ABSTRACT
The present study was undertaken to explore the ameliorative potential of aqueous extract of Aframomum melegueta (AM) on cadmium-induced hepatic damage in rats. Toxicity was induced by daily administration of 200 mg/L cadmium: Cd (Cd as CdCl2) in the animals’ main drinking water for 21 days. Lipid peroxidation (LPO), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were determined in the liver while total protein, albumin, direct bilirubin and total bilirubin concentration as well as alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities were monitored in the serum and histological examination was carried out. Exposure to cadmium resulted in various alterations in all the evaluated parameters. Treatment with AM (200 or 400 mg/kg bw) extract showed a significant (P <0.05) reversal effect that mitigated the deleterious effect of cadmium. Results of the histological examination also support the above findings. The results suggest that aqueous extracts of A. melegueta when administered orally, could ameliorate cadmium-associated oxidative stress in male Wistar rats in a dose dependant manner via its free radical-scavenging mechanism which could be linked to the synergetic effects between the bioactive constituents present in the extract.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To explore the neuroprotective effect of Irvingia gabonensis (IG) against cadmium-induced oxidative damage in rats brain. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Chemical sciences, (Biochemistry laboratory), Afe Babalola University and Department of Biochemistry, Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria between February 2014 and May 2014. Methods: The study was performed on twenty (20) male rats divided into four groups: a control group, cadmium group (4mgkg-1day-1, intraperitoneally [i.p.]) and cadmium toxication groups received 200 and 400mgkg-1 body weight of extract by oral gavage for 28 days. The degree of protection in brain tissue was evaluated by the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase, and catalase. The aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities and histological examination were monitored. Results: Irvingia gabonensis showed a significant (P>.05) brain-protective effect by decreasing the level of lipid peroxidation and elevate the activities of antioxidative enzymes and level of GSH. Furthermore, histological alterations in brain were observed in cadmium untreated rats and were ameliorated in cadmium-induced treated rats with IG. Conclusions: Consequently Irvingia gabonensis blocked oxidative brain damage induced by cadmium in rats. These data suggest that Irvingia gabonensis extract may play a very useful role in reduction of the neurotoxicological damage induced by cadmium.