Hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic activities of aqueous root extracts of Dichrostachys cinerea in male Wistar rats

Abstract

Root extracts of Dichrostachys cinerea are used locally for the treatment of various medical conditions such as abdominal disorders, malaria, liver disorders, catarrh, bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma, tuberculosis, oedema, blennorrhoea, orchitis, venereal diseases, pains, anaemia, infertility, gynaecological disorders and as an aphrodisiac. This study seeks to evaluate the toxicity of hot aqueous root extract of Dichrostachys cinerea (HAREDC) on liver and kidney function indices in wistar rats. The extract was subjected to secondary metabolite analysis. Forty male rats were randomly divided into groups A – D. Group A served as control and received distilled water while groups B, C and D received 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight (BW) of HAREDC respectively. The animals were treated for 1 and 21 days and sacrificed 24 h after the last treatment administration. Their livers, kidneys and blood were obtained and used for analysis of selected parameters of liver and kidney functions. The extract contained alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids and steroids to the tune of 7.35, 13.88, 15.10 and 3.06 %/2 g sample respectively while saponins, terpenoids, anthraquinones and cardiac glycosides were not detected. Extract significantly increased liver and serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), kidney and serum gammaglutamyl transferase (GGT) and serum urea levels while it decreased the levels of liver ALT, serum total protein, creatinine, sodium, calcium and phosphate. In conclusion, acute doses of the HAREDC elicited deleterious effect on rat liver and hampered kidneys excretory functions. It is however relatively safer after extended usage. Its use in ethnomedicine should be done with caution.