Adansonia digitata ameliorates lead-induced hepatic, renal, and bone toxicity in mice

Adansonia digitata (A. digitata) is used in many African and Asian countries for food, beverage and medicine. Lead is one of the toxic heavy metals whose widespread use has resulted in continuous environmental contamination. The current study evaluated the effect of lead acetate on mice's liver, kidney, and bone tissues and the protective role of A. digitata fruit pulp. Twenty-five mice were distributed into five groups, each having five mice. The groups received distilled water, 50 mg/kg lead acetate, A. digitata methanolic fruit extract (ADMFE) at 250 mg/kg plus lead acetate, 500 mg/kg ADMFE plus lead acetate, and 50 mg/kg Succimer plus lead acetate, respectively, for four weeks. All the mice were euthanized thereafter, and the right kidneys, liver, and bone were processed for light microscopy. The left kidneys, part of the liver, and bone were dried and assayed for lead concentration using an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The lead concentration in the kidney of mice pre-treated with 500 mg/kg ADMFE and succimer was significantly lower (p<0.05) relative to the mice treated with lead acetate only. Treatment with lead acetate resulted in hepatocyte degeneration, renal tubule damage and hemorrhagic hematopoietic cells with immature and degenerating lymphocytes. Pre-treatment with ADMFE at 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg prevented hepatocyte and renal tubule degeneration. It also prevented hemorrhage within hematopoietic cells. Our findings suggest that A. digitata could be used as a metal chelate. It could also prevent lead-induced liver and kidney damage.

Key Words: Adansonia digitata, hepatocytes, hematopoietic cells, hemorrhage, renal tubules