ABSTRACT
This investigation was carried out to explore the protective effect of methanolic leaf extract of Gongronema latifolium (utazi leaf) on di-n-butyl phthalate-induced rats. Twenty-eight (28) male wistar rats were divided into four groups, DBP and extract were administered to each group by oral gavage at doses of 0 (control was given extra virgin oil only), 500 of DBP only, 500 and 400, and 500 and 500mg/kg/d respectively for two (2) consecutive weeks. The result showed that DBP increased significantly (p<0.05) plasma concentration of total cholesterol, non-significant increase (p>0.05) in total bilirubin, significant decrease (p<0.05) in total protein, non-significant decrease (p>0.05) in urea, significant decrease (p<0.05) in direct bilirubin and non-significant decrease (p>0.05) in creatine. Treatment with 400mg of extract showed a significant increase (p<0.05) in total cholesterol, significant decrease (p<0.05) in total bilirubin, non-significant increase (p>0.05) in total protein, non-significant decrease (p>0.05) in urea, significant decrease (p<0.05) in direct bilirubin, and non-significant increase (p>0.05) in creatinine. Treatment with 500mg of extract showed a significant decrease (p<0.05) in total cholesterol, significant decrease (p<0.05) in total bilirubin, significant decrease (p<0.05) in total protein, non-significant decrease (p>0.05) in urea, significant decrease (p<0.05) in direct bilirubin and non-significant decrease (p>0.05) in creatinine. Result also showed that treatment with DBP decreased body weight of rats non-significantly (P˃0.05).Treatment with 400mg of G.latifolium showed significantdecrease (P<0.05) in body weight of the rats, while treatment with 500mg of G.latifolium decreased the body weight significantly (P<0.05). Treatment with only DBP increased the organ (kidney)/body weight ratio in levels that were not-significant (P˃0.05). Treatment with 400mg of G.latifolium decreased the kidney/body weight ratio non-significantly (P˃0.05), while treatment with 500mg of G.latifolium decreased the kidney/body weight ratio non significantly (P˃0.05).Treatment with DBP increased the organ (liver)/body weight ratio significantly (P<0.05). Treatment with 400mg of G.latifolium increased the liver/body weight ratio significantly (P<0.05), while treatment with 500mg of G.latifolium increased the liver/body significantly (P<0.05). Histopathological result of the kidney of rats exposed to 500mg of DBP only showed interstitial congestion, infiltrates of inflammatory cells, vascular distortion and tubular necrosis to the normal kidney, those exposed to 500mg of DBP and 400mg of G.latifolium showed focal tubular necrosis, normal glomerulus, interstitial congestion and normal tubules and those exposed to 500mg of DBP and 500mg of G.latifolium showed normal tubules and glomeruli. Histopathological result of the liver of rats exposed to 500mg of DBP only showed periportal infiltrates of inflammatory cells, severe vascular ulceration and zonal necrosis, those exposed to 500mg of DBP and 400mg of G.latifolium showed mild periportal inflammatory infiltrates, vascular congestion and Kupffer cell activation and those exposed to 500mg of DBP and 500mg of G.latifolium showed normal hepatocytes, normal portal vein, bile duct and Kupffer cell activation. Thus G.latifolium was capable of ameliorating and protecting tissue damage in DBP-induced male wistar rat.
