HAEMATOLOGICAL AMELIORATION BY ZIZYPHUS MAURITIANA IN SILICA INDUCED TOXICITY IN WISTAR ALBINO RATS

This study was aimed to investigate the biochemical influence of aqueous extracts of roots, stem and leaves of Zizyphus mauritiana (ZM) on silica induced toxicity in rats, with changes in inflammatory markers in liver and kidney. To test the preventive effect of extracts of Zizyphus mauritiana on development of silica induced toxicity in wistar albino rats, animals were treated simultaneously with intraperitoneal administration of silica and oral feeding of extracts, for 21 days. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were withdrawn for biochemical analysis. The results revealed that animals administered with silica and simultaneous feeding of extracts of root, stem and leaves of Zizyphus mauritiana had a significant effect and decreased serum levels of ALT, AST, ALP, urea, uric acid, creatinine and LDH, as well as pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 as compared with normal control group. Zizyphus mauritiana extracts treated groups had shown recoupment in the body weight which was found decreased in only silica treated animals. In conclusion, this study indicated that extracts of bark of roots, stem and leaves of Zizyphus mauritiana have a preventive effect and could protect the animals from deleterious effects of silica as compared to other animals receiving only silica.