Therapeutic Effects of 80% Methanolic Cannabis Sativa Leaf Extract on Copper (II) Oxide-Induced Hepatorenal Toxicity in Wistar Rats

This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of 80% methanolic Cannabis sativa leaf extract against copper (II) oxide (CuO)-induced hepatorenal toxicity in Wistar rats. Acute toxicity studies were conducted to determine the median lethal dose (LD₅₀) of the crude extract and CuO, followed by an in vivo assessment of the protective effect of the extract in rats exposed to CuO. The crude C. sativa leaf extract exhibited relatively low acute toxicity, with an LD₅₀ of 676.08 mg/kg, compared with 45.71 mg/kg for CuO, indicating greater acute toxicity of CuO. CuO exposure produced significant alterations in selected hepatic and renal biochemical parameters compared with the normal control group. Administration of the 80% methanolic C. sativa leaf extract following CuO exposure significantly ameliorated these alterations, with significant differences (P < 0.05) observed among the experimental groups. The observed changes in hepatic and renal biomarkers suggest that CuO exposure may impair normal hepatorenal function, whereas the improvement following extract administration indicates a potential protective effect of C. sativa . These findings suggest that 80% methanolic C. sativa leaf extract possesses ameliorative properties against CuO-induced hepatorenal toxicity in Wistar rats. The extract may therefore represent a potential source of bioactive compounds for mitigating heavy-metal-induced hepatic and renal injury. Further studies are warranted to identify the active phytochemical constituents and elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the observed protective effects.