Anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative activities of Xylopia aethiopica stem-bark extract on glyphosate-induced hepatotoxicity

Abstract

Toxicity posed by exposure to pesticides is known to be a major threat to public health, and phytochemicals have been suggested to confer ameliorative effects against pesticide toxicity. Hence, this work is designed to explore the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative activities of Xylopia aethiopica stem-bark (XASE) on glyphosate-induced hepatotoxicity. A total of 36 male albino rats weighing between 150-200 g were randomly assigned into six groups. Group 2 received 150 mg/kg b.wt of glyphosate; group 3 received 150 mg/kg b.wt of glyphosate and 126.49 mg/kg b.wt of XASE (1/10th LD₅₀ of XASE) after 2 hours; group 4 received 250 mg/kg b.wt of vitamin C after 2hrs of treatment with 150 mg/kg b.wt of glyphosate; group 5 & 6 received 126.49 mg/kg b.wt of XASE and 250 mg/kg b.wt of vitamin C respectively while group 1 served as control.  The administration was done orally for a week. Activities of Aspartate and Alanine aminotransferases; total and conjugated bilirubin, and total protein levels were measured in the serum, while the level of oxidative stress markers like malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, reduced glutathione,  glutathione peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and Inflammatory markers C-reactive proteins, Interleukin-6, and Tumor necrosis factor-α levels in the liver homogenate were measured. Results show that treatment with XASE significantly modulates the incidence of oxidative stress, inflammation, and hepatotoxicity induced by glyphosate (p < 0.05).  Likewise, the histopathological analyses of liver tissue result affirmed the hepatoprotective effect of XASE. Hence, X. aethiopica could confer protective effects against glyphosate-induced hepatotoxicity and inflammation.