PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND BIOCHEMICAL EVALUATION OF Ficus platyphylla STEM BARK EXTRACT OF NUPE LAND ORIGIN IN ALBINO RATS

Abstract

Extracts of Ficus platyphylla (Moraceae) have been used by medicinal herbalist in Nigerian for the treatment of pain, psychosis, epilepsy, depression, and inflammation for decades. Phytochemical screening and biochemical evaluation of F. platyphylla stem bark extract of Nupe land origin in albino rats were carried out to ascertain its safety and complement earlier efficacy studies on this widely used medicinal plant. Extraction of 80 g of the grand F. platyphylla stem bark was performed in 500 mL of cold acetone and the filtrate was evaporated in a rotary evaporator, the paste collected was reconstituted separately in distilled water to give the required doses of 1000, 3000 and 5000 mg/kg as working concentrations. The healthy rats (n=6 per group) were treated orally with three graded doses of F. platyphylla stem bark extracts, separately, for 28 days. Phytochemical screening, lipid parameters, liver enzyme activities, antioxidant enzyme, and hematological indices were examined following 28 days of daily oral administration of graded doses of the extract in rats. Administration of the three graded doses of extracts in healthy rats demonstrated high potentials against hyperglycemia, atherogenicity and oxidative stress in rats upon 28th days of treatments. The atherogenicity and coronary risk indices were drastically decreased, which is in support of the antihyperglycemic and antiatherogenic effects in treated rats. These findings revealed that all doses of F. platyphylla stem bark extracts have exhibited high protective mechanisms against hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular disorder and oxidative stress in healthy rats. Therefore, the doses of extracts used showed a toxic free mechanism and may be a good promising in developing food supplements targeting main complications associated with various human disorders.