Plasma Levels of Selected Micronutrients in Formalin-Induced Arthritic Wistar Rats Treated with Aqueous Stem Bark Extracts of Alstonia boonei

Abstract

Plasma levels of copper, zinc, iron and selenium have been reported by several researchers to be affected in chronic inflammatory diseases. There is paucity of data on whether plasma levels of these elements in arthritic patients are altered during treatment with A. boonei plant extracts. This study was therefore designed to assess the plasma levels of copper, zinc, iron and selenium in formalin-induced arthritic rats treated with aqueous stem bark extract of A. boonei. Thirty-five female Wistar rats divided into five groups (Group I, Group II, Group III, Group IV, and Group V) of five rats per group were used. Arthritis was induced in Group I, II, III and IV by sub-aponeurotic injection of 0.1mL of 2% w/v formalin in normal saline. Group I served as the positive control and were left untreated while Group II, III, IV were given the aqueous stem bark extracts of A. boonei at the dosage of 150mg/kg, 300mg/kg, 600mg/kg per body weight respectively. The administration of the extracts lasted for five days. Group V served as the negative control and were neither induced nor administered any form of the extract. The plasma samples were analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometer.The results obtained showed a decrease, 22.8±0.91 μg/dl (P<0.05) in the plasma zinc levels of rats treated with the stem bark extracts compared to the negative controls 35.6±1.57 μg/dl, while no significant difference (P>0.05) was observed between the selenium and zinc levels in rats treated with the aqueous extracts stem bark extract of A. boonei. Significant increase (P<0.05) in serum Fe levels (345.0±16.34 μg/dl) was observed in group III and 406.0±4.12 μg/dl in group IV (300mg/kg and 600mg/kg of extract administered respectively).
The increase in the iron levels as observed in this study might have therapeutic effects on the arthritic status of these rats.
Keywords: Arthritis, A.boonei, Micronutrients, Formalin, Rats