Renal Protective Effect of Ethanolic Leaf Extract of Gongronema latifolium Benth in Acetaminophen-induced Renal Toxicity in Male Albino Rats

Aim: To evaluate the renal protective effect of ethanolic leaf extract of Gongronema latifolium Benth in acetaminophen-induced renal toxicity in albino rats.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biochemistry, Abia State University, Uturu, Abia State, Nigeria, between October 2014 and January 2015.

Methodology: Fifty male albino rats aged 7 weeks were used in this study. The animals were randomly placed into five (5) groups with ten (10) rats in each group. The administration of the leaf extract and acetaminophen were made through oral intubation. The animals were sacrificed, the biochemical parameters and histological analysis of the kidney accessed.

Results: Creatinine, serum urea and electrolytes: sodium and potassium increased significantly (compared with control) after the administration of acetaminophen only, but reduced significantly (p≤0.05) in all groups administered both the leaf extract and acetaminophen, except potassium which reduced non-significantly (from 12.33±0.45 to 11.94±0.56 mEq/L) in the group administered 200 mg/kg of the leaf extract (group 3) when compared with the negative control. Creatinine, serum urea, sodium and potassium reduced from 1.43±0.07 to 1.10±0.07 mg/dl, 40.65±1.57 to 28.22±1.39 mg/dl, 145.33±2.88 to 139.55±0.93 mEq/L and 12.33±0.45 to 9.72±0.40 mEq/L respectively in the group administered 600 mg/kg of leaf extract. Chloride decreased significantly after the administration of acetaminophen only (compared with control), but increased significantly (p≤0.05) in all groups administered both the leaf extract and acetaminophen (when compared with the negative control). Chloride increased from 107.07±0.68 to 111.64±0.49 mEq/L in the group administered 600 mg/kg of leaf extract. The histological analysis of the Kidney section of rat treated with 1000 mg/kg b.wt of Acetaminophen (APAP) only show shrunken glomeruli and marked necrosis and sloughing of collecting ducts, but administration of the extract and APAP showed that the extract had a protective effect when compared with the effected kidney.

Conclusion: These results indicate that the ethanolic leaf extract of Gongronema latifolium Benth has protective effect on the kidney and can be used against some renal inflammations.