Ficus glumosa Del. reduces phenylhydrazine-induced hemolytic anaemia and hepatic damage in Wistar rats.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

Anemia is a direct or indirect consequence of oxidative stress via free radicals on erythrocytes and subsequently on other tissues like liver. Ficus glumosa constitute a rich pharmacologically compound that can prevent or repair oxidative damage. Therefore, this study seeks to evaluate the effect of F. glumosa on phenylhydrazine-induced hemolytic anemia and hepatic damage in rats.

METHODS:

Twenty-four (24) albino Wistar rats were assigned to four (4) experimental groups (n=6) as follows: Group I (non-anemic control) and Group 2 (anemic control) received normal saline, while Group III and IV (test groups) 200 and 400 mg/kg of aqueous leaf extract of F. glumosa (ALEFG), respectively. All the groups were treated orally (via a cannula) for seven consecutive days. Intraperitoneal (IP) injection of phenylhydrazine (PHZ) at 40 mg/kg for two consecutive days induced hemolytic anemia in group II to IV before treatment. Rats of all groups were anaesthetized and sacrificed 24 h after the last treatment. Blood and liver samples were collected for some hematological indices, liver function test, antioxidant parameter and histological analysis.

RESULTS:

The LD50 of ALEFG was assessed orally in rats and found to be above 5,000 mg/kg body weight. Significant (p<0.05) decreases in the level of red blood cell (RBC), hemoglobin (HGB) concentrations and packed cell volume (PCV) by 50% after 2 days of PHZ induction, were attenuated by more than 50% after 7 days administration of ALEFG at 200 and 400 mg/kg. The percentage change in body weight increased significantly (p<0.05) after 7 days post PHZ-induced anemia, but those that received oral administration of ALEFG (at 200 and 400 mg/kg) for 7 days increased significantly (p<0.05) by more than 2%, dose-dependently compared to anemic untreated group. Increased level of serum ALT, AST, ALP and GGT in PHZ-induced anemic animals, were significantly (p<0.05) attenuated in the groups that received oral administration of ALEFG (at 200 and 400 mg/kg) for 7 days. Decreased level of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities with concomitant increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) content from PHZ-induced untreated group, were significantly (p<0.05) mitigated in the rats that received oral administration of ALEFG (at 200 and 400 mg/kg) for 7 days. Histopathological analysis showed that ALEFG could remarkably though not completely mitigated PHZ-induced hepatic damage.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our data suggests that the leaves of F. glumosa contain important antioxidant(s) that could effectively reduce hemolytic anemia and hepatic damage, especially during phenylhydrazine-induced toxicity.

• Authors: Azubuike Ikechukwu Okafor, Cecilia Ushike Atsu
• Journal: Journal of complementary & integrative medicine (J Complement Integr Med) Vol. 19 Issue 3 Pg. 661-668 (Sep 01 2022) ISSN: 1553-3840 [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 35106983 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2022 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.

Chemical References

• Antioxidants
• Hemoglobins
• Phenylhydrazines
• Plant Extracts
• Saline Solution
• phenylhydrazine
• Malondialdehyde
• Catalase
• Superoxide Dismutase

Topics

• Anemia, Hemolytic (chemically induced, drug therapy, prevention & control)
• Animals
• Antioxidants (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Body Weight
• Catalase
• Ficus
• Hemoglobins
• Malondialdehyde
• Oxidative Stress
• Phenylhydrazines (adverse effects)
• Plant Extracts (adverse effects)
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar
• Saline Solution (adverse effects)
• Superoxide Dismutase