The Effect Of Ethanol Leaves Extract Of Justicia Carnea On Serum Electrolytes And Kidney Function Of Thioacetamide (Taa) - Induced Nephrotoxic Wistar Albino Rats :- Inyama Amarachi J

ABSTRACT xi The present study evaluated the effect of ethanol leaves extract of Justicia carnea on serum electrolytes and kidney function of thioacetamide (TAA) - induced nephrotoxic wistar albino rats. Thirty wistar albino rats having an average weight ofl05g were used in this study and they were divided into five groups each consisting ofsix rats. Group A received feed and water only without indution, group B, C, D, E and F were induced with thioacetamide intraperitoneally whereby group B were the negative control without treatment, group C were treated with 50mg/kg Sylimarin, group D, E and F were the extract groups treated with 200mg/kg, 400mg/kg, 600mg/kg body weight respectively and the treatment were given orally which lasted for 14 days. At the end of the 14lh day, rats in each group were sacrificed and blood samples were collected by cardiac puncture for the determination of kidney function parameters which include serum urea, creatinine, sodium, potassium and chloride. Results from this study shows a significant (p<0.05) increase in serum levels of urea, creatinine, sodium, potassium and chloride in thioacetamide-induced rats which on comparison to the groups treated with the extract at 200mg/kg, 400mg/kg, bOOmgTcg and standard drug (silymarin) shows significant (p<0.05) reduction in all the kidney markers. It was observed that the animals responded differently after being treated with the ethanol leaves extract of Justicia carnea and silymarin which shows that this plant extract and the standard drug (silymarin) can be used as an effective agent in the management of kidney injury and disease cases where kidney markers are abnormally increased or decreased, especially in cases of TAA toxicity. This nephroprotective activity of the ethanol leaves extract of Justicia carnea in thioacetamide-induced nephrotoxicity may involve its antioxidant and oxidative free radical scavenging activities which are provided for by the combined effect ofthe active principles present in it.