IN VITRO PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF TELFAIRAI OCCIDENTALIS (FLUTED PUMPKIN) LEAVES AGAINST OXIDATIVE DNA DAMAGE INDUCED BY REACTIVE OXYGEN SPECIES

Abstract

Oxidative DNA damage is an inevitable consequence of cellular metabolism leading to reactive products that cause cellular damage. Telfairai occidentalis is a tropical vine grown in West Africa as a vegetable and for its edible seeds. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro protective effect of T. occidentalis leaves extract against DNA damage induced by Fenton’s system. T. occidentalis leaves were extracted using three solvents; water, n-butanol (n-BuOH) and ethyl acetate (EtOAc). pVax plasmid DNA (476 ng) was incubated with Fenton’s system (FeSO₄/H₂O₂) in the presence/varying concentrations of the extract (10 mg/mL, 5 mg/mL and 1 mg/mL) at 37°C for 30 minutes while the control was devoid of extract. The incubate were analysed in 0.8 % agarose gel. The ethyl acetate and the butanolic extract were subjected to GC-MS analysis. The protective effect of T. occidentalis leaves extracts demonstrated an effective protective activity against oxidative stress-induced DNA damage and was dose-dependent with higher dose being most protective. Oleic acid and 3-hydroxy benzoic acid were found to be most likely the bioactive components of the butanolic and the ethyl acetate extract respectively.