Effect of Vitellaria paradoxa Stem Bark Ingestion on Kidney Functions in Wistar Rats

Background: Vitellaria paradoxa is used in the treatment of different diseases in several parts of Nigeria without regard for its safety.

Aim: This study was aimed at investigating the effect of ingestion of Vitellaria paradoxa stem bark extract on the kidney functions in Wistar rats.

Place and Duration of the Study: The study was carried out in the Department of Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria.

Methods: The oral acute toxicity (LD50) of the extract was determined in 30 Wistar rats divided into six of five per group. Group 1 was the control and received distilled water. Different doses of 5, 50, 300, 2000, and 5000 mg/kg were administered once to the study groups (2, 3, 4, 5 and 6) respectively. A sub-chronic toxicity study was carried out in 30 Wistar rats, divided into six of 5 rats per group. Group 1 served as control and was given distilled water and standard rat pellets. The remaining 5 groups were administered different doses of 50, 100, 200, 300 and 400 mg/kg of the extract respectively daily for 30 days. Urea (Ur), Creatinine (Cr), Sodium (Na+), Potassium (K+), Chloride (Cl‑), and Bicarbonate (HCO-3) were assayed using standard techniques. Body weights of the rats were taken twice weekly.

Results: No mortality or signs of toxicity were recorded in the rats after 24 hours and up to 14 days post-oral treatment, an indication that LD50 of the extract is greater than 5000 mg/kg. In sub-chronic toxicity study, the results did not show treatment-related abnormalities in all the parameters. There were no significant differences (p>0.05) in the values of the control and test groups with the exception of urea which was significantly lower (p<0.05) in groups 3(3.67±0.55), 4 (3.53±0.65), 5(2.90±0.80) and 6(5.0±0.69) than the control group (6.27±.31) but were within the reference range. Weekly body weights of the rats showed no significant differences (p>0.05) between the control and the test groups. Histology results revealed normocytic normochromic cells.

Conclusion: From our findings, ingestion of Vitellaria paradoxa stem bark extract produced no harmful effect on kidney function in Wistar rats.