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Antioxidant Properties of Diospyros Preussi (Ebenaceae Gurke) Seed Oil Okonkwo, Tochukwu J.N. & Okonkwo, Chinedu J.O. Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the lipid peroxidation inhibiting and glutathione-sparing activities (i.e., antioxidant effect) of Diospyros preussi seed oil in male Wistar albino rats. Methods: The n-hexane extract of the seed (seed oil) of Diospyros preussi (DP) was tested for its antioxidant properties against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced oxidative stress in male Wistar albino rats by evaluating its lipid peroxidation inhibition and glutathione-sparing activity (free radical scavenging effect). Vitamin E, at a dose of 4 ml/kg body weight, was used reference. These parameters were determined in vivo by assaying the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) and reduced glutathione (GSH) in the serum of exposed and normal Wistar albino rats. Results: At doses of 500 and 1000 mg/kg of DP seed oil, the values of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, TBARS, (0.80 ± 0.04 and 0.72 ± 0.01 μg/ml, respectively) were not significantly different (p < 0.05) from the TBARS level of 0.83 ± 0.03 μg/ml induced by the reference, Vitamin E. Animals treated with 1000, 500 and 200 mg/kg doses of DP seed oil manifested glutathione levels of 206.7 ± 6.5, 188.0 ± 4.7 and 156.0±7.6 μg/100 ml of serum, respectively. These levels were significantly different from each other at p < 0.05 as well as the level (138.7 ± 8.0/100 ml) produced by the reference, Vitamin E. Conclusion: The results indicate that DP seed oil significantly protected the rats from H2O2-induced oxidative stress. Furthermore, its antioxidant effect is dose-related. Keywords Seed oil; Diospyros preussi; (H2O2)-induced oxidative stress; Antioxidant effect, Vitamin E; Lipid peroxidation inhibition; Glutathione-sparing activity

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