In vivo studies on the ameliorative effect of coconut water against carbon tetrachloride induced toxicity in rats

Abstract

Purpose

Coconut water is used in folklore medicine for oral rehydration, treatment of childhood diarrhoea, gastroenteritis and cholera, and is also known to possess antioxidant properties.

Objective

In this study, we examined the ameliorative potentials of coconut water on carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) induced toxicity in rats.

Materials and methods

Rats were randomly assigned into separate cages according to the sex of 5 groups. Groups 2–5 were intraperitoneally injected a single dose of 1 mL/kg CCl₄ diluted in olive oil. Only 3, 4 and 5 were orally given 2, 4, 6 mL/kg coconut water respectively, whereas groups 1 and 2 received distilled water.

Results

Treatment with coconut water significantly (p < 0.05) increased red blood cell, packed cell volume, haemoglobin, high-density lipoprotein, glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase, total protein, and albumin compared to the negative control in both sexes of the rats. Furthermore, platelets, white blood cells, urea, low-density lipoprotein, triglyceride, total cholesterol, malondialdehyde, bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, alanine and aspartate transaminases decreased significantly (p < 0.05) compared to the negative control in both male and female rats.

Conclusion

Thus, coconut water supplementation may reverse CCl₄ induced toxicity and distortions on haematological parameters, lipid profile and antioxidant enzymes, liver and kidney biomarkers in rats.

Keywords:

• Antioxidant
• carbon tetrachloride
• coconut water
• hepatorenal
• toxicity

Ethical approval statement

All ethical regulations were strictly adhered to.

Author contributions

IE, OE, VOA and EAU conceived the work. VCU, EAU, IF, OE and VOA wrote the paper and plots the graphs. VOA, OE and EAU did the experiment and performed statistical analysis. IE, VCU, OE, VOA and EAU read and accepted the responsibility for the content of this manuscript. All the data used for this manuscript is available on request from the authors.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

All data generated from this study are available from the corresponding author on request.

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by Tertiary Education Trust Fund Institutional Base Research Grant from Abia State University, Uturu, Nigeria.