ABSTRACT

Paracetamol is a widely used analgesic and antipyretic. It is classified as a mild analgesic commonly used for the relief of headaches and other minor aches and pains. While it is generally safe for use at recommended doses (1000mg per single dose and up to 3000mg per day for adults human), acute overdoses of paracetamol can cause potentially fatal kidney, brain and liver damage. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of methanol extract of Acanthus montanus leaves on antioxidant and haematological parameters of paracetamol induced male Wistar albino rats. In this study, 18 male Wistar albino mice and 36 male Wistar albino rats were used. The mice were divided into two major groups of 9 mice each .Each of the two groups were divided into 3 groups of 3 mice each and used to check for phase I and phase II of the acute toxicity study. The 36 male Wistar albino rats were divided into 9 groups of 4 rats each and were used to evaluate the effects of methanol extract of Acanthus montanus leaves on antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GPx and MDA) and haematological (RBC, WBC, PCV, Hb) indices in the presence of induced liver toxicity using paracetamol. This study lasted for l4days and on the 15th day, blood samples were collected from the eyes of the rats using a capillaiy tube and further analysis was done using standard analytical protocols. Group 1 served as the normal control group which received 2m1/kg of distilled water orally for 14 days. Group 2 served as positive control which was induced with (2500mg/kg) paracetamol on the 7th and 14th day only and untreated. Group 3 served as the negative control, which was induced with paracetamol (2500mg/kg) and was treated with (100mg/kg bw) of a standard drug, Silymarin. Group 4 and 5 received (200mg/kg bw) and (500mg/kg bw) of the plant extract respectively for l4days. Group 6 and 7 received (200mg/kg bw) and (500mg/kg bw) of the extract respectively for 7days .After 30mins on the 7th day, paracetamol was administered after which the rats continued to receive the extract for the next 7days. Group 8 received paracetamol (2500mg/kg) on the and day and were treated with (200mg/kg bw) of the extract after 24hours for l4days. Finally, group 9 received the extract for 7days.After 30mins on the 7th day, paracetamol was administered. This group continued to receive the extract for the next 7days. Group 4 throughgroup 7 served as the hepato-protective group, while group 8 and group 9 served as the hepato-curative group. From the acute toxicity study, no death or adverse effect on the mice were recorded after 24hours of administration with (5000mg/kg bw) of the extract which depicts that the extract was relatively safe for consumption. From my findings it can be shown that group 2 which was induced with paracetamol and not treated showed a significant decrease (p<O.OS) in the antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT and GPx) and haematological parameters (RBC, WBC, PCV and Hb). There was a significant (p<O.05) increase in MDA (lipid peroxidation product) compared to normal control which suggests oxidative stress. Group 3 which received paracetamol(2500mg/kg) and treated with (100mg/kg bw) of silymarine showed no significant (p>O.OS) effects on the rats compared to groups 6-9 induced with paracetamol and treated with Acanthus montanus leaf extract which showed a significant increase (p<zO.05) on the antioxidant enzymes and also had a positive effect on the haematological parameters, this suggests that Acanthus montanus leaf extract has high antioxidant property that can scavenge these free radicals that cause liver damage.