ABSTRACT

Plants have been the basis for medical treatments through much of human history and such traditional medicine is still widely in use today such as the leaves of Emilia sonchifolia. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the ameliorating effect of n-hexane leave extract ofEmilia sonchifolia in rats exposed to sodium arsenite. Male wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups of seven animals each. Group 1 had only feed and distilled water, Group 2, 3 and 4 were treated with extract (250mg/kg body weight), sodium arsenite (2.5mg/kg body weight) and sodium arsenite (2.5mg/kg body weight) and extract (250mg/kg body weight) respectively. The animals were sacrificed after the experimental period of two weeks. In AST, ALT, ALP and GGT activity, a significant (p<0.05) increase was observed when the group 2 (extract alone) was compared to group one (control). A significant (p<0.05) increase in ALT, AST, ALP, GGT and Total bilirubin was observed in group 3 when compared to group one which indicates liver damage, while a Significant (p<0.05) decrease in the activities of serum enzymes (AST, ALT, ALP and GGT), antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GPx activities and GSH) was observed in group 4 (sodium arsenite + extract) when compared with group 3 (sodium arsenite). Significant (p<0.05) decrease in SOD, CAT, GPx activities and GSH were observed in group 3 when compared to group one. A significant (p< 0.05) decrease in the level of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GPx activities and GSH) was observed when comparing group 3 (sodium arsenite) to group 1 (control). Comparing group 2 to group 1, it shows that the extract is not toxic to the animal based on the dose administered to them. From this experiment, it is concluded that the n-hexane leaf extract of Emilia sonchifolia showed an ameliorating effect on biochemical indices ofrats exposed to sodium arsenite.