Mitigative effects of Moringa oleifera against liver injury induced by artesunate-amodiaquine antimalarial combination in wistar rats

Abstract

Background: Artesunate-amodiaquine (AS-AQ) is an antimalarial drug. It is associated with improved cure rates, accelerated response to therapy and delayed development of resistance. However, liver damage, neurotoxicity and agranulocytosis have been reported as adverse effects whose origins have been linked to free radicals generated by the drug. According to native materia medica, Moringa oleifera (MO) has wide utility in ethnomedicine. However, there is paucity of information on the hepatoprotective efficacy of this plant. The present study evaluated the mitigative effects of MO leaf extracts against liver injury induced by AS-AQ combination in female Wistar rats. Methods: Dry leaf powder of MO was extracted with water and a 20:80 v/v mixture of water and methanol to give aqueous (AQ) and aqueous-methanol (AQ-ME) MO leaf extracts respectively. In vitro hydroxyl free radical scavenging activity of serial dilutions (10-100 μg/ml) of each of the extracts was then evaluated using an assay model where butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) served as a reference standard. The extract with better free radical scavenging activity was then evaluated for hepatoprotective effects against AS-AQ intoxication in female Wistar rats based on the Acute Toxic Class method (OECD 2000). Serum asparate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), total bilirubin and histological examination of rat liver sections were used to evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of the selected MO leaf extract. Siliphos ® (standard hepatoprotectant) was used for comparison.

Medicinal Plants Used In Managing Diseases Of The Respiratory System Among The Luo Community: An Appraisal Of Kisumu East Sub-County, Kenya

“…A. Juss Diabetes, hypertension [115], hepatic inflammations, sinusitis [65], malaria [63] Antibacterial activity against Salmonella enterica subsp. Enterica serovar typhi [116], the ethyl acetate extract of the leaves showed hypoglycemic activity [117], the aqueous extract showed hepatoprotective effects [118], the ethanolic extract effects [118], the ethanolic extract exhibited antioxidant activity [119], the presence of saponins, tannins, reducing sugars, carbonyl or aldehyde, phlobatannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, anthraquinones has also been reported [116] Mollugo nudicaulis Lam.…”

“…Whooping cough and jaundice [120] Methanolic leaves extract exhibited antioxidant and antibacterial activity [121], the whole plant extract showed antidiabetic properties [122], the presence of alkaloids, steroids, flavonoids and reducing sugars was also reported [121] Moringa oleifera Lam.…”

The Antioxidant Activity of Low Doses of Moringa Seeds (Moringa oleifera Lam.) in Hypercholesterolemic Male Rats

“…The leaf extract of M. oleifera was also effective in protecting against liver injury induced by CCl4 [6,7]. It was also used in protecting against liver toxicity induced by various toxicants such as cadmium [8] and antimalarial combination of artesunate/amodiaquine [9]. The aqueous extract of moringa leaf was effective in treating streptozotocin-induced diabetic albino rats, showing antioxidant and antihyperglycemic effects [2].…”

Acute and sub-acute toxicity study of the root extracts of Fagaropsis hildebrandtii in mice and evaluation of their antimicrobial effects

“…Thus, the accumulation of toxic compounds in the liver is bound to be associated with liver damage. This damage is usually assessed by the determination of serum transaminases (ALT and AST) as well as measurement of total proteins 32,33 . Significant increases in the serum levels of these enzymes particularly at a dose of 1000mg/kg for both aqueous and hexane extracts of F. hildebrandtii and the observations of cloudy swelling, necrosis, and pyknosis on histological analysis of the liver further confirms that the oral administration of these extracts in mice may indeed cause liver damage at high doses.…”