Biochemical changes elicited by isosaline leaf and stem-bark extracts of Harungana madagascariensis in the rat.
Isosaline leaf and stem-bark extracts of Harungana madagascariensis (L) administered intraperitoneally into healthy albino rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain at a dose of 400 mg/kg body weight resulted in a significant elevation of liver, kidney and serum alanine and aspartate aminotransferase activities. Serum urea, total proteins, total triglyceride, cholesterol, pyruvate and lactate were also significantly elevated in the treated rats. While the stem-bark extract significantly increased the blood glucose level, the leaf extract significantly lowered it. However, both extracts significantly reduced supernatant protein concentrations of the liver and kidney. The significant increase in aminotransferase activities and the concomitant reduction in protein concentrations of the liver and kidney suggests increased catabolism of proteins in these organs, while the catabolites produced are probably channelled to other metabolic pathways resulting in the observed hyperpyruvicaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia and lactic acidaemia in the treated animals. The increased serum cholesterol also suggests a probable degenerative change that these extracts may have on membranes. The results obtained clearly indicate that these extracts alter metabolic activities in both the liver and kidney of treated rats and hence, should be employed in herbal preparations with caution.
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo College of Health Sciences, Ogun State University, PMB 2002, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria. joelagus@yahoo.com
J A
JA
Olagunju
A B
AB
Ogunfeibo
A O
AO
Ogunbosi
O A
OA
Taiwo
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D028084:Clusiaceae; D005260:Female; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D024301:Plant Bark; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018515:Plant Leaves; D019289:Pyruvic Acid / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood
D001786:Blood Glucose; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014280:Triglycerides; D019344:Lactic Acid; D019289:Pyruvic Acid; D014508:Urea; D002784:Cholesterol; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase