Search

Cadmium has long been known as an environmental pollutant with significant toxic effects on human health, primarily targeting the kidneys and liver. This study aims to investigate the mitigating potential of methanol extracts from the leaves of Rauvolfia vomitoria and Aframomum melegueta against cadmium-induced liver toxicity. Twenty-five adult male Wistar rats, weighing an average of 200 g, were randomly assigned to five groups of five rats each. Group 1 was not exposed to any substance and received only distilled water. Group 2 received cadmium at a standard dose of 12 mg/kg bw. Groups 3, 4, and 5 received 12 mg/kg bw of cadmium, and each group was treated with 200 mg/kg bw of Rauvolfia vomitoria leaf extract, Aframomum melegueta leaf extract, and a combination of both extracts, respectively. After 28 days, the animals were euthanized to obtain their livers, which were then excised and processed for histopathological, mRNA expression, and biochemical analyses. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the data, and Duncan's multiple range test was used to compare the categorical variables (p < 0.05). The results showed that rats treated with Rauvolfia vomitoria and Aframomum melegueta extracts had elevated levels of interleukin 10 (IL-10) compared to Group 2. On the other hand, the treatment groups showed a significant decrease in tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) levels, along with significantly elevated levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Group 5 showed a normal liver histoarchitecture similar to Group 1, reversing the histopathological abnormalities shown in Group 2. In conclusion, co-administration of Rauvolfia vomitoria and Aframomum melegueta extracts reversed cadmium-induced toxicity better than either plant extract alone. This further suggests that methanol extracts from the leaves of Rauvolfia vomitoria and Aframomum melegueta may mitigate cadmium-induced toxicity by reducing oxidative stress and enhancing the antioxidant defense system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]