Abstract

CURATIVE EFFECT OF AQEOUS LEAF EXTRACT OF SOLANUM MACROCARPON ON ACETAMINOPHEN INDUCED NEPHROTOXICITY ON ADULT WISTAR RATS

Onyinye Mary Ozioko, Uche Sebastine Ozioko, Christian Ejuiwa Mba*, Vivian Atuadu, Ifeanyi Anthony Egwuatu, Anayo Okoro

Abstract

Background: Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is one of the most commonly used analgesic–antipyretic (pain reliever) drugs worldwide. Solanummacrocarpon is derived from the egg-plant family called, Solanaceae, which is widely cultivated and commonly used for its nutrition and medicinal properties. Materials and Method: Twentyfour healthy adult wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) weighing 120-215g divided into six (6) groups (A,B,C,D,E, & F) were used for this study. Group A was given normal saline, group E served as positive control group and received 0.5ml of acetaminophen for 10days, while group B-E which served as treatment groups received 0.5ml of acetaminophen for 10 days and increasing dose (200mg/kg, 400mg/kg, 600mg/kg) of solanum macrocarpon for 10days, meanwhile group 6 which served as standard drug group received 0.5ml of acetaminophen for 10 days and vitamin E for 10days. Result: Serum urea decreased and serum creatinine increased significantly (p<0.05) in the experimental groups compared to the acetaminophen group especially for group D (600mg/kg). Solanum macrocarpon at both biochemical and histopathological parameters was effective in the treatment of acute nephrotoxicity caused by acetaminophen, the high dose of the extract and the standard drug showed signs of recovery but it was not significant when compared to the normal control group. Conclusion: The study revealed that increasing doses of solanum macrocarpon (200mg/kg, 400mg/kg, 600mg/kg) and the standard drug vitamin E (0.2ml) used by this study was effective in the treatment of acute nephrotoxicity caused by acetaminophen.

Keywords: Nephrotoxicity, Acetaminiphen, Serum Urea Concentration, Serum Creatinine Concentration.