Toxicological Evaluation of Selected Medicinal Plants on Hepatic and Renal Functions

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of the methanol leaf extract of Anacardium occidentale (cashew) Carica papaya (pawpaw) and Psidium guajava (guava) on hepatic and renal functions of wistar rats. Indices of hepatic and renal functions which were measured using standard procedures revealed a non-significant (P>0.05) difference in the activities of Aspartate transaminase (AST) of the treated groups (II-IV) and that of the normal control group. However, for Alanine aminotransferase and Alkaline phosphatase  the value (ALT) (41.67±1.20 IU/L), (43.67±1.20 IU/L), (40.33±1.46 IU/L) and (ALP) (65.67±1.76 IU/L), (60.67±6.36 IU/L), (60.33±5.78 IU/L) respectively recorded for the treated groups were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those of the normal control groups (36.67±1.20 IU/L) and (57.67±43.33 IU/L) respectively. Measurement of renal function indices revealed that the value of urea for the treated groups (II-IV) (38.67±0.88 mmol/L), (39.00±2.086 mmol/L) and (37.00±2.08 mmol/L) was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that of the normal control group (28.67±3.17 mmol/L). However, for total protein and albumin, there was no significant (P>0.05) difference in values recorded for the treated groups and the normal control group. In conclusion, findings made in this work indicate that pawpaw, guava and cashew leaves extract may contain compounds with potential to induce serum hepatomakers which however may not be suggestive of any form of liver damage.