Effects of Aqueous Extracts of Nigella sativa and Ocimum gratissimum on Electrolyte, Urea, Creatinine of Wistar Rat

Aim: Effects of aqueous extracts of Nigella sativa (black seed) and Ocimum gratissimum (scent leaf) on electrolytes, urea and creatinine of Wistar rats were investigated.

Materials and Method: Twenty-five Wistar rats were used for the study, the rats were arranged into five groups with five rats in each of the groups. The rats had access to their normal feed but sucrose and margarine were used to induce hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia respectively on the rats with the exception of the rats in the positive control group. The rats in the negative control were induced using the sucrose and margarine but were not treated using the aqueous extracts. The rats in the scent leaf group were treated with 2 ml of scent leaf aqueous extract, while the rats in the black seed group were treated with 2 ml of black seed aqueous extract. The rats in the black seed and scent leaf group were treated with 2 ml of the combined aqueous extract.

Results: The result showed that the extracts decreased the levels of the electrolytes in the rats in a time-dependent manner with the highest decrease obtained on the third week of treatment with the extracts. The sodium levels (mmol/ml) on the third week of treatment showed for the negative control (193.83 ± 2.96), scent leaf (125.80 ± 8.27), black seed (119.60 ± 6.24), black seed and scent leaf (110.93 ± 10.14) (p<0.05). The decrease for potassium levels (mEql/l) on the third week of treatment, showed for the negative control (0.11 ± 0.05), scent leaf (0.09 ± 0.14), black seed (0.08 ± 0.10), black seed and scent leaf (0.06 ± 0.11). Furthermore, the extracts also had a decreasing effect on the urea and creatinine in a time-dependent manner with the highest decrease obtained on the third week of treatment (p>0.05). The urea levels (mmol/ml)) showed for the negative control (26.64 ± 0.33), scent leaf (16.73 ± 0.88), black seed (15.86 ± 2.31) and black seed and scent leaf (12.88 ± 1.98). The decrease for creatinine levels (mmol/l) showed for negative control (662.68 ± 18.00), scent leaf (287.10 ± 12.30), black seed (192.44 ± 10.44) and black seed and scent leaf (188.66 ± 10.88.

Conclusion: The extracts significantly decreased the elevated electrolytes, urea and creatinine levels and therefore scent leaf and black seed can be used to restore kidney function.