EFFECT OF DRYING OF MIRACLE PLANT (BRYOPHYLLUM PINNATUM (LAM.) OKEN) LEAVES ON KEY BIOCHEMICAL INDICES LINKED WITH ULCERATIVE COLITIS AND ITS COMPLICATIONS IN RATS

Abstract

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that damages the colonic mucosa, and potentiates other complications. Bryophyllum pinnatum is a medicinal plant that possesses various phytochemicals which are responsible for various pharmacological effects thus used for the treatment of various diseases. It is reportedly eaten and used extensively in folklore for treating inflammation. Dietary approach has been suggested a possible alternative natural treatment strategy for the management of ulcerative colitis and its attendant complications. Therefore, this study investigates the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of Bryophyllum pinnatum in acetic-acid induced ulcerative colitis rats. The total phenol, total flavonoids and antioxidant properties were determined while phenolic constituents were also characterized using HPLC-DAD. In addition, the effect of drying of Bryophyllum pinnatum on myeloperoxidase activity, membrane stabilization, albumin denaturation and heat-induced hemolysis were assessed in human erythrocyte in vitro. Dietary inclusion was done at two varied supplementation (10% and 15%) using freeze-dried, oven-dried and sun-dried leaves. Also, the protective effect of dietary supplemented Bryophyllum pinnatum (10% and 15%) were investigated on C-Reactive protein (CRP) and inflammatory cytokines (TNF α, NF κB, IL-6 and IL-10) contents as well as myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities in the colon and cholinesterases, adenosine deaminase, Na+/K+ ATPase activities in the brain as well as urea, uric acid and creatinine content in the serum of acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis rats. Thirty-five male Wistar rats were used and divided into five groups (n=7). Group 1 - normal control rats; Group 2 – ulcerative colitis rats; Group 3 - ulcerative colitis rats + sulfasalazine; Group 4 - ulcerative colitis rats + 10% Bryophyllum pinnatum; Group 5 - ulcerative colitis rats + 15% Bryophyllum pinnatum. After 21 days of experiment comprising of acclimatization, dietary manipulation, pre-treatment with Bryophyllum pinnatum supplemented diet, the animals were sacrificed and the rats’ colon, brain and blood were collected for subsequent analysis. Colon macroscopic scoring (using Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index scores range 1-10) revealed increased weight and score in the ulcerative colitis group. The results demonstrated that the elevated CRP, TNF-α, NF-κB and IL-6 contents and MPO activity in the ulcerative colitis rats were significantly reduced when compared with the control rats and the rats fed with 10 and 15% inclusion of Bryophyllum pinnatum in the diet. HPLC-DAD characterization revealed the presence of catechin, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, rutin, quercetin, luteolin-7-O-β-D-glycoside and luteolin. This study demonstrated that Bryophyllum pinnatum leaf exhibited both therapeutic and protective effects via modulation of CRP, TNF α, NF κB and IL-6 contents and MPO activity in ulcerative colitis state. Also, it protects against complication of ulcerative colitis in the kidney and brain of experimental rats. Freeze-dried Bryophyllum pinnatum leaf was seen to elicit the best biological activity with air-dried exhibiting the least while there was alternating potencies in the activities elicited by the sun-dried and oven-dried. Thus, Bryophyllum pinnatum could be used as cheap dietary intervention for the management of ulcerative colitis and its attendant complications in the kidney and brain, since the synthetic medicine used for its management is expensive and not easily accessible.