Abelmoschus Esculentus (Moench.) Seed Derived Flavonoids Antioxidant Protect the Heart Against Experimental Oxidative Injury

Since oxidative stress impairs the cardiovascular function, the hypothesis from the present study is that the treatment of paraquat-exposed adult Wistar rats with methanolic extract of Abelmoschus esculentus seed would reduce paraquat-induced cardiovascular damage. Thirty healthy female Wistar rats weighing 120-150 g were randomly assigned into 6 groups of 5 rats each (Groups A, B, C, D, E and F). Rats in groups A served as control and received normal saline while groups B, C, D, E and F received a single dose of paraquat (7mgkg-1i.p.). Rats in group B was sacrificed 24hours following paraquat administration while daily administration of 100 mg kg-1and 200 mg kg-1 of methanolic extract of Abelmoschus esculentus seed extract were given orally to groups C and D while group E received daily oral dose of Vitamin E at 100mgkg-1 and group F was left untreated. Histological and biochemical preparations of the heart was made and data were expressed as mean± SEM. Significant difference was set at p<0.05. Results showed no significance difference (p<0.05) in nitric oxide activity, Glutathione reductase activity, and troponin I activity across the paraquat-exposed groups when compared with control. Histological studies reveal distortion of normal cardiac histo-architecture in paraquat-exposed group B compared with control rats while Abelmoschus esculentus reversed these changes in other treated groups. The study concluded that paraquat caused significant distortion of the cardiac histo-architecture and methanolic extract of immature Abelmoschus esculentus seed had antioxidant and ameliorative effects similar to Vitamin E on paraquat-induced myocardial injury.