Effect of Soursop (Annona muricata L.) Leaf Extract on Oxidative Stress Caused by Caffeine in Albino Rat Models

Aim: This study was carried out to study the mitigating effect of Soursop (A. muricata) Tea (SST) on oxidative stress caused by caffeine in albino rat models.

Study Design: The completely randomized design (CRD) was used.

Place and Duration of the Study: The study was carried out at the animal house of the Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria and the duration was for nine weeks.

Methodology: Thirty healthy male albino rats of 12 weeks old were randomly divided into 5 different groups with each containing 6 rats using a CRD. The rats were treated with a mixture of caffeine and SST using oral gavage. The treatment was done for 65 days.

Results: Results obtained on the oxidative stress enzymes indicated a statistically significant (P=.05) decrease in the plasma level of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase activity (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in groups treated with caffeine when compared with the control group. There was also an increase in the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in rats treated with caffeine. However, SST mitigated the oxidative stress caused by caffeine in the albino rat models. The effect was in a dose dependent manner.

Conclusion: The findings of study therefore indicate that SST has the propensity to mitigating oxidative stress caused by caffeine in albino rats as mammalian models.