Effect of Pretreatment with Aqueous Leaf Extract of Vitex doniana on Cadmium-Induced Toxicity to Rats

Aim: To determine the effect of pretreatment with aqueous leaf extract of Vitex doniana on the cytotoxic response of the antioxidant defence systems in the liver and kidneys of rats exposed to a mild dose of cadmium.

Materials and Methods: Sixteen Male Wistar strain rats (180-220 g b.wt) were divided into four groups: Group A served as the control and rats were exposed to and maintained on a normal rat diet and tap water throughout study. Group B was maintained on a normal rat diet and then exposed to a single daily oral dose of cadmium (3 mg CdCl2/kg) in drinking water for five days. Groups C were pretreated with 200 mg/kg Vitex doniana leaf extract for fifteen days and after that received a single daily oral dose of cadmium (3 mg CdCl2/kg) in drinking water for five days. Group D was exposed to only 200 mg/kg Vitex doniana leaf extract for fifteen days. At the end of the experiment membrane lipid peroxidation, glutathione contents and activities of antioxidant enzymes catalase, superoxide dismutase, and cadmium content were determined in the liver and kidney samples.

Results: The results showed that pretreatment with aqueous leaf extract of Vitex doniana effectively countered Cd-induced membrane lipid peroxidation, depletion of the non-enzymic antioxidants, glutathione, and induction of the antioxidant enzymes catalase and superoxide dismutase in the liver and kidney as well as effectively reduced cadmium accumulation in the liver and kidney and cadmium-induced liver tissue cell injury. The protective effect of aqueous leaf extract of Vitex doniana against Cd-induced lipid peroxidation and tissue glutathione depletion was more pronounced in the kidney than in the liver.

Conclusion: The aqueous leaf extract of Vitex doniana significantly reversed Cd-induced deleterious alterations in the liver and kidney tissue of the rats. The active antioxidant principle was not determined but is presumed to be polyphenols.