THE ETHANOL LEAF EXTRACT OF Ageratum conyzoides AMELIORATES NIGERIAN BONNY LIGHT CRUDE OIL-INDUCED NEPHROTOXICITY IN FEMALE WISTAR RATS

The ameliorative potentials of ethanol leaf extract of Ageratum conyzoides against Nigerian Bonny light crude oil-induced nephrotoxicity in female Wistar rats were investigated. Twenty female Wistar rats (120-150 g body weight) were divided into four groups of five rats each. The rats in group I served as the control group and were oral gavaged 3 ml/kg of normal saline; group II gavaged 748.33 mg/kg body weight of the extract of A. conyzoides, which was 20% of the LD50 (3741.66 mg/kg); group III gavaged 3 ml/kg body weight of Nigerian Bonny Light Crude Oil (NBLCO); this dose was calculated as 20% of the lethal dose of 14.14 ml/kg. Group IV animals were gavaged 748.33 mg/kg body weight of the extract of A. conyzoides, and 3 ml/kg body weight of NBLCO. In all cases, doses were applied daily for 31 days according to animal’s most recent body weight.The results showed that Nigerian Bonny light crude oil significantly increase serum urea, creatinine and electrolytes except calcium where there was a significant reduction compared to the control group (p<0.05). But coadministration of ethanol leaf extract of A. conyzoides with Nigerian Bonny light crude oil caused a significant reduction in the value of the aforementioned parameters when compared with the crude oil group (p<0.05). It is evidenced in this study that NBLCO is a potential nephrotoxic agent as it increases serum urea, creatinine and electrolytes imbalance to significantly impaired kidney functions, which was ameliorated with co-administration of the ethanol leaf extract of A. conyzoides.