ABSTRACT
Evaluating the alterations in blood tissues and lipid profile is commonly an accepted and a verifiable biomarker for lead exposure. Hence, this study evaluates the potency of green pea (Pisum sativum) extract to alleviate the effect of lead poisoning on the body weight, Complete blood count, and lipid profile of Wistar Albino rats.
The study was carried out in the Animal unit in the Department of Animal and Environmental biology and experimental time was 15weeks. A total of Sixty (60) wistar Albino rats of average weight of 154 ± 5 g (approximately) were distributed into 4 groups (A, B, C, and D) of 3 replicates with 5 rats in each group. Group A was treated with a dose of 2ml of lead nitrate dissolved in 1 litre of distilled water (in the ratio of 0.62 g/0.154 kg animal body weight), Group B received 2ml of lead nitrate and 2ml of green pea extract (in the ratio of 2.31 mg/0.154 kg animal body weight), Group C received 2ml of greenpea extract only and Group D served as the healthy control. The weight, complete blood count and lipid profile parameters were analysed.
The results obtained showed reduction at the (15th week) of the mean values of body weight, white blood cells, red blood cells (167.33 ± 0.33(g), (4.37 ± 0.01 (×103µl), 4.37 ± 0.01 (×103µl) respectively) in the lead treated group when compared to mean values of control group (250.33 ± 0.33(g), 10.83 ± 0.67 (×103µl), 9.54 ± 0.04 (×103µl) respectively) but these values increased in the lead + green pea treated group (184.33 ± 1.33(g), 8.70 ± 8.58 (×103µl), 6.52 ± 0.72 (×103µl), respectively). However the mean value of the platelet cell increased in the lead treated group (691.67 ± 1.76 (×103µl) as compared with control group mean value (391.33 ± 1.86 (×103µl) but was reduced in the lead + green pea treated group (426.33 ± 3.48 (×103µl). Furthermore, the result showed increase in the mean values of total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-ch) and coronary risk index (CRI) (100.00 ± 2.89 (mg/dl), 44.20 ± 4.10 (mg/dl), 4.23 ± 0.43 respectively) in the group of rats exposed to lead nitrate only when compared to the mean values of control group (71.33 ± 0.67 (mg/dl), 5.00 ± 0.58 (mg/dl), 1.50 ± 0.58 respectively). However these values reduced in the group of rat administered both lead nitrate and green peaextract (87.67 ± 0.67 (mg/dl), 31.07 ± 1.20 (mg/dl), 2.93 ± 0.15 respectively). This findings shows that green pea extract has some protective and ameliorative effect on lead toxicity due to the medicinal and antioxidant properties it possesses.
