The effects of dioscorea hispida supplementation in oxidative damage-induced toxicity on placental tissues of maternal rats / Muhamad Faizul Adhzim Yusery

Dioscorea hispida (D. hispida) has been considered as staple foods in tropical and subtropical regions. However, it high contents of disocorine and cyanides has limited it to be utilized as nutrient sources. Toxic compounds of D. hispida may lead to overproduction of free radicals and cause oxidative damage. In pregnancy, imbalance level of ROS may lead to miscarriage. The present study was performed to investigate the effects of D. hispida on the placental tissues of maternal rats for 15 days through oxidative damage and lipid peroxidation. Pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 4 different treatment groups (n=5) which consists of a negative control group and 3 groups supplemented with aqueous extract of D. hispida at different concentrations (250 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg, and 1000 mg/kg body weight). Extract of D. hispida were administered daily on day 6 to day 20 of pregnancy. The rats were euthanized at day 21 and the placenta tissues were harvested for total superoxide dismutase (SOD) inhibition activity and lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde/MDA) determination. No statistical significant difference showed between all groups on SOD inhibition activities (p>0.05). However, there was increasing pattern on 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg group compared to control group with decreasing pattern at 1000 mg/kg group compared to 500 mg/kg group. The MDA level determination showed an increasing trend in all experimental groups compared to control group. Significantly differences were observed in control group compared to 1000 mg/kg group and for 250 mg/kg group compared to 1000 mg/kg group (p<0.05). Overall results of the current finding suggested that supplementation of D. hispida on the placenta tissues of maternal rats for 15 days may give damaging effects through oxidative damage and lipid peroxidation.