Original Articles: 2012 Vol: 4 Issue: 11
The modulatory effects of aqueous extracts of Viscum album and garlic on sodium arsenite induced toxicity in wistar albino rat
Abstract
The modulatory potentials of aqueous extracts of garlic and Viscum album leaves on sodium- arsenite induced clastogenicity were examined in male wistar rats. Animals were randomly divided into 8 groups. Group 1(Distilled water), Group 2(Sodium arsenite ), Group 3(Garlic alone),Group 4 (Sodium arsenite and Garlic), Group 5 (Viscum album only), Group 6 (Viscum album and Garlic), Group 7 (Viscum album and Sodium arsenite) and Group 8 (Viscum album, Garlic and, Sodium arsenite). Aqueous extracts of garlic at 100mg/kg body weight (bwt) and Viscum album leaves (25mg/kg bwt) were fed to the rats for 30 consecutive days. Sodium arsenite (2.5mg/kg bwt) was given once weekly. Aqueous extracts was administered through oral gavage for 28 days. Clastogenecity activity was evaluated by studying micronuclei formation in polychromatic erythrocyte cells in bone marrow. Plasma levels of gamma-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT), Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and Alanine aminotransferase(ALP) compared to the negative control. The results suggest that pretreatment of rats with either garlic or Viscum album extracts reduced the elevated plasma levels of liver enzymes and clastogenicity induced by sodium arsenite in rats.