ISSN 2449-8955 European Journal of Biological Research Research Article European Journal of Biological Research 2017; 7 (3): 172-190 Functional assessments and histopathology of hepatorenal tissues of rats treated with raw and processed herbs Okey A. Ojiako 1 , Paul C. Chikezie 2 *, Doris I. Ukairo 1 , Chiedozie O. Ibegbulem 1 , Reginald N. Nwaoguikpe 1 ¹ Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria 2 Department of Biochemistry, Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria *Corresponding author: Paul C. Chikezie; E-mail: p_chikezie@yahoo.com; Phone: +2348038935327 ABSTRACT The present study ascertained the functional integrity of hepatic and renal tissues, concurrently with blood lipid patterns, of Wistar rats infused with CCl 4 and treated with raw and hydrothermal processed herbs, namely, Monodora myristica, Chromolaena odorata, Buccholzia coriacea and Sphenostylis stenocarpa. Measurement of phyto- chemical contents of the herbs was according to standard methods. The rats were randomly designated on the bases of diets and treatments received for 28 consecutive days. Fibrosis was induced in the Wistar rats by single dose intra- peritoneal injection of CCl 4 for 2 consecutive days. Liver and kidney function tests and serum lipid profile were measured using spectrophotometric methods. Renal and hepatic tissues were subjected to histopathological examinations. The concentra- tions of alkaloids in the four herbal extracts were within the range of 4.83±0.03 - 31.33±0.29 mg/100 g sample, whereas the concentrations of saponins varied within a relatively narrow range: 0.33±0.09 - 4.33±0.02 mg/100 g dry sample; p > 0.05. The activity ratios of AST to ALT of the rat groups were generally less than 1.0 unit. Atherogenic indices of fibrotic rats were within the following ranges: TAG/HDL-C ratio (3.59±0.03 - 6.76±0.06), TC/HDL-C ratio (3.72±0.02 - 6.94±0.05) and LDL- C/HDL-C ratio (2.00±0.01 - 4.59±0.02). Losses in phytochemical contents following hydrothermal processing of the herbs did not substantially affect their overall therapeutic scores against morpho- logical and functional impairments of hepatic and renal tissues following CCl 4 intoxication of the rats. Keywords: Carbon tetrachloride; Histopathology; Hydrothermal; Kidney; Liver. 1. INTRODUCTION The metabolic concerns of hepatic tissues, among several physiologic functions, ensure the detoxification of endogenously formed toxic mole- cules and xenobiotics through concerted processes of functional enzyme systems and facilitated by adaptable anatomical architecture [1, 2]. Additio- nally, administered drugs and metabolic waste products are eliminated by a combination of hepatic metabolism and renal excretion [3]. The kidneys, which are located in the posterior abdominal wall, are the principal organs for osmoregulation, electrolytes balance and regulation of blood pH levels as well as elimination of detoxified xeno- Received: 09 May 2017; Revised submission: 30 June 2017; Accepted: 05 July 2017 Copyright: © The Author(s) 2017. European Journal of Biological Research © T.M.Karpiński 2017. This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted, non-commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.823220