Effects of Aqueous Extract of Nauclea latifolia Stem on Lipid Profile and Some Enzymes of Rat Liver and Kidney

The study was carried out to investigate effects of administration of aqueous extract of Nauclea latifolia stem on lipid profile and some liver and kidney parameters of rat. Thirty rats were grouped into five. Each group consisting of six rats each. Group 1 served as the control and was administered 2 mL distilled water. The remaining groups were administered 200, 400, 600 and 800 mg kg-1 b.wt. of aqueous extract of Nauclea latifolia stem, respectively. Administration lasted for twenty eight days during which three rats from each group were sacrificed twenty four hours after administration on the fourteenth day and the remaining, twenty eighth day. Liver, kidney and blood were collected and alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate amino transferase, urea, creatinine, malondialdehyde level as well as lipid profile evaluated. The results showed a significant (p<0.05) concentration dependent decrease in total cholesterol (TC) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and increase in low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglycerides (TG) at both periods. Similar results were obtained in serum concentration of creatinine and urea with TC and HDL-C. There was significant concentration dependent reduction (p<0.05) in liver and kidney alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities with a corresponding significant increase (p<0.05) in their serum activities. This revealed a time and concentration dependent hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic potentials of the aqueous extract of Nauclea latifolia stem.