Ameliorative effect of cabbage extract on cadmium-induced changes on hematology and biochemical parameters of albino rats

F. C. Onwuka¹, O. Erhabor² *, M. U. Eteng³ and I. B. Umoh³

¹Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Port Harcourt PMB 5323 Port Harcourt, River State, Nigeria

²Department of Haematology College of Health Sciences , University of Port Harcourt P. M. B. 5323, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.

³Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, P. M. B. 1115 Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: n_osaro@yahoo.com. Tel: +447932363217.

Accepted March 30, 2010

   Abstract

The effect of dietary supplement containing cabbage on cadmium – induced toxicity was studied in wistar rats. The effect of cadmium was investigated in 3 animals groups. Group A, rats were fed normal basal diet only. Group B rats were placed on normal basal, mixed with cadmium chloride (3 mg/kg body weight daily) while group C rats were fed with basal diet mixed with Cadmium chloride (3 mg/kg body weight) and 0.5 kg dry cabbage pellets daily. Rats were monitored for 28 days. At the end of the treatment, the animals were sacrificed using chloroform vapor. Oral rat LD50 for Cadmium Chloride, Anhydrous is 88 mg/kg. The effect of cadmium treatment alone and combined cadmium-cabbage treatment on lipid peroxidation, as measured by malondialdehyde levels in testes and kidney, serum activities of acid phosphatase (ACP) and prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were investigated alongside testicular and kidney organ weight and assessment of some hematological indices. The result showed that cadmium induced a significant increase in both testicular and kidney malondialdeyhde (MDA); but dietary cabbage seem to have a beneficial effect on lipid peroxidation. Cadmium also induced a 75% increase in ACP, 98% in PAP and 22% increase in ALP, but cabbage supplementation  tended to produce a reduction in the activities of these enzymes (p = 0.001). Result of organ weight analysis in Cd –exposed rats showed a decrease in testes and kidney weight. Comparatively rats whose diet contained cadmium with cabbage supplementation showed an increase in organ weight. Administration of combined treatments of cadmium and cabbage may provide beneficial effects against cadmium-induced changes on the testicular and kidney weight, malondialdeyhde, liver enzymes; alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase and prostatic acid phosphatase levels by reducing cadmium –associated oxidative stress.

Key words: Cabbage, cadmium, toxicity, amelioration.