ABSTRACT

Liver and kidney damages are of growing concern to today’s modern society. The increasing incidence of exposure to toxic agents has contributed to liver and renal diseases. There is therefore, need for hepatoprotective and renal agents. This study was aimed at investigating the hepatoprotective and renal effects of methanol extract of Napoleonae imperialis in albino rats. The phytochemical analysis and acute toxicity studies (LD₅₀) of the extract were also evaluated using standard methods. Forty eight (48) male albino rats of mean weight 130 g were used for this study. Twenty four (24) male albino rats were used for the hepatic studies, while the other twenty four rats were used for the renal studies. The animals for the study were grouped into eight (8) of six (6) rats each. Groups A and B were the control groups, while groups C and D were the test groups. Group A received feed and water only and Group B was induced with carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) without treatment. Test groups (C and D) were orally given 250 mg and 500 mg/kg body weight of Napoleonae imperialis leaves extract respectively for 14 days. All the rats used in this study (hepatic study) were initially subjected to hepatocyte damage using 2.0 ml/kg of carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) except the normal control group. For the renal studies, group E represented the positive control that was induced with methotrexate without treatment. Groups (F and G) were the test groups that received orally 250 mg and 500 mg/kg body weight of the plant extract respectively, while Group H was the group that only received orally 500 mg/kg b.wt of the plant extract.  All the rats used in this study (renal study) were initially subjected to renal damage using 0.5 ml/kg of methotrexate. The rats were sacrificed after 14 days and the blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis. The liver and renal function tests were performed, in addition to their histopathological evaluation. Phytochemical analysis showed the presence of carbohydrates, reducing sugar, glycosides, acidic compounds, tannins, phenols, flavonoids, steroids, terpenoids, and alkaloids. The acute toxicity study (LD₅₀) showed no adverse effect in their general behaviour, and mortality at the dose level given (100- 5000 mg/kg b.wt).  The result obtained showed a significant decrease (p< 0,05) of the liver parameters (AST, ALT, ALP, albumin, total protein and total cholesterol) in the test groups treated with 250 mg and 500 mg/kg body weight of the plant extract, unlike the positive control where the liver parameters were still high which could be as a result of hepatocellular damage by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) without treatment. Also the comparison of the mean difference of the test groups and the control groups (normal and positive control) revealed that the methanol extract of Napoleonae imperialis caused a significant (p< 0.05) decrease in urea, creatinine, N⁺, K⁺, and Cl^- There was also a significance (p< 0.05) decrease in the hepatic and renal parameters in comparison of the mean difference of the control groups (normal and positive control) and the group that received the extract only (500 mg/kg b.wt). The results of this study indicate that the methanol extract of Napoleonae imperialis may have exerted hepatoprotective and renal functioning effect in albino rats, and may also be used pharmacologically in the management of organ toxicity.