Protective Effects of Bi-Herbal Formulation of Aqueous Extracts of Vernonia amygdalina and Gongronema latifolium against Gentamicin Induced Nephrotoxicity and Liver Injury in Rats

The study was carried out to investigate the protective effects of bi-herbal formulation of aqueous extracts of Vernonia amygdalina and Gongronema latifolium against gentamicin induced nephrotoxicity and liver injury in rats. Forty (n=40) male Wistar albino rats were procured and separated into five groups. Groups I and II served as normal control and experimental control respectively. Groups III to V served as test groups. Rats of experimental control (group II) and test groups were induced with lethal dose of gentamicin. Test groups III and IV were placed on herbal formulation of aqueous extracts of V .amygdalina  and G. latifolium respectively, whereas rats in test group V received bi-herbal formulation of aqueous extracts of V. amygdalina and G. latifolium. Nephrotoxic indices such as urea reduced significantly (p<0.05) in test groups (III, IV, and V) when compared to experimental control (group II) and normal control (group I). Creatinine also reduced significantly (p<0.05) in test groups III and V against group II (experimental control), and increased insignificantly (p>0.05) in test group V when compared to normal control (group I). Rats induced with gentamicin had upsurge in liver enzymes indicating possible compromise of hepatocellular integrity but the ameliorating effects of the herbal formulations were seen clearly in test groups in this study as they tried to protect the hepatocellular integrity. The bi-herbal formulation of aqueous extract of 5% v/v each of V. amygdalina and G. latifolium offered the best protection as observed in this study. This study has revealed the protective effects of bi-herbal formulation of aqueous extract of V. amygdalina  and G. latifolium against gentamicin induced nephrotoxicity and liver injury in rats.