Effects of Moringa oleifera Seeds on the Serum Electrolytes of Wistar Rats Intoxicated with Aluminum Chloride

doi.org/10.26538/tjnpr/v5i5.21

Abstract

The concentration of serum electrolytes is one of the most commonly used laboratory tests for assessment of a patient’s clinical conditions and disease states, this is because electrolyte balance is essential for normal functioning of cells and organs of the body. The current study examined the effects of aluminum chloride (AlCl3) on the serum electrolytes, liver enzymes of 35 wistar rats divided into seven groups of five (n = 5) and treated with 100 and 400 mg/kg body weight of the ethanol and aqueous seed extracts of Moringa oleifera. The study showed the lowering effects of Moringa oleifera on serum electrolytes levels. Further studies showed that alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were significantly (p<0.05) increased from 11.91 ± 0.20 and 11.83 ± 0.40 to 59.23 ± 0.24 and 57.29 ± 0.50 respectively when rats were induced with aluminum chloride toxicity. Upon treatment with ethanol and aqueous extracts of Moringa oleifera at 100 mg/kg, the levels of ALT and AST significantly (p<0.05) dropped. An increase in the concentrations of the extracts to 400 mg/kg resulted to a significant (P<0.05) elevation of ALT 11.93 ± 0.17 (ethanol) and 11.94 ± 0.07 (aqueous) and AST 11.77 ± 0.25 (ethanol) and 11.78 ± 0.15 (aqueous). The results of this study show that at lower concentrations Moringa oleifera seeds are effective against AlCl3 by regulating levels of serum electrolytes, ALT and AST in wistar rats.