Effect Of Methanolic Extract Of African Mistletoe (Loranthus Micranthus Linn) On Cadmium Induced Toxicity In The Testes Of Male Wistar Rats:- Ebenje, Chidinma G

ABSTRACT VI Humans are exposed to a number of toxic elements in the environment. Cadmium widely used in industry is a great environmental health problem of.both humans and animals. Effects ol Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generation have been postulated to be a major contributors to cadmium exposure related diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of methanol leaves extract of Loranthus .micranthus on the testes of male wistar rats exposed to cadmium. Sixteen (16) rats randomised to 4 groups of four rats each. Apart from group 1 that served as the negative control, other groups were administered orally with Loranthus micranthus methanol extract (150mg/kg), cadmium chloride solution (150mg/kg) and cadmium chloride extract + Loranthus micranthus (50mg/kg and 150mg/kg). All administrations were carried out for 3 weeks. The rats were then sacrificed and the testes was used for analysis of antioxidant parameters. Results showed that Catalase, Superoxide dismutase, Reduced glutathione activities significantly increased in the test groups administered Loranthus micranthus extract and Loranthus micrantus extract + Cadmium while the test group administered only cadmium significantly decreased. It further shows that Malondialdehyde level significantly increased in test group administered cadmium but significantly decreased in test groups administered Loranthus micranthus extract and Loranthus micranthus + cadmium. Finally, the study suggests that Loranthus micranthus extract has potential antioxidant properties and also has the ability to ameliorate cadmium induced toxicity