ASSESSING THE RENAL AND HEPATOTOXIC EFFECTS OF BONNY LIGHT CRUDE OIL IN FOLKLORIC MEDICINE

Abstract

The use of Bonny Light Crude Oil in the southern part of Nigeria for folkloric medicine and its renal/hepatic toxicity was investigated in wistar albino rats. Physicochemical analysis was carried out on the Bonny Light Crude Oil sample to ascertain its components. Fifteen rats of average weight 120g were used. The rats were grouped into 5 groups of 3 rats each and administered with 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0mls per kg body weight respectively with group 1 as the control group. The Bonny Light Crude Oil was administered 24-hourly for 7days using the intragastric via gavage mode of administration. The effect of the bonny light crude oil on the integrity of the renal and hepatic cells was assessed. The levels of the hepatic biomarker enzymes: Alanine Transferase, Aspartate Transaminase, Alkaline Phosphatase were significantly increased at the P≤0.05 level compared to the control. The renal biomarkers Creatinine and Blood urea levels also had a significant increase at the P≤ 0.05 level compared to the control. Histopathological examination indicates that Bonny Light Crude Oil had a considerable distortion on the integrity of the renal and hepatic cell of the Wistar Albino Rat