Akande I S, Ebuehi O A T, Samuel T A, Onubogu I C, Esin H
Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, P.M.B 12003, Lagos, Nigeria.
Nig Q J Hosp Med. 2010 Apr-Jun;20(2):70-6. doi: 10.4314/nqjhm.v20i2.58035.
Many people use herbal remedies for the treatment of a wide range of diseases due to the claims of their efficacies by the manufacturers. However, there is little insight as to the mode of action and possible toxic effects of these popular herbal formulations on organs such as, liver and kidney.
Hepatological, histological and renal function tests of Sprague-Dawley albino rats were investigated in order to determine the possible effects on rat kidney and liver following exposure of the physiological system to the processed herbal remedies through oral administration.
Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats (120-170g) and divided into 7 groups were employed for this study. Six groups of 4 rats each were orally administered high dose (1.0 ml) and low dose (0.5 ml) of 'Agyanom mixture', 'Bolex bitters' and 'Remedia mixture' respectively for 15 days. The control group consisted of 6 rats given water only after acclimatization for 28 days, with food and water freely available to both groups. The rats were sacrificed, the blood samples were collected through the orbital sinus and cardiac puncture. The liver and kidney tissues for each group were also harvested. Liver and renal function test parameters were analysed. The liver and kidney from the rats were fixed in 10% formol saline and after 72 hours, dehydrated in graded alcohol, cleaned in xylene, and embedded in paraffin. The resulting blocks were sectioned. The sections were randomized and selected sections were stained in haemotoxylin and eosin. The slides were then examined at magnification of x400.
There were significant (p < 0.05) differences in the concentrations of serum electrolytes in all the experimental groups compared with control. Na+, K+, HCO3(2-) urea and creatinin levels increased significantly in the experimental groups. Serum alanine amino transferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma glutamyl transpeptidase activities and bilirubin level were not significantly different (p > or = 0.05) in all the experimental groups compared with control. Histological features of mild to severe tubular necrosis were evident in the kidney tissues of all the experimental groups compared to the control, unlike in the liver tissues.
Data of the present study indicate that herbal remedies such as 'agyanom mixture', 'bolex bitters' and 'remedia mixture' have adverse effects on the kidney and they might not be safe for human consumption.
许多人因制造商宣称草药疗法对多种疾病有效而使用其进行治疗。然而，对于这些流行草药配方对肝脏和肾脏等器官的作用方式及可能的毒性作用，人们了解甚少。
研究斯普拉格 - 道利白化大鼠的肝脏学、组织学和肾功能测试，以确定通过口服给予生理系统加工后的草药疗法后，对大鼠肾脏和肝脏可能产生的影响。
本研究使用30只雄性斯普拉格 - 道利大鼠（120 - 170克），分为7组。6组每组4只大鼠，分别口服高剂量（1.0毫升）和低剂量（0.5毫升）的“Agyanom混合物”“Bolex苦味剂”和“Remedia混合物”，持续15天。对照组由6只大鼠组成，在适应28天后仅给予水，两组均可自由获取食物和水。处死大鼠后，通过眶窦和心脏穿刺采集血样。每组的肝脏和肾脏组织也进行收集。分析肝脏和肾功能测试参数。将大鼠的肝脏和肾脏固定在10%的甲醛生理盐水中，72小时后，在梯度酒精中脱水，在二甲苯中清洗，然后包埋在石蜡中。对所得蜡块进行切片。将切片随机分组，选择的切片用苏木精和伊红染色。然后在400倍放大倍数下检查玻片。
与对照组相比，所有实验组血清电解质浓度均存在显著差异（p < 0.05）。实验组中Na +、K +、HCO3(2-)、尿素和肌酐水平显著升高。与对照组相比，所有实验组血清丙氨酸氨基转移酶（ALT）、天冬氨酸氨基转移酶（AST）、碱性磷酸酶（ALP）、γ - 谷氨酰转肽酶活性和胆红素水平无显著差异（p≥0.05）。与对照组相比，所有实验组肾脏组织均出现轻度至重度肾小管坏死的组织学特征，而肝脏组织未出现。
本研究数据表明，“Agyanom混合物”“Bolex苦味剂”和“Remedia混合物”等草药疗法对肾脏有不良影响，可能不适合人类食用。
