Abstract
Background: Lead is a persistent heavy metal which has been found to be a multi-organ toxicant. In recent times, plants containing natural compounds with both chelating and antioxidant activities are considered as promising candidates for managing lead toxicity. Objectives: The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the ameliorative potentials of aqueous extracts of Jatropha curcas (JC) leaves and Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS) calyces against renal toxicity resulting from lead acetate exposure. Materials and Methods: Ten groups of male Wistar rats were taken: The first and second groups represented the normal and lead acetate (PbA) (50mg/kg b.w) control groups respectively while groups 3 and 4 were given 100mg/kg JC and 200 mg/kg JC respectively. Groups 5 and 6 received 250 mg/kg HS and 500 mg/kg HS respectively. Groups 7-10 were given PbA (50mg/kg) and 100mg/kg JC, 200 mg/kg JC, 250mg/kg HS, 500mg/kg HS respectively. Rats were orally administered their relevant doses for 28 days. Blood samples were collected from heart puncture at the end of the experiment (28 days) for renal function analysis. Result: Serum creatinine and urea concentrations were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the lead acetate group compared to the normal control. The renal morphology of the lead-exposed rats also revealed the degeneration and necrosis in tubules and swelling in the glomerulus. The significant increase in renal markers and morphological alterations after lead toxicity induction were moderately normalized by the administration of aqueous extracts of Jatropha curcas and Hibiscus sabdariffa. Conclusions: Results demonstrated moderate beneficial effects of J. curcas and H. sabdariffa treatment in managing Pb-induced tissue damage in the kidney.
Highlights
As a toxin, lead induces a wide range of physiological, biochemical and behavioural dysfunction; in particular, the kidney, liver, spleen, testes have been identified as key target organs for lead toxicity [1,2,3]
Differences between means were tested using Student t-tests and significance was set at P < 0.05 and the results are expressed as Mean ± Standard Error of Mean (SEM)
Our results further concomitant treatment of lead acetate and 100 mg/kg Jatropha curcas (JC), showed significant decreases (p < 0.05) in the serum 200 mg/kg JC and 500 mg/kg Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS) extracts respectively creatinine and urea in the groups that received compared to the lead acetate group
Summary
Lead induces a wide range of physiological, biochemical and behavioural dysfunction; in particular, the kidney, liver, spleen, testes have been identified as key target organs for lead toxicity [1,2,3]. Nephroprotective Effects of Aqueous Extracts of Hibiscus sabdariffa Calyces and Jatropha curcas Leaves against Lead Toxicity strategies to reduce the toxicity associated with lead exposure. H. sabdariffa is a medicinal and food plant rich in phytochemical compounds which are the source of its biological properties [16]. From literature, both plants have been reported to have demonstrated significant antioxidant activities, there is limited information on their efficacy in lead-induced oxidative stress in the kidney of rats. The present investigation was designed to study the protective efficacy of aqueous leaf extracts of J. curcas and H. sabdariffa respectively in the kidney upon exposure to lead. Pieces of tissues from kidney were immediately kept in 10% of formalin fixative to study histological alterations
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