EFFECT OF Azadirachta indica ON Plasmodium berghei-INDUCED NEPHROPATHY OF MALE WISTAR ALBINO RATS

Malaria is a severe febrile illness instigated by Plasmodium parasites and spread through bites of infected mosquitoes to humans and animals. This study was carried out to determine the effect of water extract of Azadirachta indica on Plasmodium berghei-induced nephropathy of male Wistar albino rats. Thirty (30) male albino Wistar rats weighing between 150 and 200 grams were used for the study. Experimental animals were weighed and grouped into six groups (A to F) of five rats per group. Groups A, B, and C were blank, negative, and positive controls, respectively while Groups D, E and F were infected with 1.0 x 107 Plasmodium berghei and treated with 50, 200, and 500mg/kg body weight of ethanol neem leaf extract of Azadiractha indica, respectively for twenty-one (21) days post-infection. After treatment, animals were sacrificed and serum collected for biochemical analysis. Results of the experiment showed that P. berghei caused a significant hike (p<0.05) in mean serum creatinine concentration (4.30±0.96) when compared with the blank control (2.60±0.96). With the administration of A. indica, the P. berghei-induced creatinine hike reduced significantly (p<0.05) (2.80±0.62). The present study also showed that P. berghei caused a reduction in urea nitrogen level (11.79±4.03) when compared with the blank control (28.18±5.12). The result of renal histology showed that P. berghei caused a focal tubular dilation with brush border depletion and upon the administration of A. indica, the kidney cortex still showed some levels of cell-mediated capsular injury and tubular atrophy. We therefore, concluded that Plasmodium berghei caused renal dysfunction, as shown by biochemical assay. However, the histological study inferred that the extract of A. indica could not entirely reverse the renal damages initiated by the infections.