Chloramphenicol is an antibiotic with wide range application in antimicrobial therapy; however, its toxicity is associated with liver, kidney and testicular damages. Moringa oleifera (MO) is used in the present study to determine its effect in ameliorating the toxic effect of chloramphenicol on the liver, kidney and testicular tissues. 25 albino rats were clustered into 5 groups: Group 1 was administered equal measures of distilled water; Group 2 administered 50 mg/kg chloramphenicol; Groups 3 and 4 were administered 250 mg/kg MO + chloramphenicol, and 5000 mg/kg MO + chloramphenicol 50 mg/kg, respectively; and Group 5 received 100 mg/kg Silymarin and chloramphenicol 50 mg/kg for a period of 28 days, after which the rats were sacrificed. Blood samples were collected through cardiac puncture and serum, which was analyzed for liver and kidney function enzymes. Liver, kidney and testes were harvested and weighed before being processed for routine histological analysis. Sperm count analysis was carried out using Neubauer’s hemocytometer under the light microscope at ×400 magnification.
MO had no significant effect on liver and kidney weight, or sperm count. It significantly decreased serum AST, ALT and ALP level, but had no effect on ALB. It decreased serum creatinine, bicarbonate and sodium levels at a low dose, and increased creatinine and bicarbonate ions at a higher dose. MO did not fully ameliorate the effects of chloramphenicol, as renal histology revealed dilated renal tubules and tubular epithelial cell degeneration and, in the liver, lymphocytic infiltration was observed in the sinusoids. In the testes, the germinal layers were improved with more sperm cells preserved with observed bleeding in the interstitial space when compared to the negative control group. MO presents a promising remedy in ameliorating the deleterious effects posed by chloramphenicol-induced toxicity.
