Vitamins Composition and Antioxidant Properties in Normal and Monosodium Glutamate-Compromised Rats' Serum of Persea Americana (Avocado Pear) Seed

Avocado pear (Persea americana) seed flour (ASF) and the ethanolic extract (ASE) were respectively assessed for some vitamin contents and antioxidant properties (in vitro and in vivo), using standard protocols. The vitamins in ASF were in decreasing order thus: vitamin C > A > B1 > B2 > E > B3. Compared to the respective standards, ASE ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), though lower at lower concentrations was higher at 1000 µg/ml and evidently concentration dependent while the exhibited initial 1,1-diphenyl-2-picry hydrazyl radical scavenging activity (DPPH) at 250 µg/ml increased at 500 µg/ml though lower (p<0.05). Monosodium glutamate (MSG) intoxication resulted to a higher (p<0.05) glutathione concentration, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activity in the rats serum compared to control. Rats exposed to ASE alone had a reduced (p<0.05) catalase activity compared to control and MSGintoxicated rats whereas the glutathione concentration and the SOD activity was similar compared to the MSG-intoxicated rats. Simultaneous exposure to MSG together with increasing concentration of ASE showed a trend similar to, though less marked than, that on the respective parameters in ASE-exposed rats. Thus, ASF had appreciable vitamins, especially vitamin C and A contents while ASE exerted high antioxidant reducing, but not radical scavenging, power. MSG-intoxication of the determined antioxidant parameters was confirmed while ASE did not significantly improve or ameliorate respectively the determined antioxidant parameters in the normal and MSG-intoxicated rats’ serum. Further studies are thus provoked and recommended, considering the ethno-medicinal use of avocado pear seeds.

Keywords: Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Catalase, Super oxide dismutase, Glutathione.