Effect of Vernonia amygdalina and Ocimum gratissimum on Antioxidant Status and Lipid Profile of Wistar Rats Exposed to Long-Term Administration of Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies

In this study the effect of Vernonia amygdalina and Ocimum gratissimum on antioxidant status and lipid profile of Wistar rats exposed to long-term administration of artemisinin-based combination therapies were investigated. Forty-two albino rats were divided into seven groups. The rats were given two different types of drugs, artesunate amodiaquine (AA) and artemether lumefantrine (AL) base on their body weight. Group 1: Control, received distilled water, group 2, received of 2.86mg/7.7mg AA, group 3, received of 1.14mg/6.86mg AL, group 4 received of 2.86mg/7.7mg AA + 200mg VA, group 5 received of 1.14mg/6.86mg AL + 200mg VA, group 6 received of 2.86mg/7.7mg AA + 200mg OG and group 7 received of 1.14mg/6.86mg AL + 200mg OG. The animals were sacrificed under chloroform anaesthesia and blood samples obtained through cardiac puncture for biochemical investigations. Artesunate-amodiaquine and arthemeter-lumefantrine and plant extracts were administered once daily for 21 days after which the total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, high density and low-density lipoprotein, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and gluthatione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined. Co-administration of artesunate/amodiaquine and arthemeter/lumefantrine significantly increased (P< 0.05) total cholesterol, triacylglycerol and low-density lipoprotein. The SOD and CAT activities and GSH concentration significantly decreased (P< 0.05) with an increase in the MDA concentration in treated groups when compared with the normal control. The results obtained suggest that long term co-administration of artesunate/amodiaquine and arthemeter/lumefantrine could result to coronary heart disease and depletion of antioxidant capacity and should be given with caution.