Ethanolic Extract of Syzygium cumini Causes Toxic Effects on Ethanol-induced Liver and Kidney Damage in Albino Wistar Rats: A Biochemical and Histological Study

Background: The therapeutic value of Syzygium cumini (S. cumini) has been documented in traditional medicine for the treatment of many diseases and ailments. Various preparations of this plant have been made and used especially for liver inflammatory conditions in livestock. Further, many liver diseases in humans are inflammatory conditions, which are caused by alcohol intake. This study sought to examine the effect of S. cumini on ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar albino rats. Methods: Twenty-five rats were divided into five groups of five rats each. The first group was control and the other four were administered ethanol at varying doses to induce liver and kidney damages. Two doses of the S. cumini extract were administered at a concentration of 200 mg/kg or 400 mg/kg. Silymarin was administered to the last group at 10 mg/kg. The liver and kidney tissue samples were collected and preserved for histological analyses and the rat sera were analyzed for the associated biochemical biomarkers. Results: Histopathological analyses revealed pyknotic nuclei and distortion in the arrangement of the hepatocytes in extract-treated groups. The kidney tissue samples showed signs of interstitial bleeding and aggregation of lymphocytes in the peri-glomerular areas. The analyses of the biochemical parameters revealed that there were significant increases in the aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), Urea and creatinine in the sera of the groups treated with the extract compared to those of the controls (P<0.05). Conclusion: The S. cumini extract caused elevation of serum hepatic and renal biomarkers at 400 mg/kg and did not have a hepatoprotective effect.