Abstract
Effects of n-butanol fraction of Gongronema latifolium leave extract on some biochemical parameters in carbon tetrachloride-induced oxidative damage in Wistar albino rats were assessed. Fifty-four (54) Wister albino rats were divided into treatment group and LD50 groups. Group A (normal control) was given feed and water, Group B (vehicle control) was injected with olive oil intraperitoneally, while the rest groups (C, D, E, F and G) were injected intraperitoneally with a single dose of CCl4 (148 mg/kg) as a 1:1 (v/v) solution in olive oil and all the animals were fasted for 36 h. This was repeated once every week for a period of four (4) weeks. At the end of 28 days of treatment, liver marker enzymes studies showed that there was significant (p<0.05) increase in the serum activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP)and bilirubin concentrations in CCl4-induced control group when compared with the normal control and induced treated groups but there was no significant (p>0.05) difference of these liver marker enzymes and bilirubin levels between the normal control and induced treated groups. Kidney function studies showed that there was significant (p<0.05) increase in creatinine and urea concentrations of CCl4-induced control group when compared with the normal control and induced treated groups but there was no significant (p>0.05) difference between the normal control and induced treated groups. Also, the kidney and liver antioxidant study revealed significant (p<0.05) decrease in superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities as well as an increase in MDA concentration in CCl4-induced control rats when compared with the normal control rats. Histological section of the organs shows that the levels of hepatic and renal damage were higher in CCl4-induction control rats when compared with the normal control and induced treated groups. These findings suggest that n-butanol fraction of methanolic leaves extract of G. latifolium may have anti-hepatotoxic, anti-nephrotoxic and antioxidative effects against CCl4-induced liver and kidney damage in albino rats. Key words: Gongronema latifolium, antioxidant, CCl4, liver, kidney.
Highlights
Gongronema latifolium (Asclepiadaceae), is a perennial climber forest leafy vegetable with woody hollow glaborous stems below and characterized by greenish yellow flowers (Okafor, 1989)
The qualitative phytochemicals screening of the methanolic leaves extract of G. latifolium revealed the presence of glycosides, alkaloids, saponin, flavonoids, tannins and the absence of free anthraquinone
The results showed that the concentration of creatinine in the serum of CCl4 induced not treated rats was significantly (P
Summary
Gongronema latifolium (Asclepiadaceae), is a perennial climber forest leafy vegetable with woody hollow glaborous stems below and characterized by greenish yellow flowers (Okafor, 1989). It is widespread in tropical Africa such as Senegal, Chad and DR Congo as well as grows in the forest of south eastern and western Nigeria where it is widely used for medicinal and nutritional purposes (Ugochukwu et al, 2003). Many other plants have been reported to possess antihepatotoxic and anti-nephrotoxic properties, the scientific authentication of most of them such as G. latifolium which is used traditionally to treat several diseases is unavailable (Ajibola and Satake, 1992)
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