Protective Effect of N-Acetyl Cysteine on Moringa Oleifera Aqueous Leaf Extract-Induced Hepatic Toxicity in Wistar Albino Rats

Authors

  • Namaganda Agnes Department of Medical Physiology, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
  • Kasolo N Josephine Department of Medical Physiology, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
  • Bbosa S. Godfrey Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
  • Lukande Robert Department of Pathology, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
  • Kimuli Ivan Department of Medical Physiology, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
  • Katamba Godfrey Department of Medical Physiology, College of Health Sciences, King Ceasor University, Kampala, Uganda
  • Muwonge Haruna Department of Medical Physiology, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
  • Okullo Isaac Department of Dental Surgery, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
  • Nfambi Joshua Department of Medical Physiology, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22270/ajprd.v8i3.749

Keywords:

Moringa oleifera, N-Acetyl-Cysteine, hepatotoxicity, Paracetamool, Wistar rats.

Abstract

Background: Moringa oleifera (M. oleifera) is a commonly used medicinal and nutritive plant. The aqueous leaf extract from this plant contains a high concentration of alkaloids and they are toxic to body organs especially the liver leading to hepatotoxicity after long term exposure. However, if N-Acetyl cysteine (NAC) is administered together with M. oleifera extract, it may have a hepatotoxic protective effect.

Objective: To establish the protective effect of N-Acetyl cysteine against M. oleifera aqueous leaf extract-induced hepatotoxicity in the Wistar albino rats.

Methods: An experimental laboratory-based study conducted at department of Physiology Makerere University, College of Health Sciences. Three treatment groups of six Wistar albino rats each, were dosed intragastrically once a day for 28 days. Group I; negative control, received 8.05g/kg bwt of M. oleifera extract plus 1ml of normal saline (NS), Group II; test group, received 8.05g/kg bwt of M. oleifera extract plus 50mg/kg of NAC. Group III; positive control, received 750mg/kg bwt of Paracetamol plus 50mg/kg of NAC. On the 14th and 29th day, three animals selected randomly from each group were sacrificed; blood samples were collected, the liver was harvested for histopathological analysis.  Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bilirubin and total protein levels were determined.

Results: There was an increase in serum ALT, AST and ALP levels in the M. oleifera extract plus NS group which was a sign of hepatotoxicity. The M. oleifera extract plus NAC group showed normal serum ALT, AST and ALP levels with no significant changes in the bilirubin (P-value = 0.9089) and total protein levels (P-value = 0.8858).

Conclusion: The results have provided evidence that NAC administration with M. oleifera extract effectively prevents the occurrence of M. oleifera leaves xtract- induced hepatotoxicity.

 

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Author Biographies

Namaganda Agnes, Department of Medical Physiology, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.

Department of Medical Physiology, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.

Kasolo N Josephine, Department of Medical Physiology, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.

Department of Medical Physiology, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.

Bbosa S. Godfrey, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala,  Uganda

Lukande Robert, Department of Pathology, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.

Department of Pathology, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.

Kimuli Ivan, Department of Medical Physiology, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.

Department of Medical Physiology, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.

Katamba Godfrey, Department of Medical Physiology, College of Health Sciences, King Ceasor University, Kampala, Uganda

Department of Medical Physiology, College of Health Sciences, King Ceasor University, Kampala, Uganda

Muwonge Haruna, Department of Medical Physiology, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

Department of Medical Physiology, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

Okullo Isaac, Department of Dental Surgery, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

Department of Dental Surgery, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

Nfambi Joshua, Department of Medical Physiology, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

Department of Medical Physiology, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

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Published

2020-06-15

How to Cite

Agnes, N., Josephine, K. N., Godfrey, B. S., Robert, L., Ivan, K., Godfrey, K., … Joshua, N. (2020). Protective Effect of N-Acetyl Cysteine on Moringa Oleifera Aqueous Leaf Extract-Induced Hepatic Toxicity in Wistar Albino Rats. Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research and Development, 8(3), 34–39. https://doi.org/10.22270/ajprd.v8i3.749