Table of Contents at IgMin Research

Published: January 20, 2025 (450d)

Synergistic Assessment of Supplementation of Ascorbic Acid and Massularia acuminata Extracts on Serum Electrolyte and Lipid Profile Indices of Dyslipidemia in Adult Wistar Rats Exposed to Aluminum Chloride Toxicity

Oluwafemi Shittu Bakare^*

Background: Aluminum chloride (AlCl3) toxicity is a growing concern due to its prevalence usage in various industrial and environmental settings. Prolonged exposure to aluminum chloride can lead to oxidative stress, electrolyte imbalances, and alterations in lipid metabolism. This study aimed to investigate the effects of supplementation of ascorbic acid and Massularia acuminata extracts on electrolyte function and lipid profile parameters in adult Wistar rats exposed to aluminum chloride toxicity. 
Methodology: The stem barks of Massularia acuminata were air-dried at room temperature for thirty (30) days and were mechanically ground into fine powder by using an electrical mill. The powder was kept in air-tight container until use. Six hundred (600 g) of the dried powders was dissolved in 4 litres of 80 % (v/v) of methanol, ethanol and butanol respectively for 72 h with occasional agitation using sterile rod. The resulting mixture obtained was then filtered using pieces of white cotton gauze and concentrated in a rotary evaporator following by dryness under vacuo at 40 0C in a rotary evaporator. The extracts that were obtained were then concentrated to dryness ‘in vacuo’ to yield the respective solvent extracts For the animal study, then, fifty Adult Wistar rats was randomly divided into several groups, including a control group, an aluminum chloride-exposed group, and treatment groups supplemented with ascorbic acid, Massularia acuminata extracts, and combination of both in varied doses. The dosage of supplementation was determined based on preliminary experiments and relevant literature. The rats in the aluminum chloride-exposed group and the treatment groups received oral administration of aluminum chloride at a specific dose of (34 mg/kg) for a defined duration to induce toxicity. The control group received a placebo. The treatment groups received supplementation of Ascorbic Acid and Massularia acuminata extracts received daily oral supplementation of ascorbic acid, Massularia acuminata extracts, or a combination of both, while the control and aluminum chloride-exposed groups received a placebo. 
Results: The result showed that there was a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the lipid profile of Total Cholesterol (TC), Very Low-Density Lipoprotein (VLDL) and a non-significant decrease in High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) treated with vitamin C while a significant decrease in the level of HDL, VLDL, LDL and cholesterol were observed from the groups treated with the various plant extracts. 
Conclusion: From the study, it can therefore be concluded that ethanol leaf extract of Massularia acuminata has protective effect against aluminium chloride induced hepatotoxicity, oxidative stress and alterations in lipid and electrolyte profile in Wistar rats.