Hepatoprotective, Renoprotective, and Lipid-Modulatory Effects of Kalanchoe pinnata and Vernonia amygdalina Leaf Extracts (Separate and Combined) in Diabetic Wistar Rats

Abstract

This study comparatively evaluated the hepatoprotective, renoprotective, and lipid-modulatory effects of Kalanchoe pinnata (KPE) and Vernonia amygdalina (VAE) leaf extracts, administered separately and in combination, in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic Wistar rats. Diabetic rats were treated orally for 28 days with metformin (100 mg/kg), KPE (100 or 200 mg/kg), VAE (100 or 200 mg/kg), or a KPE+VAE combination (100 mg/kg each), alongside the normal and diabetic control groups. STZ induction produced significant hepatic dysfunction (elevated ALT, AST, ALP, and total bilirubin), renal impairment (elevated urea and creatinine with electrolyte disturbances), and dyslipidaemia (elevated total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, LDL-C, and VLDL-C alongside reduced HDL-C) relative to the normal control (all p < 0.05). Treatment with KPE and VAE, particularly KPE at 200 mg/kg and the KPE+VAE combination, significantly lowered ALT, AST, and ALP to levels comparable with the normal control, with the combination producing the most consistent hepatoprotective profile. Both extracts also significantly reduced urea and creatinine, with KPE at 200 mg/kg and VAE at 100 mg/kg showing the strongest renoprotective activity, although electrolyte responses (Na⁺, K⁺) were more variable across groups. Regarding the lipid profile, VAE at 200 mg/kg produced the greatest overall improvement in atherogenic lipid fractions, while the combination achieved the highest HDL-C of any group. Notably, metformin’s effect on ALP activity was less pronounced than that of the plant extracts, which more closely approximated normal control values. These findings indicate that K. pinnata and V. amygdalina, individually and in combination, possess substantial hepatoprotective, renoprotective, and lipid-modulating potential in diabetes, complementing their previously reported hypoglycaemic and antioxidant effects.