Effect of Methanol Extract of Cassia occidentalis L. Root on Body Organs of Alloxan Induced Diabetic Rats

Abstract

The present study evaluated the effect of methanol extract of Cassia occidentalis L. root on selected liver enzymes, kidney function parameters, liver and kidney. Six groups of rats were used. Diabetes was induced by alloxan (150 mg/kgbwt) administered intraperitoneally. Diabetic rats were orally administered C. occidentalis root extract (300, 400 and 600 mg/kgbwt, respectively) and metformin (standard drug). Alloxan induction led to a significant (p<0.05) increase in serum creatinine, urea, bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, while a significant decrease was observed for serum electrolytes (Na+, K+and Cl-). Treatment with the varying doses of C. occidentalis extract and metformin significantly reduced and increased (p<0.05) the serum levels of these various parameters respectively. Histopathological studies on the liver from diabetic rats showed hepatocellular injury which resulted in the loss of the normal architecture of the liver tissues, subtle focal hepatocyte necrosis and vesicular steatosis while that of the kidney showed focal interstitial infiltration by lymphocytes and macrophages. Treatment significantly reversed the damages observed in both tissues. The present study showed that C. occidentalis was able to alleviate the liver and renal injury that was observed in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.