ABSTRACT
Aims: Morbidity and mortality from kidney and liver diseases is rapidly increasing worldwide due to exposure of these organs to many kinds of xenobiotics. Medicinal herbs have been used widely to treat these disorders as there is no specific treatment in modern medicine to counter the menace. The study was carried out to investigate the protective role of Azadirachita indica (neem) leaf on kidney and liver damage caused by subchronic administration of sodium benzoate in rat. Study design: Experimental animal study Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, Osun State University, Osogbo, Nigeria between January and June 2011. Methodology: 200mg/kg bw of sodium benzoate was administered to rats in test groups (B, C and D) every 4 days while control group (A) received distilled water. Group C and D were treated with daily administration of 200mg/kg bw and 500mg/kg bw methanolic leaf extract of Azadirachta indica respectively for 14 days while group B were not treated. Results: Sodium benzoate caused growth depression in rats as well as alteration in hepatic and renal functions revealed by significant elevation in serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), urea, uric acid and creatinine. Administration of Azadirachta indica leaf extract tend to ameliorate the adverse effect of sodium benzoate toxicity in rat tissue as it bring the affected biochemical parameters close to normal in a dose dependent manner. Conclusion: These results suggest that Azadirachta indica leaf has modulatory effect on sodium benzoate induced toxicity in rats.