Effects of Porang (Amorphophallus oncophyllus) Residue on Blood Urea Nitrogen and Creatinine Levels and Kidney Histopathology

Amorphophallus oncophyllus contains glucomannan, a bioactive polysaccharide. However, it has a high calcium oxalate content, posing potential health hazards.  Treatment of A. oncophyllus with Strobilanthes crispus ethanol macerates (PMS) reduced the calcium oxalate levels. A 28-day subchronic toxicity test was conducted to assess the impact of PMS on blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, and kidney histology. Twenty-four male Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) were split into 4 groups: the control that did not receive any PMS, and the treatment groups that received PMS of 1000, 2000, and 4000 mg⋅kg-1 body weight. The rats were observed daily for toxic symptoms. Their blood was analyzed for BUN and creatinine levels, and hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to access the kidney’s histopathology. The administration of PMS showed no symptoms of toxicity but resulted in increased BUN and creatinine levels, indicating a decline in kidney function. This finding is consistent with the histopathological results, which showed kidney damage, particularly interstitial nephritis and tubular epithelial necrosis, that may be attributed to the presence of calcium oxalate in raw A. oncophyllus.