Abstract B61: Chemoprotective properties of some African spices on sodium arsenite-induced toxicities in albino Wistar rats
Authors: Owumi Solomon E. , Odunola Oyeronke A. , Gbadegesin Michael A. , Nulah Kathleen L. , Mohammed Aliyu , Oloye Cinzia O. , Oloidi Abiodun C. , Obadare Moses O. , Oladeji Oludare O. 
Published: January 2011

Certain types of cancer have been linked to the consumption of arsenic contaminated water. Increases in arsenic-induced carcinogenesis were associated with the presence of inorganic trivalent arsenic as observed during previous epidemiological studies. Consumption of chemoprotective plants food products rich in antioxidants have been suggested and shown to hold promise in mitigating disease onset and chemical-induced carcinogenesis. We investigated the effect of some commonly consumed African spices and nuts — Afromomum longiscapum (AL), Keayodendron bridelioides (KB), Monodora myristica (MM) and Juglans nigra (JN) — on sodium arsenite (SA) a known clastogen induced toxicty in Albino Wistar rats for five weeks. Phytochemical profiling of aqueous extracts of these spices indicated non-specifically the presence and absence of these pharmacologically active compounds: tanins, saponins, cardenolides, anthraquinones, flavonoids and alkaloids. Our findings indicate that MM and AL alone induce the formation of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (mPCEs) in the rat bone marrow significantly (p&lt;0.05) while KB and JN alone did not using the mouse micronuclei assay. Co-administration of AL, MM, KB and JN individually in addition to SA decreased (p&lt;0.05) SA-induced mPCEs formation compared with SA only. KB and JN effectively reduced mPCEs formation (50 and 75% respectively) than AL and MM (38.5 and 31% respectively) over SA alone. However, AL and MM did not additively increase SA-induced mPCEs formation but appears to act in an antagonistic manner. Relative to control, SA increased serum levels of hepatic transaminases (p&lt;0.05) while all extract co-treatments with SA resulted in a decrease (p&lt;0.05) in serum transaminases. AL, KB, MM, JN and SA treatment decreased sperm count and motility (p&lt;0.05) with no observable effect on sperm viability compared with the control. All parameters measuring morphological abnormalities in semen showed no difference (p&gt;0.05) across the treated groups. Limited hepatic histopathology showed mild mononuclear cellular infiltration in the control groups. Compared with the control, severe hepatic degeneration and necrosis was observed in SA treated group with no visible lesions in the AL, KB and JN treatments. However, diffused vascular degeneration of hepatocytes was common in the MM treated group. Mild hepatic degeneration and congestion of the portal vessels were seen in AL+SA and MM+SA treated groups. KB treatment largely conferred protection on SA-induced hepatotoxicity. Overall, some extracts (JN and KB) exhibited an higher anticlastogenic and hepatoprotective potentials, while others (MM and AL) did to a lesser extent confered such properties, bordering on being toxic. Furthermore, the extracts reduced sperm count and motility with no significant effect on viability or morphology. In conclusion, the aqueous extracts of these spices exhibited chemoprotective properties, with the potential of mitigating the effect of arsenic-induced clastogenicity.

Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2010;3(12 Suppl):B61.