In vitro biochemical evaluation of methanol extract of Moringa oleifera pods on rat liver mitochondrial membrane permeability transition pore and lipid peroxidation

Background: Moringa oleifera is a well-known world herbal plant for its amazing medicinal and nutritional properties. The effect of methanol extract of M. oleifera can be useful in managing diseases associated with mitochondrial membrane permeability transition pore and lipid peroxidation.Methods: Evaluation was done at varying concentrations of the methanol pods extract on mitochondrial membrane permeability transition pore opening (swelling) and Fe2+- H2O2-EDTA (Fenton reaction)-induced lipid peroxidation in vitro. Five male albino rats (weighed 120-250 g) were anaesthetized and sacrificed; the liver was excised and homogenized to obtain mitochondria pellets. This study analyzed the effect of varying concentrations of methanol pods extract of M. oleifera at 50, 150, and, 300 µg/ml respectively. The effects of M. oleifera varying concentration in vitro was determined using malondialdehyde reaction quantified at 532 nm in a UV- spectrophotometer as index for lipid peroxidation and spectrophotometric absorptions at 520 nm was observed as an index of mitochondrial membrane permeability pore respectively.Results: Varying concentrations of methanol pods extract of M. oleifera at 50, 150, and 300 µg/ml in the presence and absence of triggering agent (Ca2+) inhibited opening of mitochondria membrane permeability transition pore while 0.25, 0.50 and 1.00 mg/ml inhibited lipid peroxidation induced mitochondria of the rat liver respectively in a concentration dependent mode.Conclusion: The results suggest that methanol extract of M. oleifera pods at high concentrations (such as 300 µg/ml and 1.00 mg/ml respectively) may inhibit mitochondrial membrane permeability transition pore opening and lipid peroxidation. Keywords: Moringa oleifera, mitochondria membrane permeability transition pore, lipid peroxidatio