ARSENIC TRIOXIDE-INDUCED

EFFECT OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF Persea americana (AVOCADO) SEEDONARSENIC TRIOXIDE-INDUCED KIDNEY DAMAGE IN ADULT WISTARRATS.

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Abstract
Environmental toxicants, such as arsenic, pose significant health risks, particularly to vital organs like the kidneys. As key organs responsible for filtration and detoxification, the kidneys are especially vulnerable to the oxidative stress and inflammation caused by arsenic exposure. Inorganic arsenic, a highly toxic form found in contaminated water, food, and soil, accumulates in kidney tissues, leading to cellular damage, impaired function, and an increased risk of chronic kidney disease and other renal disorders. The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by arsenic disrupts cellular homeostasis, damages mitochondrial function, and triggers proinflammatory responses, exacerbating kidney injury. Nutrient-rich foods like Persea americana offer a potential protective strategy against arsenic-induced kidney damage. Persea americana are abundant in antioxidants, phenolic compounds, and unsaturated fatty acids that combat oxidative stress, reduce inflammation, and enhance cellular resilience. These bioactive compounds help neutralize ROS, improve mitochondrial
function, and mitigate arsenic's toxic effects on kidney tissues, supporting overall renal health and function. Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate the effect of aqueous extract of Persea americanaon arsenic-induced kidney damage in fully-grown Wistar rats. Thirty (30) fully-grown Wistar rats were used weighing between 130g and 150g. They were grouped into six groups (A, B, C, D, E, and F). The rats in Group A served as the control, and the rats in Group B were administered10mg/kg of Arsenic Trioxide, the rats in Group C were administered 140mg/kg body weight ofSilymarin and 10mg/kg of arsenic trioxide, the rats in Group D were administeredwith125mg/kg of Persea americana and 10mg/kg of arsenic trioxide, the rats in Group Ewere administered with 250mg/kg of Persea americana and 10mg/kg of arsenic trioxide and the rats in Group F were administered with 10mg/kg of arsenic trioxide for 14 days and allowed to recover. The administration period spanned 28 days after which they were sacrificed and the kidneys harvested were collected for biochemical and histological assessments. Results showed no significant difference (p>0.05) in the kidney weight, and Reno-somatic index across the experimental groups, there was a significant decrease in the weight of the group treatedwith10mg/kg of arsenic trioxide compared to the control group. In the case of the oxidative stress parameters arsenic, caused a is significant decrease in SOD, and GPX activities and a significant
increase in MDA activities when compared with control while treatment group was able to reverse these significant changes except for the recovery group. For the urea and creatinine level, there was a significant increase in the groups given 10mg/kg of arsenic trioxide and the group that was given 10mg/kg of arsenic trioxide and left to recover. The other groups had no significant difference in the urea and creatinine level when compared to the control group. Inconclusion, this study suggests that Persea americana provides protection against arsenic trioxide-induced nephrotoxicity in Wistar rats.
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