The Protective Effects of Olive (Olea oleaster) Leaves Extract on Male Rats Exposed to Cadmium Toxicity
The Protective Effects of Olive (Olea oleaster) Leaves Extract on Male Rats Exposed to Cadmium Toxicity
Fatimah A. Al-Saeed
ABSTRACT
Environmental pollution is an issue of complex dimensions and getting much interest from researchers and governments. Globally, the environment is suffering from the increased rates of pollution that seriously threaten the stability of the ecosystem and living organisms. Currently, the environment is increasingly exposed to chemical pollutants, including heavy metals, which affect humans, animals and plants. Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal known as a toxic factor to humans, animals and plants. Saudi Arabia is enriched with medicinal plants whose therapeutic effects are not sufficiently known and not exploited properly. Medicinal plants play an important role in treatment of human health problems since past decades until now. The present study might be the first trial to examine the effects of olive (Olea oleaster) leaves extract on male rats exposed to Cd (15 mg/kg body weight (b.w.). The male rats were randomly assigned to four groups. The first group served as control (CTL) that orally administered saline solution. The second group was exposed to Cd in a dose of 15 mg/kg b.w. The third group was treated with olive leaves extract (600 mg/kg b.w.) and exposed to Cd. The fourth group was treated with olive leaves extract (600 mg/kg b.w.) only. At the end of the experimental period, blood samples were collected and analyzed. The obtained results showed that the levels of selected blood biochemical parameters (ALT, AST, ALP, total bilirubin, creatinine (Cr), BUN, uric acid, MDA, IL-6 and TNF-α) were significantly increased in rats of the second group. Moreover, the levels of total protein, albumin and CAT were statistically declined. The O. oleaster leaves’ extract could nearly normalize those blood parameters for protection against Cd toxicity. It might be concluded from this study that the protective effect of O. oleaster leaves extract against Cd toxicity may be attributed to its antioxidant activities.
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