Dawood Ahmed
University of Haripur, Pakistan
Title: Study of phytochemical and antitumor activity of the Taraxacum Officinale L. on rat
Biography
Biography: Dawood Ahmed
Abstract
This study was designed to investigate the phytochemical constituents and protective effects of Taraxacum officinale against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced oxidative stress in Sprague-Dawley male rats. Whole plant powder was used for proximate analysis. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of plant extract were carried out according to standard procedures for the presence of different bioactive compounds (Phenols, flavonoids, tannins, saponins and alkaloids). All fractions were evaluated for in vitro biological assays. Exposure of rats to CCl4 revealed marked injuries including pulmonary fibrosis, alveolar breakage, blood capillaries congestion of lungs; in liver fatty changes, cellular hypertrophy, necrosis, inflammatory cells infiltrations, degeneration of the lobular shape, formation of septa and dilation of central blood vessel were observed; in kidney interstitial fibrosis, tubular degeneration and mononuclear cell infiltration were observed; in adrenal glands accumulation of fatty droplets and hyperplasia were observed; in testis degeneration of seminiferous tubules, loss of germ cells and interruption in meiosis were seen. All above changes caused by CCl4 were significantly repaired by the administration of extract of Taraxacum officinale .It also markedly increases the level of TBARS and nitrites along with corresponding decrease in reduced glutathione and various antioxidant enzymes , i.e., catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase. Supplementation of Taraxacum officinale (100, 150, 200 mg/kg body weight orally) once a week for 16 weeks results in decrease of TBARS and nitrite, while increase in antioxidant enzymes; catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, GSH-Px and GSH contents. The results obtained in this study suggested that extract of Taraxacumofficinale possess antioxidant, cytotoxicity and anticancer effects which might be due to the presence of bioactive compounds; flavonoids, tannins,saponins and alkaloids .Further studies are required to isolate the majorbioactive constituents and to verify both in vitro and in vivo assays.