ABSTRACT
Background: Anthropogenic activities such as excessive oil exploration, automobile emissions with agricultural activities, etc tend to elevate the concentrations of heavy metals in the soil. These metals are accumulated by plant roots, thereby resulting to heavy metal contamination of such plants. Objectives: This study evaluated the concentration of heavy metals namely: Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Nickel (Ni), Arsenic (As), Iron (Fe), and Copper (Cu) in edible vegetables from selected communities in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA), Rivers State, Nigeria, and the concentrations of these metals were used to assess the human health risk posed to the consumers of the edible vegetables. Materials and Methods: Sixteen different vegetable samples comprising Vernonia amygdalina, Talinum triangulare, Abelmoschus esculentus and Telfairia occidentalis were digested and analyzed for heavy metals using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (F-AAS). Results obtained from this study were used to estimate the human health risk of these heavy metals. Results: The results showed that the concentrations of Pb, Cd, Ni, As, Fe, and Cu ranged from 0.168-4.908; 0.364-2.977; 2.780-10.241; 0.157-2.633; 61.589-101.520 and 12.029-46.540 mg/kg, respectively. The concentrations of Pb, Cd, Ni and As in some of the analyzed vegetable samples exceeded the permissible limit as recommended by WHO/FAO, EC/CODEX and NAFDAC respectively. The concentration of Fe and Cu were below the permissible limit as recommended by WHO/FAO. The Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) of Pb and Cd exceeded the permissible tolerable daily intake of metals (TDI) but fall within the upper tolerable daily intake (UTDI) recommended by Institute of medicine, FDA, also Ni, Fe, and Cu fall within the recommended TDI and the UTDI. The EDI values of As exceeded the recommended TDI and the UTDI. The Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) and Hazard Index (HI) values of Pb, Cd, Cu and Ni were greater than 1. The Life Cancer Risk (LCR) of Pb were within the range of permissible predicted lifetime risks for carcinogens as recommended by US EPA. Conclusion: The result from the present study indicate that the exposed population may be at risk of Pb, Cd, Ni and Cu toxicity.
ABSTRACT
The acute and sub-chronic toxicities of ulcer fast® (UF) - A commercial bi-herbal formula prepared with Alstonia boonei and Xylopia aethiopica in male Wistar albino rats was evaluated. There was no mortality in rats administered 2000 mg/kg body weight (BW) of UF in an acute toxicity study. A significant (p≤0.05) increase in daily consumption of feed and fluid intake in experimental rats after 28 days was recorded followed by a progressive increase in BW of rats administered 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg BW of UF in a dose-dependent manner. Alanine amino transferase, aspartate amino transferase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, triacylglycerides and creatinine increased significantly (p≤0.05) in rats treated with UF, whereas urea and fasting blood sugar decreased significantly (p≤0.05) in a dose-dependent manner when compared with control. There was a marginal decrease in serum calcium ion and phosphate ion following the administration of UF when compared with control. Packed cell volume and hemoglobin decreased significantly (p≤0.05) in rats treated with UF, whereas white blood cell increased significantly (p≤0.05) in a dose-dependent manner when compared with control. Histological examination of the liver, kidney, heart and lungs showed normal architecture in control group, whereas hepatocytes of rats treated with 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg BW of UF were characterized by slight periportal fatty change, marked change and ballooning degeneration. Heart muscle of rats treated with 200mg/kg BW of UF showed slight inflammation while histological examination of the lungs showed areas of interstitium damage and diffuse alveolar damage in rats treated with UF. In conclusion, indiscriminate administration of UF could be of public health concern and long-term exposure may cause a significant potential health risk.
ABSTRACT
The acute and sub-chronic toxicities of Venestin Cleansers® (VC)-a polyherbal supplement in female Wistar Albino Rats Was Evaluated. Acute toxicity of VC in rats was determined. Twenty four weight-matched animals divided into 3 groups of eight rats each were given feed and water only (control), feed + water + 500 mg/kg and feed + water + 1000 mg/kg VC for 28-days. Feed and fluid intakes were measured daily and body weight was taken weekly. Blood was collected by cardiac puncture and necropsy was done after 28 days. Liver and ovary were harvested and histopathological analysis was done. Liver and renal functions tests were carried out. Administration of 2000 mg/kg of VC showed no mortality in the rats after 14 days. Fluid , feed intakes and body weight were increased by 500 and 1000mg/kg VC. Alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase activities increased significantly (p≤0.05) after VC administration. There was significant (p≤0.05) increase in conjugated bilirubin and total protein levels following administration of 500 and 1000mg/kg VC. Liver histology of the 500 and 1000 mg/kg of VC treated groups showed widespread ballooning, degeneration of the hepatocytes, periportal infiltration by chronic inflammatory cells with loss of radial arrangement of hepatocytes around the central veins. Histological examination of the ovaries showed areas of luteinized stromal cells, normal follicles, normal fallopian tubes. Chronic exposure of VC may have public health importance in man.