Leaf paste of Telfairia occidentalis favourably modulates deleterious effects associated with exposure to diethylnitrosamine in male Wistar rats.

Abstract

Diethylnitrosamine (DEN) is found in workplaces, processed meats, tobacco smoke, whiskey, etc. It is capable of forming DNA-adducts. Fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis [To]) is a medicinal plant, and its herbal preparations have been employed variously in ethnomedicine. Furthermore, it has been reported to possess anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory properties. We investigated the possible mitigating effect of the leaf paste ofToon DEN-induced deleterious effects in male Wistar rats. Forty-five rats weighing between 100 and 150g were equally divided into nine groups and treated thus: Group 1 (negative control), Group 2 (0.05mg/kg carboxymethyl cellulose [CMC] daily), Group 3 (positive control, 25mg/kgbw DEN administered intraperitoneally thrice per week), Group 4 (25mg/kgbw quercetin [QUE] daily alone), Groups 5 and 6 (100 and 200mg/kgbw To daily, respectively), Group 7 (25mg/kg bw DEN and QUE), Groups 8 and 9 (25mg/kgbw DEN with 100 and 200mg/kgbw To, respectively). Blood glucose levels, liver damage biomarkers (aspartate aminotransferase [AST], alanine aminotransferase [ALT] and gamma-glutamyltransferase [γ-GT]), frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocyte (mPCEs), and liver histology were assessed. DEN significantly (p<0.05) increased blood glucose levels, activities of ALT, AST and γ-GT, and frequency of mPCEs. Histologically, DEN caused a severe architectural anarchy. However, the intervention groups demonstrated the remarkable protective properties of To by ameliorating the adverse effects caused by DEN. Taken together, the leaf paste of To is capable of mitigating DEN-induced hepatotoxicity and clastogenicity in male Wistar rats.