Table of Contents 
Advances in Pharmaceutics
Volume 2014, Article ID 894610, 8 pages
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/894610
Research Article

Prophylactic Effects of Ethanolic Extract of Irvingia gabonensis Stem Bark against Cadmium-Induced Toxicity in Albino Rats

Oluwafemi Adeleke Ojo,1 Basiru Olaitan Ajiboye,1 Babatunji Emmanuel Oyinloye,1 and Adebola Busola Ojo2

1Department of Chemical Sciences, Biochemistry Unit, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, PMB 5454, Ekiti State, Nigeria
2Department of Biochemistry, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria

Received 28 April 2014; Accepted 19 August 2014; Published 1 September 2014

Academic Editor: Hérida Salgado

Copyright © 2014 Oluwafemi Adeleke Ojo et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

The prophylactic effect of ethanolic extract of Irvingia gabonensis stem bark on cadmium-induced oxidative damage in male albino rats’ liver was investigated. Male Wistar rats were divided into control, cadmium, and treatment groups. In the prophylactic experiment, Irvingia gabonensis (200 and 400 mg/kg body weight) was administered by oral gavage for 21 days before exposure to cadmium. Antioxidant marker enzymes such as reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and lipid peroxidation (LPO) were determined in the liver and heart alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities were monitored and histological examination was carried out. Results indicate that cadmium-induced rats had significantly increased relative weight of liver and heart when compared to controls. Treatment with Irvingia gabonensis at 200 and 400 mg/kg caused a significant decrease in relative weight of the organs. In cadmium-induced rats, serum ALT and AST activities and levels of LPO were increased whereas hepatic and cardiac marker enzymes significantly decreased. Furthermore, histological alteration in liver and aorta was observed in cadmium untreated rats and was ameliorated in cadmium rats treated with Irvingia gabonensis. In conclusion, the extract indicates antioxidant and hepatoprotective properties that eliminate the deleterious effects of toxic metabolites of cadmium.