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Acute effect of heavy metals exposure on lipid profile of male albino wistar rats was evaluated. Sixteen (16) animals weighing 292-298g were randomly assigned four groups of four rats each. Groups 1 and 2 were orally treated ones with 40 percent below the lethal doses (LD50) of Lead and Mercury respectively. Group 3 was treated with both heavy metals (20 percent below the LD50each of the metals). Group 4 was not treated with either of the heavy metals and served as control. Each group of animals was allow free access to commercial rat mash and water for one week that the study lasted. After the 7 days experimentation, the results revealed a non-significant increase (P > 0.05) in serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol in group 1 when compared to the control. A significant decrease in serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (P < 0.05) in group 1 was recorded when compared to the control. Groups 2 and 3 animals died 24 hours and 48 hours respectively after treatment. The implications of these results are discussed.

The effect of co-administration of ethanol leaves extracts of Andrographis paniculata and Phyllanthus amarus on albumin, globulin and bilirubin in a heavy metal treated albino Wistar rats was evaluated. Twenty-five male rats (130-170g) were assigned five groups of five animals each. Groups 1,2, 3 and 5 were treated with thirty percent of the LD50 of cadmium each before administration of plant extracts. Group 1 was administrated with 400mg/kg of A.paniculata and P. amarus at 50:50 dosage ratio. Groups 2 and 3 were administered with 400mg/kg of A.paniculata and P. amarus respectively. Group 4 was neither treated with heavy metal nor administered with the leave extracts and served as normal control, but Group 5 that was treated with heavy metal without plant extracts served as positive control. The animals were all fed with commercial rat mash and with distilled water throughout three weeks of extract administration. At the end of 21 days, the result revealed a non-significant decrease in mean albumin and globulin levels in the treatment groups when compared to the normal control and positive control. But the mean serum albumin, globulin and bilirubin levels in the positive control group were highest compared to the treatment groups. The result also indicated a significant decrease in direct bilirubin in the treated group when compared to the normal and positive control groups (P>0.05). Significant decrease was also recorded in the mean serum direct bilirubin level in the group 2 compared to the normal and positive control groups (P

The effect of administration of ethanol extracts of Andrographis paniculata leaves and Zingiber officinale rhizoids on serum liver enzymes (ASP, ALP and ALT) in normal male albino wistar rats, weighing 113-233g was evaluated. Twenty-five (25) animals were randomly assigned five groups of five rats each. Groups 1, 2, 3 and 4 were treated with 100mg/kg, 200mg/kg, 300mg/kg and 400mg/kg respectively of Andrographis paniculata leaves and Zingiber officinale rhizoids extracts. Group 5 (control) was not treated. Both treated and control animals were fed with commercial rat mash and water throughout three (3) weeks of experiments. At the end of the 21 days, significant decrease (P> 0.05) in serum AST level was recorded in treated groups 1, 2, 3 and 4 compared with the control. Significant decrease (P> 0.05) in serum ALP level was recorded in group 4 when compared with control. However, serum ALP level recorded significant increase in group 4 compared with group 3 (P>0.05). The results of this research work signified that administration of ethanol extracts of Andrographis paniculata leaves and Zingiber officinale rhizoids possessed no marked effects on the liver enzymes since variations in the levels of the enzymes were within their normal serum ranges.