The Influence of Garlic and Spondias mombin on Sodium Arsenite induced Clastogenicity and Hepatotoxicity in Rats

The effect of aqueous extract of garlic (GA) and Spondias mombin (SM) on the clastogenicity and hepatotoxicity of sodium arsenite (SA) was evaluated in Wistar rat using bone marrow micronucleus assay and monitoring the activities of -gamma transferase (γ-GT), alkaline phosphate (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in the plasma. 100 mg/kg b.w. of aqueous extract of garlic (GA) and 25mg/kg b.w of SM leaves were fed to rats for 30 consecutive days either alone or simultaneously. 2.5mg/kg b.w. of SA was injected interperitoneally on the 7 th , 14 th , 21 st and 30 th day of the experiment, alone and together with GA or SM or a combination of both. SA significantly (P<0.05) induced the formation of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (mPCEs) and -GT, ALP, AST and ALT activities when compared to the control. GA significantly (P<0.05) reduced the degree of mPCEs formation and activities -GT, ALT AST and ALP induced by SA. Although, pretreatment with SM significantly reduced plasma activity of -GT, ALT and ALP, it however, led to an additive increase in mPCEs formation. Pretreatment with both GA and SM also significantly (P<0.05) reduced the activities of all the four liver function enzymes .GA alone appear to be more effective in modulating the clastogenicity and hepatotoxicity of SA than SM alone or in combination with GA. (