Effect of Methanol Extract of Terminalia catappa on Lead Acetate-Induced Liver and Kidney Toxicity in Wistar Rats

Abstract

Lead toxicity has been categorized among the top ten major public health concern by the World Health Organization. Lead is a multi-organ toxicant that has been implicated in various organs damage including liver and kidney. In search of cheap and readily available drug for lead-induced liver and kidney damage, methanol extract of Taminalia catappa leaf (METCL) was assessed in lead acetate induced hepato-renal damage in Wistar rats. The phytochemicals and in vitro antioxidant activities of the extract were also determined using standard methods. Fifteen Wistar male rats comprised of five groups of three rats per group were used for the study while five rats were used for the acute toxicity study. Exact 0.5 ml/kg body weight (bw.), 1000 mg/Kg bw. of lead acetate solution and 100 mg/kg bw. of Silymarin, 1000 mg/Kg bw. of lead acetate solution and 0.5 ml/kgbw., 100 and 200 mg/kg bw. of METCL were administering orally to naïve, positive, negative control groups and extract treated groups respectively daily for 10 days. The extract shows appreciable 2, 2-diphenyl picryl hydrazyl radical scavenging activities (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and inhibition of lipid peroxidation at high concentration of 500 µg/mL. Phytochemical analysis of the extract reveal the presence of flavonoids (30.29 mg/g), total phenols (65.97 mg/g) with trace quantities of alkaloids (65.79 µg/g) and saponins (101.45 µg/g). Significant increase (P < 0.05) in alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine phosphatases (ALP), urea, sodium, chlorine, potassium and creatinine were observed in negative control rats when compared with the treated groups. The liver and kidney histology of the treated animals also show severed less damage when compared to that of negative control groups