Petrol Fumes Induced Liver Toxicity in Wistar Rats: The Ameliorative Potentials of Rhizophora racemosa stem bark, Bridelia ferruginea and Emilia sonchifolia leaves.

The ameliorative potential of aqueous leaf extracts of Bridelia ferruginea and emilia Sonchifolia, alongside an aqueous stem bark extract from Rhizophora racemosa on liver toxicity in rats exposed to petrol fumes was evaluated in this study. 54 male rats of Wistar strain weighing between 200-250g were used in the study. Test groups were exposed to petrol fumes in a fume chamber for 4 hours daily followed by treatment with the extracts for 28 days. Liver function tests, tissue antioxidant assay and histological examination of the liver were carried out. In contrast to normal control group, rats exposed to petrol fumes exhibited a significant increase p < 0.05 in serum levels of Alanine amino transferase (ALT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT), as well as liver tissue malondialdehyde. Liver tissue Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were significantly decreased compared to the normal control group. Changes were reversed to normal range following treatment with the extracts. The histological results showed adverse changes in the livers of the petrol exposed group. This was reversed by administration of the extracts. The aqueous extract of these plants may therefore be protective against toxicity resulting from petrol fumes. This research investigated the protective effects of aqueous leaf extracts of Bridelia ferruginea and Emilia sonchifolia, combined with an aqueous stem bark extract from Rhizophora racemosa, on petrol fumeinduced liver toxicity in Wistar rats. A total of 54 male rats, each weighing between 200-250 g, were randomly assigned to experimental groups. The treatment groups were exposed to petrol fumes in a fume chamber for 4 hours daily and subsequently administered the plant extracts for 28 consecutive days. Biochemical assessments, including liver function tests and antioxidant enzyme assays, as well as histopathological examination of liver tissues, were conducted Relative to the normal control group, petrol fume exposure significantly p < 0.05 elevated serum activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alongside increased hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Conversely, hepatic antioxidant defenses, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), were markedly reduced. Administration of the plant extracts restored these biochemical parameters toward normal values. Histological analysis further revealed pronounced hepatic alterations in the petrol-exposed group, which were markedly ameliorated following treatment with the extracts.