Urate synthesis and oxidative stress in phenytoin hepatotoxicity: the role of antioxidant vitamins.

Phenytoin is known to induce microsomal enzymes including xanthine oxidase which catalyzes uric acid synthesis with superoxides as byproducts, thus contributing to the oxidative stress of phenytoin hepatotoxicity. To investigate the role of antioxidant vitamins in ameliorating phenytoin induced hepatic changes through possible actions on xanthine oxidase activities as measured by urate concentration. Growing albino rats of Wistar strain were randomly divided into 8 groups of 7 rats each.

Antidiarrhoeal and antiulcer activities of Hippocratea africana root extract.

The effect of ethanol root extract of H. africana on experimentally induced diarrhoea and ulcer was studied in rodents. The extract (200-600 mg/kg) considerably inhibited castor oil induced diarrhoea, small intestine transit time and castor oil induced fluid accumulation as well as indomethacin and ethanol induced ulcer models.