Professor Usunomena Usunobun, Dr Ambrose Akpovona,
Volume 0, Issue 0 ( In Press 2024)
Abstract
Background and objectives: Telfairia occidentalis is among the most popular vegetable crops being propagated in the West African rainforest zone for its green leafy vegetable and ellipsoidal fruit which is very nutritious. This study investigated liver synthetic ability and haematological profile potential of T. occidentalis against Carbon-tetrachloride-induced toxicity in wistar rats.
Methods: Five experimental groups of rats were used in this study. One group received distilled water and serve as normal control. Second group received Carbon-tetrachloride (CCl4) alone for four days. Third and fourth groups received CCl4 for four days prior to treatment with 200mg/kg and 400mg/kg T. occidentalis aqueous extract for six days respectively. The last group received CCl4 for four days prior to treatment with Silymarin (100mg/kg) for six days. With exception of normal control rats, all rats received a mixture of freshly prepared CCl4 in olive oil (1ml/kg, 1:1 intraperitoneally) for 4 days. Activities of liver synthetic molecules such as total protein, albumin, total bilirubin as well as haematological parameters were measured in the blood.
Results: CCl4 exposure and toxicity caused a significant (P< 05) increase in total bilirubin, White Blood Cell (WBC) and a significant decrease in total protein, albumin, haemoglobin (HB), haematocrit (HCT), RED Blood Cells (RBC),Platelets (PLTS) but treatment with T. occidentalis aqueous extract significantly ((p< 0.05) ameliorated the levels of these markers toward normal values.
Conclusion: T. occidentalis aqueous extract exhibited enhancement of liver synthetic ability and haematological profile in CCl4-induced toxicity.
