Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

The effect of Garcinia kola extract on lipopolysaccha-ride-induced tissue damage in rats

Tebekeme Okoko , Solomon Ndoni

Biochemistry Division, Department of Chemical Sciences, Niger Delta University, PMB 71, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria;

For correspondence:- Tebekeme Okoko Email: tebebuddy@yahoo.com

Received: 1 June 2008 Accepted: 6 October 2008 Published: 23 February 2009

Citation: Okoko T, Ndoni S. The effect of Garcinia kola extract on lipopolysaccha-ride-induced tissue damage in rats. Trop J Pharm Res 2009; 8(1):27-31 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v8i1.5

© 2009 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To study the effect of the crude methanol extract of Garcinia kola seed on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced tissue damage in rats.

Methods: A total of 16 rats were split equally into four treatment groups: Normal controls, LPS-treated only, LPS-treated + 100 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) extract, LPS-treated + 250 mg/kg b.w. extract. LPS was administered via the intraperitoneal route once and the extract orally administered to the rats for 14 days. Indices of liver and kidney function were later assessed.

Results: The results showed that LPS caused marked elevations in the blood levels of alanine aminotransaminase, aspartate aminotransaminase, creatinine, urea, nitric oxide and a significant reduction in the catalase activity in both liver and kidney. The thiobarbituric acid reactive species were also increased in liver. These levels were brought to near control values when the rats were fed with the extract. The changes were more pronounced in the rats given the 250 mg/kg b.w. of the extract.

Conclusion: The data suggest that Garcinia kola significantly reduced the tissue damage induced by LPS which may be dose-dependent. This is probably due to the interaction of the various phytochemicals with LPS and/or to the fact that the extract possesses significant antioxidant properties.

Keywords: Garcinia kola, lipopolysaccharide, creatine, urea, hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity