Therapeutics potential of Ocimum basilicum following mercury chloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats (Rattus norvegicus)

Sunday A. Adelakun , Olusegun D. Omotoso and Grace T. Akingbade

Abstract
Globally mercury (Hg) has been reported as one of heavy metal of known toxicity, noted for inducing public health disasters. Present study examines the therapeutics potentials of Ocimum basilicum on mercury chloride (HgCl2) induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats. Thirty adult Wistar rats randomly divided into six groups (A-F) of five rats each. Group A served as control was given 2 mL/day of distilled water, Group B, C, D, E and F received 500 mg/kg body weight (bwt) of O. basilicum extract, 20 mg/kg/bwt of HgCl2, 40 mg/kg bwt of HgCl₂, 20 mg/kg bwt of HgCl₂ and 500 mg/kg bwt O. basilicum leave extract, 40 mg/kg bwt and 500 mg/kg bwt O. basilicum administered daily by gastric gavage, for 21 consecutive days. The gross anatomical parameters of the liver and liver histology were assessed. Liver oxidative stress was evaluated by liver superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) assays. The activities of the biomarker enzymes of the liver (alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase and alkaline phosphatase were assayed). Histological profiles of the liver revealed derangement of the liver cytoarchitecture following consumption of mercury chloride and a marked improvement was observed after O. basilicum administration. Similarly, O. basilicum improved the reduction of antioxidant parameters (SOD, CAT, GPx and GSH) and the increased MDA caused by mercury chloride consumption. O. basilicum thus proffer protection against free radical mediated oxidative stress in mercury chloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

Keywords
Histology; Ocimum basilicum; Mercury chloride; Oxidative stress; Rat; Liver.

DOI
10.21472/bjbs.051110

Full text
PDF

References
Akgül, A. Volatile oil composition of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) cultivating in Turkey. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, v. 33, p. 87-88, 1989. https://doi.org/10.1002/food.19890330129

ATSDR - Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registration. Draft technology profile for mercury. Atlanta, Georgia, USA: US department of health and human services, 2011.

Bozin, B. N.; Mimica-Dukic, N. S.; Anackov, G. Characterization of the volatile composition of essential oils of some Lamiaceae species and the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the entire oils. Journal of Agricutural and Food Chemistry, v. 54, p. 1822-1828, 2006. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf051922u

Bradford, M. A. Rapid and sensitive method for the quantities of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principale of protein-dye binding. Analytical Biochemistry, v. 72, n. 1/2, p. 248-254, 1976. https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-2697(76)90527-3

Brzóska, M. M.; Moniuszko-Jakoniuk, J.; Piłat-Marcinkiewicz, B.; Sawicki, B. Liver and kidney function and histology in rats exposed to cadmium and ethanol. Alcohol and Alcoholism, v.38, no. 1, p. 2-10, 2003.

Burger, J.; Jeitner, C.; Gochfeld, M. Locational differences in mercury and selenium levels in 19 species of saltwater fish from New Jersey. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A, v. 74, p. 863-874, 2011. https://doi.org/10.1080/15287394.2011.570231

Chiang, L.-C.; Ng, L.-T.; Cheng, P.-W.; Chiang, W.; Lin, C.-C. Antiviral activities of extracts and selected pure constituents of Ocimum basilicum. Clincal and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology, v. 32, p. 811-816, 2005. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1681.2005.04270.x

Cordeiro Júnior, Q.; Faria, M. A. M.; Fráguas Júnior, R. Depression, insomnia, and memory loss in a patient with chronic intoxication by inorganic mercury. , v. 1, p. 191-205, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1176/jnp.15.4.457

Dalia, D. M. E.-N. Effect of using pectin on lead toxicity. The Journal of American Science, v. 6, p. 112-130, 2010.

Daneshian, A. B.; Gurbuz, B. C.; Ipek, A. Chemical components of essential oils from Basil (Ocimum basilium L.) grown at different nitrogen levels. International Journal of Natural and Engineering Sciences, v. 3, p. 8-13, 2009.

Ekino, S.; Susa, M.; Ninomiya, T.; Imamura, V.; Kitamura, T. M. Minamata disease revisited: An update on the acute and chronic manifestations of methyl mercury poisining. Journal of Neurological Sciences, v. 26, p. 131-144, 2007. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jns.2007.06.036

El-Maraghy, S. A.; Gad, M. Z.; Fahim, A. T.; Hamdy, M. A. Effect of cadmium and aluminum in take on the antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation in rat tissues. Journal of Biochemical and Molecular Toxicology, v. 15, p. 207-214, 2001. https://doi.org/10.1002/jbt.18

Ferro, C. D. O.; Chagas, V. L.; Oliveira, M. F.; Oliveira, P. L.; Schanaider, A. Atividade da catalase no pulmão, rim e intestino delgado não isquemiado de ratos ap&ocaute;s reperfusão intestinal. Revista do Colégio Brasileiro de Cirurgiões, v. 37, p. 31-38, 2010. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-69912010000100008

Gilmour, C. C.; Henry, E. A. Mercury methylation in aquatic systems affected by acid deposition. Environmental Pollution, v. 71, p. 131-169, 1991. https://doi.org/10.1016/0269-7491(91)90031-Q

Gnanaprakash, K.; Madhusudhana, C. C.; Ramkanth, S.; Alagusundaram, M.; Tiruvengadarajan, V. S.; Angala, P. S.; Mohamed Saleem, T. S. Aqueous extract of Flacourtia indica prevents carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity in rat. International Journal of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, v. 6, p. 51-55, 2010.

Hesse, R. W., Jr. Jewelry making through History: An encyclopedia. Westport: Greenwood Publishing, 2007.

Ibegbu, A. O.; Ayuba, M.; Animoku, A.; Brosu, D.; Adamu, S. A.; Akpulu, P.; Hamman, W. O.; Umana, U. E.; Musa, S. A. Effect of ascorbic acid on mercury-induced changes on the liver in adult Wistar rats. OSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences, v. 13, p. 10-16, 2014. https://doi.org/10.9790/0853-131021016

Jain, S. K.; McVie, R.; Duett, J.; Herbst, J. J. Erythrocyte membrane lipid peroxidation and glycosylated hemoglobin in diabetes. Diabetes, v. 38, no. 12, p.1539-1543, 1989. https://doi.org/10.2337/diab.38.12.1539

Jaishankar, M.; Tseten, T.; Anbalagan, N.; Mathew, B. B.; Beeregowda, K. N. Toxicity, mechanism and health effects of some heavy metals. Toxicology, v. 7, no. 2, p. 60-72, 2014. https://doi.org/10.2478/intox-2014-0009

James, R. C.; Goodman, D. R.; Harbison, R. D. Hepatic glutathione and hepatotoxicity: Changes induced by selected narcotics. The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, v. 221, p. 708-714, 1982.

Kandil, O.; Radwan, N. M.; Hassan, A. B.; Amer, A. M.; El-Banna, H. A.; Amer, W. M. Extracts and fractions of Thymus capitatus exhibit antimicrobial activities. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, v. 44, p. 19-24, 1994. https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-8741(94)90094-9

Keita, S. M.; Vincent, C.; Schmit, J. P.; Belanger, A. Essential oil composition of Ocimum basilicum L., O. gratissimum L. and O. suave L. in the Republic of Guinea. Flavour and Fragrance Journal, v. 15, p. 339-3341, 2000. https://doi.org/10.1002/1099-1026(200009/10)15:5<339::AID-FFJ922>3.0.CO;2-H

Khatri, M.; Nasir, M.K.; Saleem, R.; Noor, F. Evaluation of Pakistani sweet basil oil for commercial exploitation. Pakistan Journal of Science & Industrial Research, v. 38, p. 281-282, 1995.

Kumar, M.; Sharma, M. K.; Kumar, A. Spirulina fusiformis: A food supplement against mercury induced hepatic toxicity. Journal of Health Science, v. 51, no. 4, p. 424-430, 2005. https://doi.org/10.1248/jhs.51.424

Lund, B. O.; Miller, D. M.; Woods, J. S. Studies on Hg(II)-induced H₂O₂ formation and oxidative stress in vivo and in vitro in rat kidney mitochondria. Biochemical Pharmacology, v. 45, no. 10, p. 2017-2024, 1993. https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-2952(93)90012

Marklund, S.; Marklund, G. Involvement of the superoxide anion radical in the autoxidation of pyrogallol and a convenient assay for superoxide dismutase. The FEBS Journal, v. 47, p. 469-474, 1974. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1432-1033.1974.tb03714.x

Marotti, M.; Piccaglia, R.; Giovanelli E. Differences in essential oil composition of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) Italian cultivars related to morphological characteristics. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chememistry, v. 14, p. 3926-3929, 1996. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf9601067

Martins, A. P.; Salgueiro, L. R.; Vila. R.; Tomi, F.; Cañigueral, S.; Casanova, J.; Cunha, A. P.; Adzet, T. Composition of the essential oils of Ocimum canum, O. gratissimum and O. minimum. Planta Medica, v. 65, p. 187-189, 1999. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2006-960465

Mitra, E.; Ghosh, A. K.; Ghosh, D.; Mukherjee, D.; Chattopadhyay, A.; Dutta. S.; Pattari, S. K.; Bandyopadhyaya, D. Protective effect of aqueous curry leaf (Murraya koenigii) extract against cadmium-induced oxidative stress in rat heart. Food and Chemical Toxicology, v. 50, p. 1340-1353, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2012.01.048

Moron, M. S.; Depierre, J. W.; Mannervik, B. Levels of glutathione, glutathione reductase and glutathione S-transferase activities in rat lung and liver. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - General Subjects, v. 582, no.1, p. 67-78, 1979. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-4165(79)90289-7

NRC - National Research Council. Guide to the care and use of laboratory animal resources. Washington, DC: National Research Council, 1985.

Omidbaig, R. Production and processing of medicinal plants. Tehran: Astane Quds Publication, 2005. v. 2.

Omotoso, O. D.; Adelakun, S. A.; Yusuf, U. A.; Adeleye, O. O.; Adeyinka, O. O. Assessment of the effects of Moringa oleifera oil, Anacardium occidentale oil and vitamin C and E on the reticular fibres of cadmium-induced liver damage in Wistar rats. Journal of Advances in Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, v. 8, p. 1-8, 2016. https://doi.org/10.9734/JAMPS/2016/24239

Pari, L.; Murugavel, P. Role of diallyl tetrasulfide in ameliorating the cadmium induced biochemical changes in rats. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, v. 20, p. 493-500, 2005. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.etap.2005.05.009

Pino, J. A.; Rosado, A.; Fuentes, V. Composition of the essential oil from the leaves and flowers of Ocimum gratissimum L. grown in Cuba. Journal of Essential Oil Research, v. 8, p. 139-141, 1996. https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1996.9700581

Popescu, H. I. Poisoning with alkylmercury compounds. British Medical Journal, v. 1, no. 6123, p. 1347, 1978.

Rana, S. V.; Singh, R.; Verma, S. Protective effects of few antioxidants on liver function in rats treated with cadmium and mercury. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology, v. 34, p. 177-179, 1996.

Riaz, M.; Khalid, M. R.; Hanif, M.; Chaudhary, F. M. Extraction and GC/MS analysis of the essential oil of Ocimum basilicum (Comoro). Pakistan Journal of Science and Industrial Research, v. 37, p. 362-364, 1994.

Rice, K. M.; Walker, Jr, E. M.; Wu, M.; Gillette, C.; Blough, E. R. Environmental mercury and its toxic effects. Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, v. 47, no. 2, p. 74-83, 2014. https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.2014.47.2.74

Risher, J. F.; Amler, S. N. Mercury exposure: Evaluation and intervention, the inappropriate use of chelating agents in diagnosis and treatment of putative mercury poisoning. Neurotoxicology, v. 26, p. 691-699, 2005. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuro.2005.05.004

Saalu, L. C.; Oyewopo, A. O.; Enye, L. A.; Ogunlade, B.; Akunna, G. G.; Bello, J.; Ogunmodede, O. S. The hepato-rejuvinative and hepato-toxic capabilities of Citrus paradisi Macfad fruit juice in Rattus norvegicus. African Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, v. 6, no. 14, p. 1056-1063, 2012. https://doi.org/10.5897/AJPP12.095

Saira, K.; Zafar, U. Z.; Habib ur, R. A.; Rehana, K. Physiological and biochemical basis of salt tolerance in Ocimum basilicum L. Journal of Medicinal Plants and Studies, v. 2, p. 18-27, 2014.

Sanda, K.; Koba, K.; Nambo, P.; Gaset, A. Chemical investigation of Ocimum species growing in Togo. Flavour and Fragrant Journal, v. 13, p. 226-232, 1998. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-1026(1998070)13:4<226::AID-FFJ717>3.0.CO;2-H

Sharma, M. K.; Kumar, M.; Kumar, A. Ocimum sanctum aqueous leaf extract provides protection against mercury induced toxicity in swiss albino mice. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology, v. 40, p. 1079-1082, 2002.

Sharma, M. K.; Kumar, M.; Kumar, A. Study of mercury induced toxicity in liver and its modulation by Spirulina fusiformis and Ocimum sanctum. Cellular and Molecular Biology, v. 46, p. 227, 2000.

Stacey, N. H.; Kappus, H. Cellular toxicity and lipid peroxidation response to mercury. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, v. 63, p. 29-35, 1982. https://doi.org/10.1016/0041-008X(82)90023-0

Tan, S. W.; Meiller, J. C.; Mahaffey, K. R. The endocrine effects of mercury in humans and wildlife. Critical Reviews in Toxicology, v. 39, no. 3, p. 228-269, 2009. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408440802233259

Trush, M. A.; Mimnaugh, E. G.; Gram, T. E. Activation of pharmacologic agents to radical intermediates: Implications for the role of free radicals in drug action and toxicity. Biochemical Pharmacology, v. 31, p. 3335-3346, 1982. https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-2952(82)90609-8

USEPA - US Environmental Protection Agency. Mercury in your environment. 2018. Available from: <http://www.epa.gov/hg/effects.htm>. Accessed on: Sept. 21, 2018.

Valera, B.; Dewailly, E.; Poirier, P. Cardiac autonomic activity and blood pressure among Nunavik Inuit adults exposed to environmental mercury: A cross-sectional study. Environmental Health, v. 28, p. 924-926, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1186/1476-069X-7-29

Valey, H.; Gevenlock, A.; Bell, M. Practical clinical biochemistry. 15. ed. London: William Heinemen Medical, 1980.

Vandenberghe, J. Hepatotoxicology: Mechanisms of liver toxicity and methodological aspects. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 1995.

Wang, J. S.; Huang, P. M.; Liaw, W. K. Kinetics of the desorption of mercury from selected fresh water sediment as influenced by mercury chloride. Water, Air, Soil Pollution, v. 12, p. 533-542, 2007. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00342297

WHO - World Health Organization. Elemental mercury and inorganic mercury compounds: Human health aspects. Geneva: WHO, 2003. (Concise International Chemical Assessment Document, CICAD 50).

Yannai, S.; Sachs, K. M. Absorption and accumulation of cadmium, lead and mercury from foods by rats. Food and Chemical Toxicology, v. 23, no. 31, p. 351-355, 1993. https://doi.org/10.1016/0278-6915(93)90190-A

Youcef, N.; Ahlem, B.; Sakina, Z. Amelioration of mercuric chloride toxicity on rat liver with argan oil and sodium selenite supplements. Internation Journal of Pharma and Bio Sciences, v. 4, no. 24, p. 839-849, 2013.