Comparative study of the effects of Cassia spectabilis and Newbouldia laevis leaf extracts on diclofenac-induced hepatorenal oxidative damage in rats

Abstract

Abstract Background There is high incidence of liver and kidney diseases worldwide but medicinal plants may provide remedy. This study evaluated and compared the protective effects of Cassia spectabilis extract (CSE) and Newbouldia laevis extract (NLE) against diclofenac (DF) induced hepatorenal oxidative damage in rats. Methods Twenty four rats were divided into 4 groups with 6 rats in each. Normal saline was given to the rats in group I while those in groups III and IV were treated with 250 mg/kg b. wt. CSE and NLE respectively for 28 days by oral gavages. Those in groups II to IV were exposed to 10 mg/kg DF in the last 7 days of treatment. Serum was separated from the blood and used for estimations of hepatorenal injury markers while the homogenized tissue supernatants were used for assays of oxidative stress markers. Results There was a significant (p < 0.01) increase in the levels of ALT, AST, GGT, MDA, creatinine and BUN but a significant (p < 0.01) decrease in the levels of SOD, CAT, GPx, GST, GSH and G6Pase of DF-exposed rats when compared with normal control. However, treatment of DF-exposed rats with CSE and NLE significantly (p < 0.01) increased the levels of SOD, CAT, GPx, GST, GSH, and G6Pase but significantly (p < 0.01) reduced the levels of ALT, AST, GGT, MDA, creatinine and BUN when compared with DF control. Conclusion The current findings showed that treatments with CSE and NLE may have protective effects against DF-induced hepatorenal oxidative damage in rats, attributed to certain phytochemicals, but CSE has greater bioactivity than NLE.

Keywords

• Hepatoprotective
• Lipid peroxidation
• Phytochemicals
• Radicals
• Renoprotective