Effects of Aqueous Stem Bark Extract of Prosopis africana on Wistar Strain Rats

Aqueous stem bark extract of Prosopis africana was subjected to phytochemical screening indicating the presence of alkaloids, tannins, anthraquinones, saponins and phenols, Antimicrobial sesceptibility test of the aqueous stem bark extract using Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae as test organisms showed varying zones of inhibition with 15mm zone inhibition exhibited by Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae respectively and 10mm zone of inhibition exhibited by Escherichia coli. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) of extract were 16g/ml and 64g/ml respectively. Treatment of experimental animals with the aqueous stem bark extract for a period of six weeks and subsequent assessment of its effect biochemically showed that alanine aminotransferase (ALT), acid phosphatase (ACP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels were significantly higher than normal suggesting certain degree of liver injury. Glucose, cholesterol, total and direct bilirubin as well as total protein levels were significantly higher than normal values with respect to animals that received the highest dose suggesting a dose dependent effects of the extract on the animals. Urea and creatinine levels were significantly higher than normal suggesting certain degree of leakage from the kidneys. Overall, the result of this work showed that the effects of the extract were more pronounced on the liver than the kidney as observed in the histological analysis of the tissues.