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35
African Journal of Cellular Pathology 3:35-38 (2014)
The Official Journal of the Society for Cellular Pathology Scientists of Nigeria
www.ajcpath.com
THE EFFECT OF ORAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE MIXTURE OF
HONEY AND GARCINIA KOLA ON THE KIDNEY OF WISTAR RATS
Avwioro OG1, Demehin AO1, Onyije FM2, Bini N3, Oladele AA4, Umukoro S5
1. Faculty of Science, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria
2. Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Basic Medical Science, Niger
Delta University, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
3. Department of Chemical Pathology, Health Management Board, Delta State, Nigeria
4. Department of Histopathology, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria
5. Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Science, Delta State University,
Abraka, Nigeria
Corresponding author: Avwioro OG
Email: avwiorog@yahoo.com
Abstract
Aim: Honey and Garcinia kola have long been used separately by the traditional
medical practitioners as remedies for cough and other ailments. Recently, a
combination of both as a remedy for cough is common. This work was intended to
see the effect of this synergy on the kidney.
Methods: Twenty five Wistar albino rats weighing 180±10g were grouped into 5
(A, B, C, D, E) of 5 rats each. They were fed twice daily for 14 days with a
mixture of G. kola and honey: 0.16g/kg + 0.5ml, 0.20g/kg + 0.5ml, 0.24g/kg +
0.5ml, 0.28g/kg + 0.5ml and normal feeds respectively. The rats were sacrificed
on the 15th day and blood and kidneys were taken for biochemistry and histology
respectively.
Results: Sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, urea, creatinine, as well as the
histology of the kidney of the test rats were not significantly different from the
control rats.
Conclusion: Oral intake of one nut Garcinia kola along with about 5 ml honey
twice daily for 14 days has no adverse effect on the kidney.
Key words: Honey, Garcinia kola, Liver, Medicinal plant
INTRODUCTION
Honey is a sweet substance obtained from bees
and has long been used as a remedy for certain
ailments such as gastric disturbances, ulcers and
asthma. It has also been used as an antibiotic
and as an antiseptic (Grotte, 1998). It promotes
wound healing and circulatory system (Pand,
2014). It has also been used for the treatment of
chronic rhinosinusitis (Philip, 2014) and for sore
throat and cough (Chris, 2014) as well as an
ointment for rashes and burns (Vanghn, 2001).
Honey is a mixture of sugar and other
compounds principally carbohydrates; fructose
38.25%, glucose 31.30%, macros 7.10%,
sucrose 1.3%, high sugar 1.5% and water
17.20% (Russell, 2000). Honey is used as an
additive to a variety of food and beverages not
only for its sweetness but because it counteracts
microbial spoilage of food. Garcinia kola seed
has a bitter astringent and resinous taste. The
seed of G. kola has been used to prevent and
treat colic and headache (Ayensu, 1978). Iwu,
(1991) has also used the plant for the treatment
of jaundice, high fever, as a purgative and for
the treatment of liver disorders because of its
antihepatotoxic and antioxidant activities. In
fact Iwu et al., (1990) regarded the plant as a
wonder plant because every part of it from the
bark, leaves, root, wood to the seed has
medicinal value. Traditionally, the plant is used
for the treatment of skin infections in Liberia
and Congo. In Sierra Leone, the roots and bark
are taken for sexual dysfunction and stomach
pain (Braid, 1991). Adesanya et al., (2007)
confirmed its use as a spermatogenic agent in
AVWIORO ET AL GARCINIA KOLA HONEY KIDNEY
36
rats. Its alkaloid and bioflavonoids content are
said to relax muscles (Braid, 1989). G. kola
stem bark contains a complex mixture of
phenolic compounds such as bioflavonoid,
xanthones and benzophenone (Iwu and Igboko,
1982) as well as several organic compounds
which confer on it some antimicrobial and
antifungal properties (Bohn, 1968). Garcinia
kola is found in rain forest and swamps and
grows to about 12m in height. It is a perennial
crop that grows in West and Central Africa
(Vivien et al., 1985). Recently, the locals have
combined oral administration of the mixture of
honey with Garcinia kola in the treatment of
cough. Its side effects on the kidney have not
been investigated. This work therefore
investigated the effect of a mixture of one G.
kola nut and about 5ml honey when taken twice
daily for 14 days on the kidney of Wistar rats.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Preparation of Garcinia kola
Five nuts of G. kola were obtained from Owo,
Ondo State, Nigeria. They were weighed and
dried in an open air oven at 560C for 48 hours.
The coat was removed and the nut cut into very
tiny bits with a sharp knife and further dried for
72 hours at 560C. The tiny bits were milled to
obtain a fine powder which was used for the
experiment.
Administration of the Mixture
Twenty five Wistar albino rats weighing
180±10g were obtained from the Animal House,
Delta State University, Abraka and acclimatized
for 14 days. They were grouped into 5 of 5 rats
each. Each rat in Group 1 had oral
administration of a mixture of G. kola 0.16g/kg
and 0.5ml honey twice daily for 14 days. Each
rat in Group 2 had a mixture of 0.20g/kg G. kola
and 0.5ml honey for a similar period as Group 1.
The same for Groups 3 and 4 which had
0.24g/kg G. kola and 0.5ml honey, 0.28g/kg G.
kola and 0.5ml honey respectively. The Group 5
was the control. The mixture was not
administered to Group 5. All the rats had access
to water and feeds ad libitum. The rats were
sacrificed on the 15th day and blood was
collected into lithium heparin bottles, while the
kidneys were fixed in 10% formol saline for 24
hours.
Biochemistry
The blood samples were centrifuged slowly for
10 minutes and the sera separated from the red
blood cells into clean bottles. The sera were
analyzed for sodium and potassium with the
flame photometer, while chloride, bicarbonate,
urea and creatinine were analyzed with standard
biochemical methods.
Histology
Thin sections were cut from the tissues and
processed by the paraffin wax method using the
automatic tissue processor (Histokinette).
Sections, 4µm thick were cut with the Rotary
microtome (Tissue Tek), stained with
heamatoxylin and eosin and examined with the
light microscope.
RESULTS
Biochemistry
Table 1: Renal function test on test and control rats
Group
Na+
(mmol/L)
K+
(mmol/L)
Cl-
(mmol/L)
BCO3
(mmol/L)
Urea
mmol/L
Creatinine
µmol/L
1
134±3
5.1±0.3
98±2
29±3
13±3
56±3
2
137±3
5.4±0.2
99±3
15±2
12±4
57±4
3
137±3
5.3±0.4
100±3
15±3
13±4
57±3
4
138±4
5.4±0.3
100±3
20±3
14±4
56±4
Control
138±4
5.4±0.3
100±3
13±2
10±3
56±3
Group 1 (0.16g/kg G. kola and 0.5ml honey), Group 2 (0.20g/kg G. kola and 0.5ml honey), Group 3 (0.24g/kg
G. kola and 0.5ml honey), Group 4 (0.28g/kg G. kola and 0.5ml honey), Control (Untreated group).
There was no significant difference in the parameters studied between the control blood samples and the
treatment groups.
Histology
No evidence of inflammatory reaction or distortion of the cyto architecture of the renal tissue was
observed in all the treatment Groups (A, B, C, D) when compared with the Control Group E
AVWIORO ET AL GARCINIA KOLA HONEY KIDNEY
37
DISCUSSION
For several centuries, traditional medical
practitioners have recommended honey for the
treatment of several ailments as well as a food
additive. Garcinia kola has also been used for
similar purposes. Practitioners claimed they
successfully treated diseases with these
substances. Recent researchers also claimed that
they have successfully used them for the
treatment of several ailments. Honey has been
used by Pand, (2014) for wound healing and
improved circulatory system, while Philip,
(2014) used it for the treatment of chronic
rhinosinusitis, Chris, (2014) used it for the
treatment of sore throat and cough, as well as an
ointment for rashes and burns (Vanghn 2001).
The seed of G. kola contains 1-3, 8-11
benzophenones, Garcinia biflavonones (GB-1,
GB-2) and kolaflavonone (Cotterih et al., 1978).
Apigenin based flavonoids represent 60% of the
total flavonoids present in the diethyl ether
fraction of G. kola seeds (Iwu and Igboko,
1982). The seed of G. kola has similarly been
used to prevent and treat colic and headache
(Ayensu, 1978), jaundice, high fever and liver
disorders (Iwu, 1991), skin infections, sexual
dysfunction and stomach pain (Braid, 1991) and
as a spermatogenic agent (Adesanya et al.,
2007). Several biochemical and microbiological
experiments have been performed to determine
the effects of these substances on humans and
rats. These are well documented. Recently,
traditional medical practitioners often treat dry
coughs with a mixture of 5ml pure honey with
one nut Garcinia kola. The G. kola may be eaten
over a period of 30 minutes followed by oral
administration of the pure honey. This may be
taken twice daily for up to 5 days. The
antibacterial activity of the mixture of aqueous
G. kola extract and honey was investigated by
Akinnibosun and Itedjere (2013). They observed
that the synergistic use of aqueous G. kola
extract and honey mixture was more effective in
inhibiting bacterial growth than the separate use
of aqueous G. kola extract and honey. Kagbo
and Ejebe, (2009) stated that Garcinia kola stem
bark was used by traditional medical
practitioners in Ogoni, Nigeria, to treat
dysmenorrhea and burns and that the decoction
and infusion of the stem bark was often taken
without any standardized measurement which
resulted in over dosage because of the large
amounts taken. It was for this reason that they
investigated the acute toxicity profile of G. kola
and found the 24 hour LD50 value to be
358mg/kg. Not much work has been done on the
synergic effect of the mixture of honey and G.
kola on animal and human tissues, hence, this
research. While there is evidence that the
mixture could be used for the treatment of
certain ailments, its level of toxicity to the
kidney has not been determined. It is obvious
that excessive intake of drugs and other products
have adverse effects, sometimes lethal, this
work is limited to the recommended dosage by
the traditional medicine healers who give one
nut which is eaten over a period of about 30
minutes followed with about 5 ml of honey. The
results of this experiment suggest that a mixture
of one nut G. kola and 5ml honey has no
injurious effect on the kidney.
CONCLUSION
Moderate intake of the mixture of one nut of G.
kola and 5ml pure honey does not have adverse
effects on the kidney.
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