Hepatotoxicity evaluation of geophagic clay soil from Uzola, Edo State, Nigeria in albino rats

Abstract

The effect of oral administration of geophagic soil from Uzola on the liver of albino rats was evaluated in this study. Major oxides composition analysis showed the presence of SiO₂ (55.70%), MnO (0.01%), Al₂O₃ (23.81%), Fe₂O₃ (3.03%) etc. Forty-five elements were detected and quantified. Zirconium had highest concentration (344.4ppm) followed by Barium (287ppm) while Molybdenum, Silver, Cadmium and Antimony had the lowest concentration of <0.1ppm. Rats were divided into 4 groups (i.e. A, B, C and D). Group, A which served as the control, was orally administered with distilled water while groups B, C and D were orally administered with 400, 800 and 1200 mg/kg body weight dose of the soil solution respectively. The rats were sacrificed 24 hours after soil solution administration for 1, 7 and 21 days. Liver alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities and concentrations of serum total bilirubin, conjugated bilirubin, total protein and albumin were determined. There was a significant increase (p< 0.05) in liver alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities and serum alanine aminotransferase activities in the experimental animals. Serum total protein concentration also increased significantly (p< 0.05) in the experimental animals when compared to the control group but was reversed to control levels after 21 days administration. Available results show that geophagic clay soil from Uzola, Edo State, Nigeria may have a deleterious effect on liver synthetic functions and may also cause an overproduction of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase in the liver at the doses considered.

Keywords: Geophagy; Major oxides; Liver function; Aminotransferases; Hepatotoxic; Uzola