Phytochemical screening and antioxidant parameters data in prostatic rats fed with Laportea aestuans leaves.

Several plants have been used in ancient times as medicines to treat, manage and prevent many diseases in various traditional settings throughout the world. The effect of administration of hydro-ethanolic extract of Laportea aestuans (La) leaves at different doses in Wistar rats induced with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) using antioxidant parameters and phytochemical screening data was obtained. Thirty (30) animals were randomly divided into six (6) groups (A-F) of five (5) animals each. BPH was induced in the animals by daily subcutaneous injection of testosterone propionate (TP) (3 mg/kg) in olive oil and administration of treatments for four (4) weeks were done concurrently. Group A received olive oil alone subcutaneously, group B was induced with BPH alone, groups C-E were induced with BPH but received different doses of La at 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg. Lastly, group F was induced with BPH but treated with finasteride (5 mg/kg) which serves as the positive control group. Phytochemical screening data of saponins, flavonoids (0.5010 ± 0.0009 mg/ml), alkaloids (0.528 mg/ml), phenols (0.6195 ± 0.0015 mg/ml), tannins (0.5410 ± 0.0013 mg/ml) and steroids (1.6230 ± 0.0210 mg/ml) in hydro-ethanolic extract of La. Antioxidant parameters such as superoxide dismutase, catalase and reduced glutathione data were alsoµ gotten at 400 mg/kg La (48.1 ± 4.17U/mg protein), (29.43 ± 1.38U/mg protein) and (30.60 ± 2.05 µg/ml) respectively when compared to the BPH group (35.5 ± 0.97U/mg protein), (11.36 ± 2.39U/mg protein) and (15.60 ± 1.14 µg/ml).