Nephrotoxic evaluation of ethanol stem bark extract of Dialium guineense in normal wistar rats

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to investigate the nephrotoxic effect of ethanol extract of Dialium guineense stem bark in normal Wistar albino rats. Thirty-five male rats were assigned to seven (7) groups (5 rats per group). One group served as control, while graded doses of the extract (200 - 5000 mg/kg body weight, bwt) were administered to the test rats daily for twenty-eight days. The control rats received distilled water. Thereafter plasma concentrations of creatinine, urea, electrolytes and urease activity were measured. There were no significant differences in the concentrations of the measured renal parameters before and after treatment, among the groups (p > 0.05). These results indicate that ethanol extract of the medicinal plant stem bark may be relatively safe. However, further studies spanning several months may be necessary.