SJMLS Volume 7 Issues 1March 2022

extract reduced lipid peroxidation in the kidney The sub-acute effect of F. capensis was assessed and increased antioxidant status of animals on the oxidative stress markers in the kidney of exposed to cyanide and was more effective at rats following exposure to cyanide. These effects 400 mg/kg dose. were compared to those of sodium thiosulphate (Na S O ), a classical antidote of cyanide

stress, kidney toxicity. The rats were divided into 9 groups of 5 animals each. Group 1: rats (normal control); Introduction Group 2: rats were exposed to 3mg/kg of Cyanide is one of the most potent cytotoxic cyanide; group 3: cyanide induced rats that compounds known to humans and animals. received 660mg/kg sodium thiosulphate Besides acute cyanide poisoning, its chronic pentahydrate and 6.6 mg/kg sodium nitrite; intoxication has often been described and it has group 4 and 5: rats exposed to cyanide, prebeen suggested that the majority of cyanide treated with 200 and 400mg/kg extract toxicity complications are attributed to chronic respectively; group 6 and 7: rats were exposed to exposure of this toxic compound to dietary, cyanide, post-treated with 200 and 400 mg/kg industrial, and environmental sources (Mathangi extract respectively; group 8 and 9: rats exposed and Namasivayam, 2000). Scientific studies on to cyanide, co-treated with 200 and 400mg/kg some animal species have shown that chronic extract respectively. The study lasted for 28 days cyanide ingestion causes impaired body growth, after which the rats were sacrificed and kidney neurological and thyroid disorders, as well as homogenates were collected for biochemical pathological effects on different tissues (Kadiri assays. The level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in et al., 2020;Tulsawani et al., 2005;Sousa et al., Groups 2 rats (367.99±17.73 Units/g tissue) was 2002). However, the underlying mechanism by significantly increased in the kidney relative to which cyanide acts injuriously on tissues is not the control (148.92±4.50 Units/g tissue). This clear, although some researchers have suggested was accompanied with a decrease in antioxidant that oxidative stress may be implicated in enzymes Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) harmful effects of cyanide poisoning (Kadiri and (7.81±2.45  In the experiment, a total of forty-five (45) medicine, which also acknowledges the sociofemale Wistar rats were used. They were cultural and religious history of orthodox randomly divided into 9 groups, containing 5 rats medicine (Adesina, 2014). Studies indicates that per group. The rats were acclimatized for 7 days medicinal plants contain abundant active before experimental exposure of 28 days. The c o m p o u n d s , s u c h a s n u t r i e n t s a n d animals were housed in plastic (polypropylene) phytochemicals, and these compounds have cages using paddy husk bedding at room 0 physiological effects on humans (Olowokudejo temperature (25 ± 1 C) in a 12 H light/dark cycle et al., 2008), and these innate active ingredients with 50 ± 5% humility. The rats were provided are used for the treatment of various diseases with starter mash diets and water ad-libitum. The (Owolabi, 2013). experimental animals were grouped as follows: Group 1: Normal rats that received feed and Ficus capensis commonly referred to as "bush fig water (Normal control). tree" belongs to the Moraceae family. In Nigeria, it Group 2: Cyanide induced rats. These rats is called Akokoro by the Igbo, Opoto (Yoruba) and were exposed to 3 mg/kg of cyanide the Hausa (Uwaraya) (Otitoju et al., 2014). F. at the last 14 days of exposure carpensis has broad greenish leaves and fruits all (Negative control). through the year round. It has been used in Group 3: Cyanide induced rats that received traditionally for the treatment of epilepsy, 660 mg/kg sodium thiosulphate dysentery and wound dressing (Igoli et al., 2005) pentahydrate and 6.6 mg/kg sodium while studies has shown that it has the following nitrite (Positive control). effects; blood boosting (Otitoju et al., 2014) anti-Group 4: Pre-treatment Group. These rats were sickling (Umeokoli et al., 2013) immunegiven the 200 mg/kg extract of F. capensis stimulatory (Daikwo et al., 2012) and antioxidant for first 2 weeks, and later exposed to effect (Ramde-Tiendrebeogo et al., 2012) cyanide for the remaining 2 weeks. Despite all these studies carried out on F. capensis Group 5: Pre-treatment Group. These rats were leaves there is little or no information on its given 400 mg/kg extract of F. capensis antioxidant effect on cyanide induced stress.
for first 2 weeks, and later exposed to Hence the need to carry out this investigation.
cyanide for the remaining 2 weeks. Group 6: Post-treatment Group. These rats Collection of plant material and identification were exposed to 3 mg/kg of cyanide Ficus capensis leaves were harvested from for the first 2 weeks before administering 200 mg/kg extract of F. natural habitat in Abraka, Delta State. The capensis for the remaining 2 weeks. studied plant was identified and authenticated by Group 7: Post-treatment Group. These rats Dr. Harrison A. Erhenhi of the Botany were exposed to 3 mg/kg of cyanide department, Delta State University Abraka. The for the first 2 weeks before leaves were properly rinsed with clean water and administering 400 mg/kg extract of F. air-dried for about 10 days, and then milled using capensis for the remaining 2 weeks. an automatic electrical blender (Model MS-223, Group 8: Co-treatment Group. These rats were Values were reported as Mean ± Standard exposed to 3 mg/kg of cyanide and deviation while one way ANOVA was used to 200 mg/kg extract of F. capensis test for differences between treatment groups. during the last 2 weeks of The results were considered significant at padministration. values of less than 0.05, that is, at 95% Group 9: Co-treatment Group. These rats were confidence level (p<0.05). exposed to 3 mg/kg of cyanide and 400 mg/kg extract of F. capensis Effect of pre, co and post administration of during the last 2 weeks of ethanol leaf extract of Ficus capensis on body administration.
weight and relative kidney weight of cyanide induced female Wistar rats Both cyanide and extract administration were done orally three times a week for the The results of the effect of pre, co and post consecutive durations of the study model. administration of ethanol leaf extract of Ficus capensis on body weight gain and relative kidney Determination of biochemical parameters weight in cyanide induced female Wistar rats are Estimation of lipid peroxidation (LPO) shown in table 1. The results showed significant Malondialdehyde and other thiobarbituric acid increase (p<0.05) in all F. capensis extract reactive species were estimated by their reactivity treated groups when compared to the negative with thiobarbituric acid (TBA) in acidic condition control groups. Also, from the body weight gain, to generate a pink-coloured chromophore which F. capensis treated groups recorded no was read at 535 nm in a spectrophotometer significant difference (p>0.05) when compared (Niehius and Samuelsson, 1968).
to the positive control group, excluding group 5 Determination of catalase (CAT) activity and 9, which showed significant decrease. There Catalase is determined according to the method were no significant differences (p>0.05) on the of Aebi (1974) by the depletion rate of H O at 2 2 relative liver weights across all treated groups 240 nm in a reaction buffer.
(excluding group 6 and 8) when compared with the negative control group. Also, the treated Determination of super oxide dismutase (SOD) groups showed no significant difference Super oxide dismutase (SOD) activity was (p>0.05) on the relative liver weights (excluding determined by the method of Misra and group 6 and 8) when compared with the positive Fridovich (1972). control group.

Statistical analysis
All data were subjected to statistical analysis.

Effect of pre, co and post administration of ethanol leaf extract of Ficus capensis on hepatic oxidative stress markers in cyanide induced female Wistar rats
The results of the in-vivo study of pre, co and post administration of ethanol leaf extract of Ficus capensis on oxidative stress markers in female Wistar rats are shown in table 4.3. The activities of SOD and CAT in cyanide treated group was significantly reduced (p<0.05) when compared with the control group. However, a significant increase in SOD and CAT activities was recorded in all treated groups when compared with the untreated group (negative control), excluding group 8 which showed no significant difference in SOD activity, also group 4 and 6 which showed no significant difference in catalase activity. A significant increase in MDA level was recorded in cyanide treated group when compared with the control. However, a significant decrease in MDA level was observed in all treated groups when compared with the negative control.

Discussion
by oral gavage at 3mg/kg body weight decreased The present study revealed the subacute effect of food body weights significantly (p<0.05) when Ficus capensis on renal oxidative stress markers compared with the control group. Thus, cyanide of Wistar rats exposed to cyanide poisoning.
toxicity, even at this concentration and method of Supplementation with dietary antioxidants is a ingestion, may cause reduced appetite or promising means to strengthen antioxidant palatability in animals. This study has shown a defense and oxidative damage repair systems. reduction in weight gain and indeed weight loss Currently, phytochemicals play a leading role in rats given 3mg KCN/kg body weight by due to their potency in the reduction of oxidative gavage for 28 days. The study also shows that stress in vivo (Amadi et al., 2016). Ficus weight loss due to cyanide toxicity was reversed capensis had been shown to possess by F. capensis as shown in all the treated groups. phytochemicals, most especially flavonoids This observation is understandable as it is (Njoku et al., 2016).
possible that the plant extracts restored the appetite of the rats for food. Cyanide has been Oral administration of 3 mg/kg KCN or more has shown from previous studies to induce oxidative been shown to result in decreased water and food stress in different organism such as in birds consumption by rats. This suggests poor (Kadiri and Asagba 2019), rats (Kadiri et al, palatability (Tulsawani et al., 2005). The study 2020) by increasing reactive oxygen species shows that Potassium cyanide solution fed to rats (Kadiri and Ekayode 2019;Mills et al., 1996) as well as the inhibition of antioxidant systems treatment of 400mg/kg F. capensis extract, than (Ardelt et al., 1989). Elevated levels of reactive in animals co-administered/post-administered oxygen species give rise to lipid peroxidation with 200mg/kg or 400mg/kg. F. capensis had (Kadiri et al., 2020) that culminates in oxidative been shown to possess phytochemicals, most stress in tissues (Okoro et al., 2019; Liu and e s p e c i a l l y f l a v o n o i d s ( U z o e k w e a n d Mori, 1994). An increase in lipid peroxidation Mohammed, 2015). This could be linked to the has been reported for rats exposed to cyanide prophylactic actions of bioactive compounds (Kadiri et al., 2020). During the lipid contained in the leaf extract at steady state. peroxidation process, the activities of different Hence, pre-treatment with F. capensis extract is membrane-bound enzymes are altered (Thomas more effective compared to other mode of and Poznasky, 1990;Kukreja et al., 1988), treatments as demonstrated in this study. resulting in the degeneration of cell membrane (Reiter, 1995), which predisposes the affected Conclusion organisms to a wide array of disease processes The present study has demonstrated that (Morris et al., 1995). This could possibly explain administration of F. capensis extract to rat may the mechanism of the plant's action to mop up effectively prevent tissue damage or oxidative free radicals produced as a result of oxidative stress caused by cyanide in rats. Thus, the damage caused by cyanide poisoning in all antioxidant effect of this flavonoid rich extract treated groups.
from F. capensis is reflected in the present study. This effect was more pronounced at 400 mg/kg The results of the study had also shown the pre-administration. activities of SOD and catalase were significantly decreased in the tissues of rats exposed to References cyanide only after 28 days treatment (Tables 2) Aebi  (1989). Brain lipid peroxidation and imbalance between free radicals and antioxidant protectant mechanisms antioxidants occurs in favor of free radicals, an following acute cyanide intoxication. oxidative stress will be induced which can lead to Toxicology; 56:147-154. chronic permanent damage (Halliwell, 1989).
Asagba, S.O., Kadiri, H.E. and Ezedom, T. Increased generation of ROS has been (2019). Biochemical changes in diabetic rats implicated in the pathogenesis of several t r e a t e d w i t h e t h a n o l i c e x t r a c t o f diseases and in the toxic effects of a wide variety Chysophyllum albidum. Journal of Basic of compounds (Okoro and Kadiri, 2019).