RADS Journal of Biological Research & Applied Sciences
Effect of Dietary Xylopia Aethiopica Fruit Extract on Some Pro-Inflammatory Markers in Pregnant Wistar Rats
By Gloria Nosariemen Azekhumen and Ebomoyi I. Maureen.
Abstract
Background
Elevated levels of tumour necrosis factor -alpha (TNF-?) and interleukin - 6 (IL-6) has been reported indicative of pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and preterm birth. Xylopia aethiopica fruit (Ethiopian pepper) has been reported to exhibit anti-inflammatory effect in non-pregnant models.
Objectives
The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of Ethiopian pepper on some pro-inflammatory markers in pregnant Wistar rats. Methodology: Forty adult, healthy, female Wistar rats were used for this study. The rats were acclimatized for 2 weeks, to the laboratory conditions of standard temperature (22 °C – 25 °C and 12hour light-dark cycle). The rats on estrous phase of their cycle were selected and mated with male rats of proven fertility in the ratio of 2:1 overnight. The following day, gestation day 0, the vagina lavage smear of the rats was taken using 1ml pipette and normal saline solution. The smear was placed on a glass slide and viewed under a light microscope for the presence of spermatozoa. The presence of spermatozoa in the vagina smear indicated mating. The pregnant rats were divided into two phases: Germinal phase (gestation day 1-7) and Embryonic phase (gestation day 8-14). Each phase was divided into four groups (A, B, C and D) of n = 5 rats each. Group A rats were given 0.25ml/kg body weight (b.wt) hexane extract of the fruits. Group B rats were given 0.5ml/kg hexane extract of the fruits for seven (7) days. Group C rats were given 1.0ml/kg hexane extract of the fruits while Group D rats were given water only. 24 hours after the last administration, the pregnant rats were anaesthetized with chloroform and their abdominal cavities were opened-up and their uteri were collected, weighed and homogenized in phosphate buffer solution and centrifuged at 3600 rpm for 10 minutes to obtain the supernatants which were then used for the biochemical analysis of TNF-? and IL - 6. Data were Analysed using IBM SPSS statistical software version 22 using analysis of variance (ANOVA) for group comparism. Results were expressed as mean ± standard error of mean.