ABSTRACT

This study is aimed at investigating effects of ethanol leaves extract of Jatropha tanjorensis on renal function of male albino wistar rats. Twenty (20) male albino wistar rats were randomly divided into four (4) groups of five (5) rats each. Group 1 served as the control and animals in Group 2, Group 3 and Group 4 were administered 100mg, 250mg and 500mg of the leaves extract per kg body weight respectively for 14 days. The parameters determined were urea, bilirubin (direct and total) and creatinine. Through the study carried out on the effect of Jatropha tanjorensis leaves extract on the renal function of albino wistar rats, it was observed that the treatment groups (II, III, and IV) when administered higher doses showed significant and non-significant (P<0.05) decrease in urea, direct and total bilirubin levels when compared to the control group 1. It was also observed that groups II, III and IV showed a non-significant (P<0.05) increase in creatinine levels when compared to the control group. From these results, it can be established that the leaves extract of Jatropha tanjorensis have no direct effect on renal function and therefore may not be a great cause for concern.

Keywords: Jatropha tanjorensis, Urea, Kidney, Total bilirubin, Creatinine.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.2  BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Jatropha tanjorensis commonly called “hospital-too-far” or ïyana-ipaja” (Yoruba), “ugu-oyibo” (Igbo) belongs to the family Euphorbiceae and is widely grown in Southern Nigeria (Sofowora., 1993). In Southern Nigeria, it is called “Catholic vegetable” or “Reverend father’s vegetable”, possibly because it is grown in the premises of the Catholic churches as ornamentals. The plant has been used locally as a source of edible leaves vegetable and as a medicinal plant for a number of years (Iwalewa et al., 2005).

The leaves extract has hypoglycemic and antioxidant properties that makes it a popular remedy for the treatment for diabetic, malaria and hypertension in this region. It was reported that administration of Jatropha tanjorensis leaves powder to rabbits resulted in improvement in hematological indices which revealed an enhancement of bone marrow function (Orhue et al., 2008).