EFFECTS OF SCORPION (HEMISCORPIUS LEPTURUS) VENOM ON THE LIVER OF ALBINO RATS
| EMEKA CASMIR OKOROAMA1, *, PRINCE CHIAZO UNEKWE1, CHIBUZO LINDA OKOROAMA2 |
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Afr. J Pharm Res Dev; Volume 12(3): 257-265 (2020)
ABSTRACT
Scorpion envenomation is a public health concern due to its influence on human activities. The effects of scorpion (Hemiscorpius lepturus) venom on liver enzymes, total bilirubin, and liver histoarchitecture of albino rats were investigated in this study. The venom was extracted from the telson of scorpion, using soxhlet extractor. The LD50 of the venom was determined. The animals were divided into three groups and treated as follows; group one received 2.5 mg extract/kg, group two received 5.0 mg extract/kg of the extract, while group three served as control and had distilled water. Blood samples were collected before, and at time intervals after venom inoculation, for estimation of liver enzymes and total bilirubin. The liver was harvested for histological examination. The LD50 of the venom was 7.25 mg/kg. The results showed increase in the relative weight of liver tissue, especially in the animals that received the higher dose of the venom. There was significant (p< 0.01) increase in the serum levels of alanine aminotransaminase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransaminase (AST), with decrease in alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Total serum bilirubin showed no significant change, (p > 0.5). Histological examination of the liver tissues revealed hepatocellular degeneration and aggregation of inflammatory leucocytes after envenomation. The changes in the morphology of the liver (by relative weight) correlated with the histological changes in the tissue, as well as significant changes (p<0.05) in liver enzymes. The results suggest possible deleterious effect of scorpion venom on the liver.
Email of correspondence: emekaokoroama@yahoo.co.uk;
KEYWORDS: Scorpion venom; Envenomation; Liver enzymes; Histology.