ABSTRACT

 This study investigated the protective effect of methanol extract of Piper nigrum leaf against cadmium toxicities in rats kidney. Twenty (28) wistar albino rats were divided into four groups (n=7 rats/group). Rats in group 1 were given feed and water, rats in group 2 were orally administered 500mg/kg bwt. of Piper nigrum leaf extract, group 3 were intraperitoneally administered 1.2mg/kg bwt cadmium chloride and group 4 were administered 1.2mg/kg bwt cadmium chloride and 500mg/kg bwt. Piper nigrum leaf extract daily for 14 days. The animals were sacrificed after an experimental period of two weeks. Results of the study revealed significantly (p<0.05) higher serum creatinine and urea concentration in rats exposed to cadmium alone (group 3) compared to the control group (1), which could suggest an obvious interference with normal kidney glomerular hyper filtration function. There was no significant (p>0.05) decrease in uric acid concentration in the group treated with cadmium alone (group 3) when compared to the control group (1), therefore, it is only assumptive whether cadmium may have trigger some adverse effects thereby compromising the integrity of the functional capacity ofthe kidney. There was a significant (p<0.05) decrease in urea and creatinine concentration of group 4 rats when compared with group 3 rats. Also there was a significant increase in sodium and chloride ions of group 4 rats when compared with group 3 rats. These suggest a protective potential of the plant. Sodium concentration of rats in groups 2 and 3 significantly (p<0.05) reduced compared to the control group (group 1) which could suggest hyponatremia which may have resulted when the water intake exceeded water output through the kidney. Potassium concentration in the cadmium alone (group 3) treated group when compared to the control group (1) could support a suggestive renal damage. The significant (p<0.05) increase in chloride excretion observed in group 3 when compared to group 1 may suggest an occurrence of diarrhea which may have been triggered by the toxic effect of cadmium. The study therefore revealed that cadmium chloride is nephrotoxic and a relative ameliorative potential of the leaf extract as no holistic or absolute protection was conferred on the kidneys functional integrity.