Cochorous olitorous and Adasonia digitata leaves extracts protects against gamma radiation induced anaemia

Abstract

This paper proposes that exposure to radiation could generate free radicals, which could lead to disorders such as heamolysis-induced anaemia. We evaluated the radioprotective potentials of Cochorous olitorious and Adasonia digitata methanol leaves extract in gamma radiation induced anaemia. Fifty four adult male Wistar rats were divided into nine groups of 6 animals. Except for the control group, the other the animals were treated with a single dose of whole body gamma radiation of 6Gy and received either 500 or 1000 mg/kg body weight (bwt) of A. digitata and C. olitorious either singly or combination and vitamin C was used as reference. A. digitata and C. olitorious were screened for phytochemical content and had saponin (16.59±1.85 and 22.12±0.24), tannins (311.98±0.01 and 287.07±0.16), polyphenols (170.90±0.68 and 330.07±0.32), alkaloids (81.56±0.56 and 68.65±2.05) and flavonoids (25.38±2.88 and 157.38±0.38) respectively. There was significant loss in body weight, depletion in red blood cells (RBC), packed cell volume (PCV), heamoglobin concentration (HBC) in untreated rats exposed to gamma radiation. Administration of the plant extract to rats exposed to radiation was able to attenuate and ameliorate loss in body weight and changes in blood cells (HBC, PCV, PLT and RBC) especially in radiated rats on combination therapy of both extracts at 1000 mg/kg bwt group. Hepatoprotective and safety evaluation was done by measuring the serum ALT, AST and ALP, these parameters were significantly (p<0.05) increased in untreated rats exposed to gamma radiation compared to normal control rats and these decreased in rats on plant extract.