The Ameliorative effects of melatonin on cannabis-induced liver toxicity in male and female wistar rats

Abstract

Liver has an incontrovertible influence on several functions of many organs in the body. It is prone to xenobiotic induced injury due to its central role in xenobiotic metabolism and its portal location within the system. This study investigated and compared the effects of melatonin on cannabis-induced liver toxicity in male and female wistar rats. Twenty female rats (156g ± 1.05) and twenty male rats (192g ± 1.42) were separately assigned into four groups of five animals each, such that the rats in groups I, II, III and IV received orally 1mL of distilled water, 2mg/kg body weight (BW) of ethanolic extract of Cannabis sativa EECS, 2mg/kg BW of EECS plus 4mg/kg BW ofmelatonin and 4mg/kg BW of melatonin respectively for twenty one days. Creatinine, bilirubin, gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP),lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alanine amino transferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST), albumin andinducible protein were determined using standard methods.

Cannabis sativa(CS)significantly(p<0.05) increased creatinine, bilirubin, GGT, ALP, LDH, ALT, and  AST respectively. CS also decreased albumin and inducible protein significantly (p<0.05). However, these increments and decrements were more in male than female rats. All these effects were ameliorated to the level comparable with the control when the CS was administered with melatonin

CS showed alterations in liver biomarkers (enzymes) which were probably associated with liver toxicity. These alterations were more in male than in female. However, these effects were ameliorated by melatonin. Since the consumption of CS is increasing globally because of its medical uses, thus, consumption of melatonin as supplement may be recommended.