive oxygen supply is the lipid peroxidation autocatalytic process [1]. Antioxidant defense system involves the antioxidant enzymes, both the essential trace elements and also amino acids constituents. These 3 leaves, Detarium microcarpum G. & P. (DML), Danielli oliveiri H. & D. (DOL), and Boswellia dazielli H, (BDL) have been used in Northern ethnomedicine for the treatment of inflammation and cancer [2]. The results revealed that BDL had the highest total phenol (110 ± 0.001 mg/gGAE) and flavonoid content (28.9 ± 0.001 mg/g QUE) and DOL with the least values. The BDL had the highest reducing power, Nitric oxide, DPPH and ABTS⁺ free radical scavenging ability. Furthermore, the inhibition of lipid peroxidation by DML, in the brain, liver and colon using FeSO₄/SNP as pro oxidants caused a significant increase in the Malondialdehyde (MDA) content, inhibitory effect at dose level (15.33 – 77.83 mg/mL) in the colon. This may be due to its having a high content of Selenium, Copper, Zinc, and Manganese; trace elements that boost antioxidant defense system. DML had a high content in amino acids that are components of antioxidant enzymes; glutamine, cysteine, glycine, and methionine [3]. Therefore, these findings indicate that the lipid peroxidation activity depends not only on the antioxidant capacity of the phytoconstituents, but most likely on the contents of essential elements and amino acids.

[1] Yin H, Xu L, Porter N. Chemical Reviews 2011; 10: 5944 – 5972

[2] Abubakar M, Musab A, Ahmeda A, Hussaini M. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2007;11: 625 – 629

[3] Liochev S, Fridovich I. J. Biol. Chem. 2000; 275: 38482 – 38485