Spices Mixture Containing Garlic, Ginger and Nutmeg Has Protective Effects on the Kidneys and Liver of Cadmium Exposed Rats

^{Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Ebonyi State University, P. M. B. 053 Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.}

^{Department of Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Ebonyi State University, P. M. B. 053 Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.}

^{Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, Ebonyi State University, P. M. B. 053 Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.}

^{Corresponding author:} Emmanuel Ike Ugwuja, ten.ude-usbe@ajuwgu.leunamme

Received 2016 Mar 1; Revised 2016 Jun 1; Accepted 2016 Jun 3.

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, as long as the original authors and source are cited. No permission is required from the authors or the publishers.

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the potential protective effect of spice mixture containing garlic, ginger and nutmeg on the liver and kidney of cadmium exposed rats.

Methods: Male albino rats (n=30) weighing 120 – 180 g, grouped into five (1-5) of 6 rats/group were studied. Group 1 (NC) rats were administered distilled water (1 ml) orally for 4 weeks and served as the negative control while group 2 (PC) rats were administered low dose (LD) cadmium (25 mg/kg body weight) orally for 4 weeks and served as positive control. Group 3 (TBE) rats were treated with spice mixture (SM); 300 mg/kg body weight orally for 2 weeks and then administered LD cadmium for 4 weeks. While group 4 (CET) rats were concurrently administered LD cadmium and SM for 4 weeks, group 5 (TAE) rats were administered LD cadmium for 4 weeks and then treated with SM for 2 weeks. The whole experiment lasted for 42 day after which the animals were sacrificed and blood collected for determination of biochemical parameters using standard procedures and techniques.

Results: Exposure to Cd produced greater increases in the liver function parameters. However treatment with SM significantly (p<0.05) reduced ALT in animals treated after exposure, AST and bilirubin in those treated before exposure and significant (p<0.05) increased serum albumin in animals treated before exposure to Cd. The altered renal function parameters and total serum cholesterol were restored to near normal values following treatment with SM.

Conclusion: It may be concluded that concurrent intake of garlic, ginger and nutmeg at culinary dose in the diet has both therapeutic and prophylactic effect at mitigating Cd toxicity and reaffirms the safely of spices combinations as being currently practiced.

Keywords: Spices mixture, Cadmium toxicity, Hepatotoxicity, Oxidative stress

Abstract

Effect of aqueous extract of spices mixture containing garlic, ginger and nutmeg on liver function parameters of cadmium exposed rats

NC: Negative control;PC: Positive control;TBE: Treatment before exposure;CET: Concurrent exposure and treatment;TAE: Treatment after exposure.

ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; ALP: Alkaline phosphatase; ALB: Albumin; TBIL: Total bilirubin

NC: Negative control;PC: Positive control;TBE: Treatment before exposure;CET: Concurrent exposure and treatment;TAE: Treatment after exposure.

Values are expressed as means ± standard deviation. Values with different superscripts along the column were significantly different (p<0.05).

References

1. Donpunha W, Kukongviriyapan U, Sompamit K, Pakdeechote P, Kukongviriyapan V, Pannangpetch PProtective effect of ascorbic acid on cadmium-induced hypertension and vascular dysfunction in mice. BioMetals. 2011;24(1):105–15. doi: 10.1007/s10534-010-9379-0.] [[PubMed][Google Scholar]
2. Yeung BH, Wan HT, Law AY, Wong CKEndocrine disrupting chemicals: Multiple effects on testicular signaling and spermatogenesis. Spermatogenesis. 2011;1(3):231–9. doi: 10.4161/spmg.1.3.18019.] [[Google Scholar]
3. Thompson J, Bannigan JCadmium: Toxic effects on the reproductive system and the embryo. Reprod Toxicol. 2008;25(3):304–15. doi: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2008.02.001.] [[PubMed][Google Scholar]
4. Tzirogiannis KN, Panoutsopoulos GI, Demonakou MD, Hereti RI, Alexandropoulou KN, Basayannis AC. et al. Time-course of cadmium-induced acute hepatotoxicity in the rat liver: The role of apoptosis. Arch Toxicol. 2003;77(12):694–701. doi: 10.1007/s00204-003-0499-y.] [[PubMed]
5. Yamano T, Shimizu M, Noda TAge-related change in cadmium-induced hepatotoxicity in wistar rats: Role of kupffer cells and neutrophils. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 1998;151(1):9–15. doi: 10.1006/taap.1998.8401.] [[PubMed][Google Scholar]
6. Arroyo VS, Flores KM, Ortiz LB, Gómez-Quiroz LE, Gutiérrez-Ruiz MCLiver and cadmium toxicity. J Drug Metab Toxicol. 2012;S5:001. doi: 10.4172/2157-7609.S5-001.[PubMed][Google Scholar]
7. Fernandez EL, Gustafson AL, Andersson M, Hellman B, Dencker LCadmium-induced changes in apoptotic gene expression levels and DNA damage in mouse embryos are blocked by zinc. Toxicol Sci. 2003;76(1):162–70. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfg208.] [[PubMed][Google Scholar]
8. El-boshy ME, Risha EF, Abdelhamid FM, Mubarak MS, Hadda TBProtective effects of selenium against cadmium induced haematological disturbances, immunosuppressive, oxidative stress and hepatorenal damage in rats. J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2015;29:104–10. doi: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2014.05.009.] [[PubMed][Google Scholar]
9. Chaudhary S, Iram S, Raisuddin S, Parvez SManganese pre-treatment attenuates cadmium induced hepatotoxicity in swiss albino mice. J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2015;29:284–8. doi: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2014.06.013.] [[PubMed][Google Scholar]
10. Gong P, Chen FX, Wang L, Wang J, Jin S, Ma YMProtective effects of blueberries (vaccinium corymbosum l.) extract against cadmium-induced hepatotoxicity in mice. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol. 2014;37(3):1015–27. doi: 10.1016/j.etap.2014.03.017.] [[PubMed][Google Scholar]
11. Gong P, Chen F, Liu X, Gong X, Wang J, Ma YProtective effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester against cadmium-induced renal damage in mice. J Toxicol Sci. 2012;37(2):415–25.[PubMed][Google Scholar]
12. Mohammad SI, Mustafa IA, Abdulqader SZAmeliorative effect of the aqueous extract of Zingiber officinale on the cadmium-induced liver and kidney injury in female rats. Jordan J Biol Sci. 2013;6(3):231–4.[PubMed][Google Scholar]
13. Egwurugwu JN, Ufearo CS, Abanobi OC, Nwokocha CR, Duruibe JO, Adeleye GS. et al. Effect of ginger (Zingiber officinale) on cadmium toxicity. Afr J Biotechnol. 2007;6(18):2078–82.[PubMed]
14. Eteng MU, Onwuka FC, Akpanyung EO, Osuchukwu NC, Bassey SC, Nwankpa PReversal of cadmium induced toxicity following dietary supplementation with garlic, ginger and cabbage in male Wister rats. J Nat Prod Plant Res. 2012;2(1):169–74.[PubMed][Google Scholar]
15. Hassanen NHMProtective effect of nutmeg and rosmery on oxidative stress in hypercholesterolaemic rats. Int J Nutr Food Sci. 2015;4(4):465–76. doi: 10.11648/j.ijnfs.20150404.18.[PubMed][Google Scholar]
16. Al Jumaily EF, Al-Amiry MHA, Assad JIHepatotoxic activity of essential oil from nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) against tetrachloride-induced hepatic damage in mice. IOSR-J Pharm Biol Sci. 2012;2(6):1–8. doi: 10.9790/3008-0260108.[PubMed][Google Scholar]
17. Demetriades AK, Wallman PD, McGuiness A, Gavalas MCLow cost, high risk: Accidental nutmeg intoxication. Emerg Med J. 2005;22(3):223–5. doi: 10.1136/emj.2002.004168.] [[Google Scholar]
18. Stohs SJ, Bagchi DOxidative mechanisms in the toxicity of metal ions. Free Radic Biol Med. 1995;18(2):321–36.[PubMed][Google Scholar]
19. Gehan AEE, Ayman YACadmium-ginger two way antagonistitc relationship. Arab J Biochem. 2010;13(1):115–24.[PubMed][Google Scholar]
20. Anetor JIRising environmental cadmium levels in developing countries: Threat to genome stability and health. Niger J Physiol Sci. 2012;27(2):103–15.[PubMed][Google Scholar]
21. Bak MJ, OK S, Jun M, Jeong WS6-Shogaol-rich extract from ginger up-regulate the antioxidant defence system in cells and mice. Molecules. 2012;17(7):8037–55. doi: 10.3390/molecules17078037.] [[Google Scholar]
22. Kowalczyk E, Kopff A, Fijalkowski P, Kopff M, Niedworok J, Blaszczyk J. et al. Effect of anthocyanins on selected biochemical parameters in rats exposed to cadmium. Acta Biochim Pol. 2003;50(2):543–8.[PubMed]
23. Obianime AW, Roberts Roberts, II IIAntioxidants, cadmium-induced toxicity, serum biochemical and the histological abnormalities of the kidney and testes of the male wistar rats. Niger J Physiol Sci. 2009;24(2):177–85.[PubMed][Google Scholar]
24. Ige SF, Akhigbe RE, Edeogho O, Ajao FO, Owolabi OQ, Oyekunle OS. et al. Hepatoprotective activities of allium cepa in cadmium-treated rats. Int J Pharm Pharm Sci. 2011;3(Suppl 5):60–3.[PubMed]
25. Flora SJStructural, chemical and biological aspects of antioxidants for strategies against metal and metalloid exposure. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2009;2(4):191–206. doi: 10.4161/oxim.2.4.9112.] [[Google Scholar]
26. Ugwuja EI, Nwibo AN, Ugwu NC, Aloke CEffects of aqueous extract of spices mixture containing curry, garlic and ginger on plasma glucose and lipids in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Pak J Nutr. 2010;9(12):1131–5. doi: 10.3923/pjn.2010.1131.1135.[PubMed][Google Scholar]