CHANGES IN ANTIOXIDANT STATUS OF ALBINO RATS TREATED WITH AQUEOUS TOBACCO (Nicotiana tobaccum) LEAF EXTRACT

Changes in antioxidant status of albino rats treated with aqueous tobacco leaf extract were investigated using standard methods. Sixty albino rats of Wistar strain were divided into four groups of fifteen rats each designated as control and groups I, II, and III. Groups I–III served as the test rats, and were given different concentrations of prepared tobacco extract. Results obtained for body weight showed significant (p<0.05) reduction in weight of groups II and III rats against the control. Apart from the plasma vitamin E level of test group I, all the investigated antioxidants of the test groups significantly (p<0.05) reduced against the control. The insignificant (p>0.05) effect observed in body weight change and plasma vitamin E level of test group I against the control, could be that concentration of tobacco given to the group was not able to influence the indices. The observed effect of tobacco extract on antioxidant levels of groups II and III could be attributed to the stress induced by the extract in the rats. The induced stress invariably influenced the free radical and maybe reactive oxygen species which directly affected the antioxidants investigated. This study has revealed the changes in antioxidant status of albino rats treated with aqueous tobacco (Nicotiana tobaccum) leaf extract.