Evaluation Of Radioprotective Effect Of Gongronema Latifolio Leaf Extract On Whole-Body Irradiated Wistar Albino Rats

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the radioprotective effects of Gongronema latifolio

(GL) leaf extract on a whole-body irradiated wistar albino rats. A prospective experimental

and cross-sectional design was adopted for this study and it included a control group and

experimental group. Part of the control group (normal control NC) was not irradiated neither

was it administered with GL extract but the other part (experimental control EC) was only

exposed to graded radiation doses (GRDs). In the experimental group, the pre-treatment

group (PRT) received GL extract orally before being exposed to GRDs while post-treatment

group were exposed to GRDs before receiving GL extract orally.

Phytochemical analysis of GL extract was done to re-determine the bioactive constituents of

the extract. Physical changes were observed and recorded in all the groups using weight loss

as an index. The blood samples of the animal groups were collected before and after

irradiation (IR) for following analysis namely liver function test (LFT) {which includes-

Alkaline phosphase (ALP), Alanine amino-transferase (ALT), Aspatate amino-transferase

(AST)}, and antioxidant enzymes tests like Malondialdehyde (MDA), Glutathione (GSH),

Catalase (CAT) and Superoxide dismutase (SOD)}.

The result of the phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of the following bioactive

agents- alkaloids (3.11mg/g), tannins (2.43mg/g), flavonoids (1.31mg/g), phenols (1.10mg/g)

and saponin (0.8mg/g). Body weight of the rats exposed to 6Gy in EC (51g) significantly

(p0.05) different from PST (60g) group. ALP mean levels recorded in rats exposed to 4Gy

increased (p