Anti-hyperprolactinemic activities of aqueous extract of Uvaria chamae (P. Beauv) roots and associated biochemical changes in chlorpromazine-induced hyperprolactinemic female Wistar rats

ETHNOPHARAMCOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The age-long folkloric use of Uvaria chamae roots in the management of nipple discharge that is not related to pregnancy, childbirth or nursing but as a result of excessive production of prolactin (hyperprolactinemia) is yet to be substantiated with scientific data.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study investigated the anti-hyperprolactinemic activities of aqueous extract of Uvaria chamae roots (AEUCR) and associated biochemical changes in chlorpromazine (CPZ)-induced hyperprolactinemic female Wistar rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of sixty female rats (207.40 ± 2.69 g) were assigned into 6 groups: A-F. Animals in Group A received 0.5 ml of distilled water only whilst the 7 days CPZ-treated female rats (to induce hyperprolactinemia) in groups B, C, D, E, and F also received distilled water, 2.5 mg/kg body weight of bromocriptine (reference drug), 0.71, 1.41 2.83 mg/kg body weight of AEUCR for 28 days.

RESULTS

AEUCR contained a total of 15 (75%) amino acids with seven (46.67%) being essential amino acids and eight (53.33%) as non-essential amino acids. Administration of CPZ increased (p < 0.05) the levels of prolactin and testosterone, and reduced (p < 0.05) the levels of estradiol, progesterone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), dopamine, triiodothyronine (T3) and tetraiodothyroxine (T4). Chlorpromazine also increased the levels of serum urea, creatinine, total protein, albumin, globulin, bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) of the animals. In contrast, AEUCR significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the CPZ-induced increases in the levels of prolactin and testosterone, and increased the levels of CPZ-induced reduction in the progesterone, estradiol, FSH, LH, dopamine, T3 and T4. The AEUCR also reversed (p < 0.05) the CPZ-induced related increases in the levels of urea, creatinine, total protein, albumin, globulin, bilirubin, ALT, AST and ALP similar to the trends in the distilled water- and bromocriptine-treated controls. The CPZ-induced remarkable increase in the size of lactating alveolus and lactiferous duct distribution in the mammary gland were restored to normal tubule-alveolar female pattern mammary glands, composed of branching ducts and small alveoli budding off the ducts.

CONCLUSION

The study concluded that aqueous extract of Uvaria chamae root exhibited anti-hyperprolactinemic activity by restoring prolactin and dopamine levels and tubule-alveolar female pattern in female rats. It also ameliorated CPZ-induced changes in the liver and kidney function indices. This study justifies the folkloric use of Uvaria chamae root in the management of abnormal discharge by the nipples that is unrelated to pregnancy, childbirth and nursing.

Effects of agmatine on chlorpromazine toxicity in the liver of Wistar rats: the possible role of oxidant/antioxidant imbalance

Chlorpromazine (CPZ) is a member of a widely used class of antipsychotic agents. The metabolic pathways of CPZ toxicity were examined by monitoring oxidative/nitrosative stress markers. The aim of the study was to investigate the hypothesis that agmatine (AGM) prevents oxidative stress in the liver of Wistar rats 48 h after administration of CPZ. All tested compounds were administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) in one single dose. The animals were divided into control (C, 0.9% saline solution), CPZ (CPZ, 38.7 mg/kg b.w.), CPZ+AGM (AGM, 75 mg/kg b.w. immediately after CPZ, 38.7 mg/kg b.w. i.p.), and AGM (AGM, 75 mg/kg b.w.) groups. Rats were sacrificed by decapitation 48 h after treatment. The CPZ and CPZ+AGM treatments significantly increased thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), the nitrite and nitrate (NO₂+NO₃) concentration, and superoxide anion (O₂^•-) production in rat liver homogenates compared with C values. CPZ injection decreased the capacity of the antioxidant defense system: superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, catalase (CAT) activity, total glutathione (GSH) content, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, and glutathione reductase (GR) activity compared with the values of the C group. However, treatment with AGM increased antioxidant capacity in the rat liver; it increased the CAT activity, GSH concentration, GPx activity, and GR activity compared with the values of the CPZ rats. Immunohistochemical staining of ED1 in rats showed an increase in the number of positive cells 48 h after acute CPZ administration compared with the C group. Our results showed that AGM has no protective effects on parameters of oxidative and/or nitrosative stress in the liver but that it absolutely protective effects on the antioxidant defense system and restores the antioxidant capacity in liver tissue after administration of CPZ.

Protective Effects of Agmatine against Chlorpromazine- Induced Toxicity in the Liver of Wistar Rats

The metabolic pathways of chlorpromazine (CPZ) toxicity were tracked by assessing oxidative/nitrosative stress markers. The main objective of the study was to test the hypothesis that agmatine (AGM) prevents oxidative/nitrosative stress in the liver of Wistar rats 15 days after administration of CPZ. All tested substances were administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) for 15 consecutive days. The rats were divided into four groups: the control group (C, 0.9 % saline solution), the CPZ group (CPZ, 38.7 mg/kg b.w.), the CPZ+AGM group (AGM, 75 mg/kg b.w. immediately after CPZ, 38.7 mg/kg b.w. i.p.) and the AGM group (AGM, 75 mg/kg b.w.).

Rats were decapitated 15 days after the appropriate treatment. In the CPZ group, CPZ concentration was significantly increased compared to C values (p<0.01), while AGM treatment induced the significant decrease in CPZ concentration in the CPZ+AGM group (p<0.05) and the AGM group (p<0.01). CPZ application to healthy rats did not lead to any changes of lipid peroxidation in the liver compared to the C group, but AGM treatment decreased that parameter compared to the CPZ group (p<0.05). In CPZ liver homogenates, nitrite and nitrate concentrations were increased compared to controls (p<0.001), and AGM treatment diminished that parameter in the CPZ group (p<0.05), as well as in the AGM group (p<0.001). In CPZ animals, glutathione level and catalase activity were decreased in comparison with C values (p<0.01 respectively), but AGM treatment increased the activity of catalase in comparison with CPZ animals (p<0.05 respectively). Western blot analysis supported biochemical findings in all groups. Our results showed that treatment with AGM significantly supressed the oxidative/nitrosative stress parameters and restored antioxidant defense in rat liver.