Abstract
Toxicological studies were carried out to investigate the effect of consumption of Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides root bark widely used in traditional medical practices and as protectant of stored cereal products in Nigeria, using albino rats. Serum, kidney and liver were tested for oxidation stress and tissue damage markers; aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), urea, bilirubin and creatinine contents, and Kidney and liver glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione transferase (GST), non-protein sulphadryl (NP-SH), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), total sulphadryl (T-SH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). These tests were carried out using commercially available kits. Results obtained for all doses (1, 5 and 10%) of the tested parameters did not significantly vary with control (p>0.05), indicating normal liver and kidney function (even in the face of variation in liver GPX and SOD. This study has proven that the plant is safe for human consumption at the rates or dosages tested. Key words: Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides, albino rats, toxicology, biochemical parameters.
Highlights
Zanthoxylum is the most widely distributed Rutaceae genus in the world with about 200 species identified; found in Africa, North and South America, Asia and Australia (Groppo et al, 2012)
Any plant with proven medicinal or pesticidal use must be investigated for its toxicological effects, so that its direct or indirect consumption does not cause adverse
The widespread use of Z. zanthoxyloides in ethno-medicine and crop protection with acclaimed successes without equal interest in direct toxicological effect of its consumption by multitude of Nigerians is responsible for our current interest in the plant and this study
Summary
Zanthoxylum is the most widely distributed Rutaceae genus in the world with about 200 species identified; found in Africa, North and South America, Asia and Australia (Groppo et al, 2012). It is against this background that medicinal and pesticidal plants in recent times have become subject of toxicological studies (Sathya et al , 2012; Adeyemo-Salami and Makinde, 2013; Adebiyi and Abatan, 2013; Ileke et al, 2014; Nwosu et al, 2017; Alelign et al, 2020). The widespread use of Z. zanthoxyloides in ethno-medicine and crop protection with acclaimed successes without equal interest in direct toxicological effect of its consumption by multitude of Nigerians is responsible for our current interest in the plant and this study
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