Nephrocurative effects of aqueous stem bark extract of Boswellia papyrifera (Del.) against acetominophen-induced kidney damage in rats

Abstract

The properties of Boswellia plants have been exploited for years in traditional medicines of Africa; the advent of synthetic drugs has obscured the pharmaceutical use of Boswellia until it was reported that an ethanolic extract exerts anti-inflammatory and antiarthritis effects. This paper investigated the curative effect of aqueous stem bark extract of Boswellia papyrifera on acetaminophen-induced kidney damage. Three different doses (50, 100 and 150 mg/kg) of the extract were administered daily to the different groups of rats for two-and four-week periods after inducing kidney damage using acetaminophen at a dose of 800mg/kg (po). The serum creatinine, urea, sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate were found not to be different from that of normal control group even at two weeks; the histopathology examination of the kidney after four weeks showed normal kidney
architecture. The nephrocurative effects of aqueous stem bark extract of Boswellia papyrifera oral administration was found to be dose- and time- dependent.

Keywords: Boswellia papyrifera, curative effect, acetaminophen and kidney damage.