Ameliorative effect of Stachytarpheta cayennensis extract and vitamins C and E on arsenic, cadmium and lead co-induced toxicity in Wistar rats

The notoriety of toxic metals has become a cause for concern across the world as their presence in the environment constitutes serious health hazard that affect not only the human populace but the ecosystem. This study aimed to explore the ameliorative potential of ethanol extract of Stachytarpheta cayennensis (SCE) leaf in Wistar rats exposed to arsenic, cadmium, and lead (ACL). Thirty Wistar rats were divided into five (5) groups of six (6) rats each. Group one served as the control group was given 300 ml of distilled water as their daily drinking water. Group two as ACL group was exposed to a combination of 30 mg/kg of lead, cadmium, and 1 mg/kg of arsenic, daily, via drinking water. Group three, four and five were the treatment groups administered a combination of 100 mg/kg of vitamins C and 30 mg/kg of vitamin E, 200, and 400 mg/kg of SCE with ACL in daily drinking water respectively. Experiment lasted for 28 days, the rats were sacrificed, blood and other organs were harvested for laboratory analysis. There were varying degrees of significant (P<0.05) amelioration of the heavy metals toxicity revealed by positive changes in the biochemical and hematological indices evaluated when the treated groups were compared to the ACL group. Therefore, the administration of SCE, vitamin C and E could potentially protect against the co-induced toxicity of arsenic, cadmium and lead in Wistar rats.