International Journal of Advances in Nephrology Research

Background:  Herbal plants are widely utilized in traditional medicine for the management of various health conditions; however, their safety profiles on vital organs require scientific validation. This study was designed to investigate the effects of graded doses of ethanolic extract of Baphia nitida on kidney morphology and renal function indices in adult male Wistar rats.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the histological and biochemical effects of graded doses of ethanolic extract of Baphia nitida leaves on the kidneys of adult male Wistar rats following oral administration.

Study Design: Twenty-five adult male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into five groups (n=5). Group A served as the control and received normal feed only, Group B received 100 mg/kg ethanolic extract of Baphia nitida, Group C received 200 mg/kg ethanolic extract of Baphia nitida, Group D received 300 mg/kg ethanolic extract of Baphia nitida, while Group E received 400 mg/kg ethanolic extract of Baphia nitida.

Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out at the Department of Human Anatomy, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Anambra State, Nigeria.

Methodology: Fresh leaves of Baphia nitida were harvested from Igbariam Campus and authenticated at the Herbarium Unit, Department of Botany, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State. The leaves were air-dried at room temperature and ground into coarse powder using a laboratory mill. Eight hundred grams (800 g) of the powdered leaves were macerated in 4 litres of ethanol for 48 hours using a mechanical shaker. Administration of the extract was carried out orally for twenty-one (21) consecutive days. Twenty-four hours after the last administration, the animals were anaesthetized with chloroform and sacrificed using the Ignasia method. The kidneys were harvested, weighed, rinsed in normal saline, and fixed in 10% formalin for histological analysis. Biochemical parameters including serum urea, creatinine, and uric acid were assessed. Data obtained were analyzed using ANOVA followed by post hoc LSD test, while body weight analysis was carried out using Student’s dependent t-test. Acute toxicity study (LD50) of the extract was also conducted using thirteen rats through oral administration.

Results: The result of the acute toxicity study revealed that the LD50 of ethanolic extract of Baphia nitida was above 5000 mg/kg, indicating low acute toxicity. The study demonstrated significant increases in body weight in Groups C and E, while relative kidney weight showed significant decreases in Groups B, C, and E when compared with the control group. Serum urea levels increased significantly in Groups B and D, while serum creatinine showed significant elevation in Group E. Serum uric acid levels increased significantly across all treatment groups. Histological examination of the kidney revealed mild aggregate of intra-renal inflammation around the glomeruli and mild fatty deposits in most of the treated groups.

Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that ethanolic extract of Baphia nitida possesses relatively low acute toxicity but may induce mild dose-dependent biochemical and histological alterations in the kidneys following prolonged administration. Although severe renal damage was not observed, continuous or excessive consumption of the plant extract may predispose renal tissues to subtle inflammatory and degenerative changes.