Comparative Effects of Ethanol Leaf-Extracts of Vernonia Amygdalina and Azadirachta Indica on Catalases and Reduced Glutathione in Albino Rats

The comparative effects of ethanol leaf-extracts of Vernonia amygdalina and Azadirachta indica on catalases and reduced glutathione in albino rats were conducted through spectrophotometric methods. The animals were grouped into seven (A, B, C, D, E, F and G) containing six albino rats each. The leaf-extract of Azadirachta indica at 200, 400 and 600 mg/kg body weights was administered for two weeks to animals in groups A, B and C respectively, with corresponding concentrations of Vernonia amygdalina extract given to animals in groups D, E, and F through oral intubation, while those in group G (control) received 0mg/kg body weight of the extract. Blood samples were collected on the fifteenth day following the last day of administration. The serum catalase activities (u/mg of protein) for the groups that received leaf-extracts of Azadirachta indica and Vernonia amygdalina were reduced significantly (p<0.05) at 600mg/kg as they recorded 3.07 ± 0.185 and 2.53 ± 0.256 respectively while the control group gave 6.11 ± 0.149. At 200mg/kg, the extract from Azadirachta indica did not show any significant (p>0.05) increase while that of Vernonia amygdalina showed significantly (p<0.05) greater elevations of reduced glutathione concentrations at all the stipulated doses. The extract from Azadirachta indica reduced the catalase activities significantly at 400 and 600mg/kg body weight, while that of Vernonia amygdalina significantly reduced the catalase activities at all the stipulated doses. The results showed that the extract of Vernonia amygdalina was more effective as an anti-oxidant agent than Azadirachta indica extract.