April 2015 Vol.3 No.4

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Original Research Article

The effects of Cymbopogon citratus (Lemon grass) on the antioxidant profiles wistar albino rats

Adegbegi J. Ademuyiwa¹* and Oso K. Grace²

¹Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State. Nigeria.
²Department of Hospitality Management Technology, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State. Nigeria.

^*Corresponding Author’s Email: joshuajournals@gmail.com
Tel: +234 8066149905

Accepted April 14, 2015

Abstract

Medicinal plants have been recognized to have therapeutic effects and they may also have toxic side effects. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of extracts of Cymbopogon citratus on normal rats. Biochemical studies carried out to determine the oxidative status by measuring activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), and in the liver, kidney and pancreas through oral administration of ethanolic and aqueous extract of C. citratus at a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight, for a period of 30 days. SOD, catalase, GSH and Vitamin C activities in the tissues (liver, kidney and pancrease) of the rats treated with the medicinal plants were generally higher or statistical slightly similar to control. Histopathology result showed that both ethanolic and aqueous extracts (200 mg/kg body weight) of C. citratus was safer as no adverse effects were observed in the organs examined. Findings in this study showed that this plant did not exert oxidative damage; in some instances, particularly in the liver, kidney and pancreas as well as its relative safety and possible use for weight gain.

Keywords: Blood glucose, Cymbopogon citrates, Hypoglycaemic, Medicinal plants, Oxidative status