Evaluation of the Effect of Some Marketed Herbal Cosmetics in Port Harcourt on Renal Parameters of Rabbits

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of three commonly marketed herbal cosmetics in Port Harcourt on the renal parameters in rabbits.

Study Design: This study is an experimental study.

Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out at Animal House, Applied and Environmental Biology Department, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria, between April 2020 and November 2020.

Methodology: A total of 48 rabbits were used for the study. They were divided into four groups with twelve rabbits in each group. Four rabbits from each group were treated for thirty, sixty and ninety days respectively. All the rabbits were given feed and tap water ad-libitum. Using the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guideline for volume selection, 0.5ml/kg of Samples A, B, C and D were each applied to 5cm by 5cm scrapped dermal Forsa of the rabbits in each group every morning for the respective treatment periods stated above. At days thirty, sixty and ninety, respectively, four rabbits from each group were sacrificed under chloroform anaesthesia. Blood samples were collected from the rabbits at intervals, 30days, 60days and 90days. The kidneys were harvested at 90 days from the rabbits. The blood was collected to test sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, urea, creatinine, KIM-1 and kidney for histological analysis. GraphPad Prism v.7.0 was used for statistical analysis and p values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results: The results showed that Potassium level was significantly higher (p<.05) from day 30 for group A compared to control, group B and group C. This is attributed to group A having a higher level of cadmium and arsenic compared to the other groups. The urea and creatinine result for group A was significantly higher by day 30 (p<.05) compared to control with group B and group C. Whereas calcium became significantly lower at day 60. With chloride significantly higher (p<.05) at day 60. Early signs of toxicity to the Kidney were identified from the significant effect on the urea, creatinine, KIM-1 and histology results. The continued use of these products contaminated by these heavy metals will release them slowly into the body of recipients and which will invariably damage the kidney.

Conclusion: The continued use of these products contaminated by these heavy metals will release them slowly into the body of recipients and which will invariably damage the kidney. Early signs of toxicity to the Kidney were identified from the significant effect on the urea, creatinine, KIM-1 and histology results.