STM Article Repository

Aims: To investigate and compare the protective and ameliorative role of aqueous leaf extract of
Andrographis paniculata and standard drug 5-Fluorouracil on selected organs of male Wistar rats
exposed to benzene carcinogen.
Study Design: Histological assessment of protective and ameliorative activity of the aqueous leaf
extract of Andrographis paniculata and standard drug 5-Fluorouracil in some organs of experimental
animals exposed to benzene carcinogen.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biomedical Sciences Ladoke Akintola University of
Technology, College of Health Sciences, Osogbo. Nigeria between May and August 2012.
Methodology: Seventy-two (72) young male Wistar rats weighing 100-120 g were grouped into six
(A-E), each group comprised of 6 rats in two replicates of three each (n=12).
Group A (control) received distilled water and normal saline (0.5 ml/kg each), group B received
benzene chromasolv (0.2 ml at 1:10 dilution (water/2-propanol), group C received aqueous
Andrographis paniculata (10 mg/kg bodyweight), group D was administered 5 -fluorouracil only (5
mg/kg body weight) for four weeks, group E was pretreated with Andrographis paniculata for 4 weeks
prior to the administration of benzene chromasolv and group F was post treated with Andrographis
paniculata for 4 weeks after pre-exposure to benzene chromasolv for 8 weeks. Leukaemia burden
was assessed using haematological parameters such as Packed cell volume, Haemoglobin
concentration, Red blood cells count and Total leukocyte count in the control and treatment groups.
Results: Results showed that leukemia was induced within 8 weeks as a significantly elevated WBC
(leukocyte) counts and anaemia over the group not exposed to benzene which served as baseline
were noted (p< 0.05).Organ histology showed varying lesions of the heart (mild to marked) coronary
congestion, severe vacuolar degeneration and necrosis of the hepatocytes with cellular infiltration by
mononuclear cells, diffuse tubular degeneration and necrosis with renal interstitial hemorrhage
observed in the groups exposed to benzene carcinogen, 5-Fluorouracil and co-treatments of these
two agents. However, hepato-renal and heart histio-architectures were intact in the extract pretreatment
and post-treatment groups.
Conclusion: These results suggest that Andrographis paniculata might be more effective than some
other drugs currently in use as cancer suppressive chemotherapeutic agents and also may be a novel
bioagent for the treatment of acute or chronic injuries induced on the liver, kidneys and heart by
toxicants and carcinogens.