Subchronic Administration of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus Moench L) leaf Reversed TBARS and Improved Functional Indices of Hepatic and Renal Functions in Male and Female Wistar Rats

Abstract

This study was designed to evaluate the sub-chronic effects of Abelmoschus esculentus Moench L leaf on liver and kidney functions indices in male and female Wistar rats. Ethanolic leaf extract of Okra plant (ELEOP) was prepared and administered to male and female WIstar rats in the following doses-10, 100, 1000, 2900 and 5000 mg/kg BWT to initially observe within 24 hours the autonomic, behavioral and neurological changes, and more importantly the lethality of the extract (LD₅₀), followed by sub-chronic evaluation within 28 days. The spectrophotometric procedures to determine the activities of ALT, ALP and AST was conducted to evaluate effects on the liver function. And the effect on kidney functions was evaluated by the determinations of the concentrations of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine in female and male rats. The effects of the treatment on the histology of the kidney and liver tissues were examined. Also determined were the extent of the inhibition of lipid peroxidation using concentration of MDA generated and degeneration of protein mass using assay of total protein determination in the liver and kidney. Ethanolic extract of Abelmoschus esculentus Moench L leaf had an LD50 of 1250 mg/Kg BWT in female Wistar rats and 2333.33 mg/Kg BWT in male Wistar rats. The quantitative evaluation of phytochemical composition of the leaf extract revealed caffeic acid as the most predominant, other phytochemicals included coumarin, quercetrin, quercetin, kaempferol, gallic acid and chlorogenic acid. These are phytochemicals of antioxidative importance but that are required endogenously in limited amounts.