TOXICOLOGICAL INDICES OF AMARANTHUS VIRIDIS AND CELOSIA ARGENTEA AND THEIR EFFECTS ON CYANIDE TOXICITY USING Rattus rattus AS MODEL

Abstract

Cyanide toxicity is of public health importance as many health complications arise from cyanide poisoning through ingestion of foods and anthropogenic sources. Amaranthus viridis (AV) and Celosia argentea (CA) are widely used as vegetables contain cysteine and methionine which have some ameliorating effects on cyanide toxicity. However, the interactive effects of these two vegetables on cyanide toxicity have not been adequately researched. This study therefore was designed to assess the detoxifying indices of AV and CA and their effects on cyanide toxicity indices in rats. The study was experimental in design. Thirty 7 weeks Rattus rattus of some breed were fed on commercial rat pellets and water for four weeks. They were allocated randomly to five treatment groups and one control group consisting of five rats each. Lyophilized aqueous extract of AV and CA were reconstituted in water to give a concentration of 3 mg/1 respectively and potassium cyanide (KCN) was prepared at the concentration of 3 mg/1. Treatment was administered orally using oral canular. The groups were as follows: group 1 (control); group 2(3 mg/kg body weight KCN only); group 3 (3mg/kg body weight each of aqueous AV extract and aqueous KCN: group 4(3mg/kg body weight each of aqueous CA extract and aqueous KCN): group 5(3mg/kg aqueous AV extract only); group 6 (3mg/kg aqueous CA extract only). The rats were observed for thirty days and changes in body weight were documented every morning before they were fed. The level of Alanine Amino Transaminase (ALT) was measured as indicator for liver damage. Rats were sacrificed and sections of the brain, liver and kidney were examined. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA at p=0.05. The initial weight of the rats before treatment were 126.6±15.9g, 122.2±12.7g, 125.8±14.6g, 124.3±16.1g, 123.5±11.8g and 125.2±20.3g for rats in groups 1 to 6 respectively. The final weights of the rats after treatment were 161.6±14.6g, 147.5±21.0g, 160.7±16.5g, 145.4±27.8g, 150.5±20.6g and 160.2 ± 19.1g for rats in groups 1 to 6 respectively. There was a significant reduction in the weight of the rats in group2 and 4 when compared to that of group 1. The liver enzyme ALT was elevated in groups 2 (27.33±3.0U/L), 3(29.67±4.1U/L) and 5 (28.00±7.2U/L) when compared with the control (20.33±3.0U/L) indicating liver damage in group 2, 3 and 5. The following changes occured in the rats: multifocal degeneration of the liver, necrosis of the kidney, liver and the brain and testicular degeneration in groups 2, 3 and 4. No changes were observed in groups 5 and 6. Amaranthus viridis and Celosia argentea had ameliorative and detoxifying effects and this indicates a promising role of the vegetable in reducing cyanide toxicity.