Effect Of Ginger Extract On Gasoline Associated Immunitoxicities In Wistar Rats

Abstract

Effect of ginger extracts on gasoline associated immunotoxicities in wistar rats was studied. Fifteen wistar rats were randomly assigned into three study groups. Group 1 was the control, while groups 2 and 3 received daily treatment by inhalation of gasoline vapour. The animals in group3 were also treated with 100mg ginger/kg body weight. The experiment lasted for 60 days. One day after the final exposure, the animals were euthanized by overdose of chloroform. Blood was collected by cardiac puncture into EDTA sterilized sample bottles and used for the analysis of hemoglobin(Hb),packed cell volume(PCV),red blood cells(RBC),white blood cells and erythrocyte indices-mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH),mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration(MCHC). The results showed that gasoline alone decreased the levels of Hb, RBC, WBC, PCV, MCV and MCHC, but it had no significant effect on the MCH of the rats. However, treatments with ginger extracts nearcompletely abrogated /mitigated any effects that have been induced by inhalation of gasoline alone. It appears that ginger extracts inhibited the chain reaction, caused by free radicals, and acted to remove the catabolic wastes from the lymphocytes and reticulocytes, thereby accelerating metabolism and lymph drainage. It also appears that ginger extracts promoted the sloughing-off of wasted tissues and corrected the imbalance of elevated inflammatory prostaglandins, leading to increased erythrocytes synthesis and improved immune system.