Kidney Homeostasis and Histology: The Role of Alcoholic Extract of Phyllantus amarus.

Phyllantus amarus is an ethnobotanical plant widely use in Africa for management of various ailments of the kidney. We aimed at evaluating the effect of ethanolic extract of Phyllantus amarus on kidney homeostasis and morphology in alloxan induced diabetes in adult Wistar rat. Wistar Rats of both sex (n=20), averaging 150-250g were randomly assigned into four groups: A, B, C and control of n=5 respectively. Group A, B, and C served as experimental groups. The experimental groups received 50mg/kg, 100mg/kg, and 200mg/kg of alcoholic extract of Phyllantus amarus orally via orogastric tube for 21days. Sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonates, glucose, urea and Creatinine were analyses using ion selective electrode and spectrophometric method. Kidney morphology was evaluated using 10% formal saline fixed, paraffin embedded processed tissues and heamatoxylin and eosin staining techniques. Biochemical assay shows antidiabetic properties, significant increase in chloride and bicarbonates ions in group A, B and C and potassium ion only in group A compared with control. Urea and Creatinine were normal in the groups with corresponding increase in body weight. Histological findings show several portions of mild necrosis and effacement of renal corpuscles compared with control group. The finding indicated that the administration of ethanolic extract of Phyllantus amarus has adverse effects on body homeostasis and kidney morphology despite its tradomedicinal importance. The current findings suggest that Phyllantus amarus consumption should be control to prevent renal impairment.