Abstract

Several health challenges result from environmental pollution by aluminum containing compounds. The liver and kidney are targets for aluminum toxicity. Garcinia kola is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of many diseases including liver and kidney damage. The current study was designed to investigate the effects of Garcinia kola extracts on biomarkers of liver and kidney damage in a rat model for aluminum toxicity. Twenty five (25) male albino rats were allocated to five (5) groups of five (5) rats each. Group 1 served as normal control and received normal saline while group 2 served as negative control and received daily oral administration of 100 mg/kg bw AlCl3. Group 3-5 received 100 mg/kg bw AlCl3 and extracts of Garcinia kola as follows: 200 mg/kg bw petroleum ether extracts, 200 mg/kg bw methanol extracts, 200 mg/kg bw defatted residue respectively. All treatments were administered orally and daily for 42 days. AlCl3 induced a significant (p<0.05) increase in the levels of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), urea and creatinine. Treatment with petroleum ether and methanol extracts of Garcinia kola countered the effect of aluminum evidenced by the significant decrease (p<0.05) in the activity of the biomarkers. Defatted residue of Garcinia kola had the least effect on the parameters tested. The results obtained from this study revealed that extracts of Garcinia kola could protect the liver and kidney from aluminum toxicity.