Effects of Zingiber officinale and Seeds of Aframomum melegueta Extract on Some Biochemical and Immunological Indices of Electric Foot Shock Stress-Induced Wistar Rats

Abstract

Stress in general captures the process that individuals experience when environmental demands exceed the capacity of an individual, there is consistent evidence that stress is associated with a variety of negative health outcomes which happens through a variety of mechanisms. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Zingiber officinale and the seeds of Aframomum melegueta extracts on some biochemical and immunological indices of electric foot shock stress-induced Wistar rats. Forty-five Wistar rats were randomized into nine groups (A-I) of five rats per group. Group A served as standard control and was not induced with electric shock, group B served as negative control hence they were induced and untreated, group C served as the positive control and was administered 2.9 mg/kg magnesium while groups D and E were administered 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight of Zingiber officinale extract and groups F and G were administered 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight of Aframomum melegueta extract respectively, while co extract of Z. officinale and A. melegueta was administered to group H and I at a dose of 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight respectively. At the end of the experimental period, the animals were sacrificed and the sera obtained were used for bioassay analysis. There was a significant decrease (P<0.05) in the cortisol levels of extract-treated groups from week 1 (2.56±0.55 µg/dl) to week 4 (1.85±0.30 µg/dl) compared to the untreated group (3.98±0.69 µg/dl) (week 1) and (8.57±1.31 µg/dl) (week 4) as well as the kidney function test. The liver function test revealed a significant decrease in liver biomarkers (Alanine Aminotransferase, Aspartate Aminotransferase, Alkaline Phosphatase, direct bilirubin,  and total bilirubin) in the extract-treated groups compared to the untreated control group.                   The extract of the plants impacted the White blood cell and its differentials while there was a significant decrease in the C-reactive protein in the extract-treated group (2.38±0.22 mg/l) compared to the untreated control (9.93±1.50 mg/l). The findings from this research showed that the extracts of Z. officinale and A. melegueta affects some biochemical and immunological parameters and hence could serve as a potential therapeutic agent to fight against stress and its related disorders.