AMELIORATIVE EFFECT OF ETHANOL LEAF EXTRACT OF TRIDAX PROCUMBENTS L. (ASTERACEAE) ON SODIUM ARSENITE‐INDUCED TOXICITIES IN MALE WISTAR RATS
Authors: Ekundayo Samuel Stephen , Odunola Oyeronke Adunni , Ola‐Davies Olufunke Eunice 
Published: November 2023

The effect of ethanol extract of Tridax procumbens L. on sodium arsenite‐induced haemotoxicity, hepatotoxicity and clastogenecity in male Wistar rats was evaluated.

Thirty two healthy male albino Wistar rats (80–100g) were grouped into four groups (A to D) of eight rats each. Rats in group A were treated with 1 ml/kg body weight diluted olive oil (negative control), Group B Sodium arsenite (SA) 2.5 mg/kg day 1 and day 7 respectively (positive control), Group C 100mg/kg ethanol extract for 14 days and Group D 100mg/kg ethanol extract for 14 days and SA on day 7 and day 14. Oral route of administration was used.

Blood samples were collected from all the animals twenty‐four hours after the last treatment with SA; after which they were sacrificed by cervical dislocation. The haematological indices; packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin concentration (HB), red blood cell (RBC) count, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean haemoglobin concentration (MCH), and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and Serum activity of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and γ‐glutamyl transferase (GGT) were determined while micro nucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (mPCEs) induction in the bone marrow was monitored by micronuclei assay.

The results from this study showed that there was no significant difference in the values of HB, MCV, MCH and MCHC of group B to D when compared to the negative control group. The PCV and RBC values of SAgroup were significantly reduced (P<0.05), however, the extract alone ameliorate the effect of SA significantly (P<0.05)when SA was co‐administered with the extract in group D for the indices PCV: (group B (46.3 ± 0.48), group C (50.5 ± 0.65), group D (49.50 ± 0.96) and RBC: (group B (7.66 ± 0.10), group C (8.57 ± 0.14), group D (8.45 ± 0.15) respectively.

Also, the values of ALT and ALP for groups B to D was non‐significant (P>0.05) as compared with the control group. The SA group had a significant elevation (P<0.05)in the values of AST and GGT, however, the extract alone reduced the effect of SA significantly (P<0.05) when SA was co‐administered with the extract in group D for AST:(group B (44.5 ± 1.71), group C (39.3 ±0.75), group D (40.8 ± 1.49) and GGT: (group B (1.98 ± 0.118), group C (1.43 ± 0.085), group D (1.45 ± 0.343) respectively.

In addition, the value of the mPCEs for group C and D were non‐significant (P>0.05) when compared to the negative control group (3.0 ± 0.58). However, the induction in mPCEs caused by SA (35.0 ± 2.04)was significant (P<0.05) as compared to other groups while the extract alone group (3.33 ± 1.76) significantly ameliorate(P<0.05) the effect of SA when SA was co‐administered with the extract in group D (6.00 ± 4.08).

It could therefore be concluded that the ethanol extract of Tridax procumbens is not toxic but rather, it is capable of ameliorating sodium arsenite‐induced toxicities in male Wistar rats.