Inhibitory Effect of Aqueous Extract of Moringa oleifera and Newbuoldia laevis Leaves on Ferrous Sulphate and Sodium Nitroprusside Induced Oxidative Stress in Rat’s Testes in Vitro

Oxidative stress has been identified as one of the factors that affects fertility status. Therefore, this study sought to in-vestigate the inhibitory effect of aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera and Newbuoldia laevis leaves on FeSO4 and So-dium Nitroprusside (SNP) induced lipid peroxidation in rat testes in vitro. Incubation of the testes tissue homogenate in the presence of FeSO4 and SNP caused a significant increase in the malondialdehyde (MDA) contents of the testes. The aqueous extract from both Moringa oleifera and Newbuoldia laevis leaves caused a significant decrease in the MDA contents of the testes in a dose-dependent manner. However, aqueous extract from Moringa oleifera leaf (EC50 = 0.29 mg/ml) had a significant (P < 0.05) higher inhibitory effect on Fe2+ induced lipid peroxidation in the rat testes homoge-nate than that of Newbuoldia laevis leaf extract (EC50 = 0.58 mg/ml); while there was no significant (P < 0.05) differ-ence between the plant extracts on SNP induced lipid peroxidation in the rat testes homogenates. Therefore, part of the mechanisms through which the water extractable phytochemicals in the leaves protect the testes from oxidative stress may be through their antioxidant activity; DPPH scavenging ability, Fe2+ chelating and reducing power. Therefore, these plants have potential to prevent oxidative stress in testes and improve fertility outcomes

Phenolic characterization, antioxidant activities, and inhibitory effects of Physalis angulata and Newbouldia laevis on enzymes linked to erectile dysfunction

This study reports the phenolic composition, antioxidant activity, and capacity of Physalis angulata and Newbouldia laevis leaves to inhibit enzymes (phosphodiesterase-5′ [PDE-5′], arginase, acetylcholinesterase [AChE], and angiotensin-I converting enzyme [ACE]) linked to erectile dysfunction. High-performance liquid chromatography–diode array detector analysis of the aqueous extracts revealed the presence of phenolic acids (caffeic, ellagic, chlorogenic, and gallic acids) and flavonoids (quercetin, rutin, isoquercitrin, kaempferol, and quercitrin). N. laevis exhibited significantly higher inhibitory effects on PDE-5′, arginase, and ACE activities compared to P. angulata. There was no significant (P < 0.05) difference in the AChE inhibitory activities of both extracts. Furthermore, P. angulata exhibited lower radical scavenging and chelating abilities compared to N. laevis. These findings revealed that P. angulata and N. laevis leaves are good candidates for the development of functional foods with potentials to improve erectile function

Aqueous extract from Ficus capensis leaves inhibits key enzymes linked to erectile dysfunction and prevent oxidative stress in rats' penile tissue

Context: Ficus capensis Thunb (Moraceae) is a medicinal plant widely grown in tropical and subtropical regions with the leaf decoction commonly taken in traditional folklore as fertility agent in men for ages. Aim: This study investigated the effects of aqueous extract from Ficus capensis leaves on angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE), acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and arginase activities in vitro. The antioxidant properties of the extract as typified by the abilities to scavenge radicals [nitric oxide (NO), hydroxyl (OH)], chelate Fe2+  and inhibit Fe2+ -induced lipid peroxidation were also assessed. Methods: The aqueous extract (1:10 w/v) of Ficus capensis leaves was prepared and the ability of the extract to inhibit arginase, angiotensin I –converting enzyme (ACE), acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and antioxidant properties of the extract in rat’s penile tissue in vitro was investigated using various spectrophotometric methods. Phenolic constituent was carried-out using high performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection (HPLC - DAD). Results: The extract inhibited ACE (IC50 = 52.17), AChE (IC50 = 172.60 μg/mL) and arginase (IC50 = 112.50 μg/mL) activities in a dose-dependent pattern. Gallic acid, quercetin, caffeic acid, ellagic acid, rutin and chlorogenic acid were the most abundant phenolic compounds identified in the sample. Furthermore, extract scavenged NO (IC50 = 0.12 μg/mL) and OH (IC50 = 0.53 μg/mL) radicals, chelated Fe2+  (IC50 = 0.16 μg/mL) and inhibited Fe2+  lipid peroxidation (IC50 = 435.17 μg/mL) dose-dependently. Conclusion: Inhibition of ACE, AChE, arginase, Fe2+ -induced lipid peroxidation as well as radical scavenging and Fe2+ -chelating abilities could be some of the possible mechanisms by which F. capensis leaves could be used in the treatment/management of erectile dysfunction (ED). Keywords: Ficus capensis, Erectile dysfunction, ACE, Arginase, AChE, Polyphenol

Inhibitory Effect of Aqueous Extract of Stem Bark of Cissus populnea on Ferrous Sulphate- and Sodium Nitroprusside-Induced Oxidative Stress in Rat&#x2019;s Testes In Vitro

Cissus populnea are plants associated with a myriad of medicinal uses in different parts of the world and are good sources of carotenoids, triterpenoids, and ascorbic acid. The antioxidant properties and inhibitory effect of water extractible phytochemicals from stembark of C. populnea on FeSO4 and sodiumnitroprusside- (SNP-) induced lipid peroxidation in rat testeswere investigated in vitro.The results revealed that the extract was able to scavenge DPPH radical, chelate Fe2+ and also had a high reducing power. Furthermore, the incubation of the testes tissue homogenate in the presence of FeSO4 and SNP, respectively, caused a significant increase in the malondialdehyde (MDA) contents of the testes. However, the aqueous extract of the stem bark of C. populnea caused a significant decrease in theMDA contents of both Fe2+ (EC50 = 0.027mg/mL) and SNP- (EC50 = 0.22mg/mL) induced lipid peroxidation in the rat testes homogenates in a dose-dependent manner.The water extractible phytochemicals from C. populnea protect the testes from oxidative stress and this could be attributed to their high antioxidant activity: DPPH-scavenging ability, Fe2+-chelating and -reducing power. Therefore, oxidatively stress in testes could be potentially managed/prevented by this plant