Copyright © 2016 Usunobun Usunomena, Okolie P. Ngozi. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. International Journal of Biological Research, 4 (1) (2016) 17-20 International Journal of Biological Research Website: www.sciencepubco.com/index.php/IJBR doi: 10.14419/ijbr.v4i1.5811 Research paper Dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) exposed rats: Vernonia amygdalina pre-treatment enhances immunity, hepatic and renal function Usunobun Usunomena 1 *, Okolie P. Ngozi 2 1 Department of Basic Sciences (Biochemistry Unit), Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, Benson, Idahosa University, P.M.B. 1100, Benin City, Edo state, Nigeria 2 Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Benin, Benin City, Edo state, Nigeria *Corresponding author E-mail:uusunobun@biu.edu.ng Abstract Background: The occurrence of dietary and environmental chemicals such as dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) in drinks and foods including fish and meat as well as fresh supermarket products is well established. This study evaluated protective effect of ethanolic leaf extract of Vernonia amygdalina (VAE) on liver synthetic molecules, kidney function and hematological parameters in acute dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)-induced hepatic toxicity in wistar male rats. Methods: Experimental rats divided into four groups of six rats each were used. The first group was untreated and served as control. The second group was orally administered VAE (400 mg/kg) only for seven days. The third group was pre-treated with VAE (400mg/kg) for 7 days and administered 20mg/kg DMN 24hrs after VAE pre-treatment. Rats of the fourth group were given 20mg/kg DMN alone same time with that of group 3. All rats were sacrificed 48hrs after DMN administration. Results: In rats administered 20mg/kg DMN, VAE pre-treatment at 400 mg/kg significantly increased total protein, albumin,White blood cell (WBC), Red blood cell (RBC), Hemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV) and Platelets while it significantly decreased total bilirubin, urea and creatinine compared to DMN-alone administered rats. Conclusion: This study suggest that VAE pre-treatment exert its ameliorative effect against DMN-induced hematological and biochemi- cal alterations possibly by preventing the decline of antioxidant defense system and could be prescribed as adjunct to dietary therapy. Keywords:Dimethylnitrosamine; Hematology; Kidney, Liver; Vernonia amygdalina. 1. Introduction Liver disease and toxicity is common especially with many drug treatments. DMN is a potent hepatotoxin, carcinogen and mutagen (George et al. 2001) which exerts carcinogenic effects and induces hepatic necrosis through metabolic activation by CYP2E1 (Guengerich et al. 1991). Activation of DMN by CYP2E1 in mouse liver has been shown to stimulate Kupffer cells leading to generation of superoxide and other reactive oxygen species (ROS) capable of damaging liver cells (Teufelhofer et al. 2005). Vernonia amygdalina, popularly called bitter leaf and belonging to the Compositae family, is one of the plants with acclaimed folk medicinal usage and is a widely used local plant in Nigeria for both therapeutic and nutritional purposes. Vernonia amygdalina is rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants such as flavonoids, vita- min C, saponins, tannins, alkaloids and steroids as well as miner- als including sodium, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium etc (Usunobun & Okolie 2015). Other than the common metabolites and minerals, Vernonia amygdalina also contain several active secondary metabolites including vernodalin, vernodalol, vernolide, luteolin, luteolin 7-O-β-glucoronide, leteolin 7-O-β-glucoside, vernonioside D and E and vernolepin (Igile et al. 1994, Jisaka et al. 1992,Erasto et al. 2006).Vernonia amygdalina have been proved in human medicine to possess potent anti-malarial and anti-helminthic properties (Abosi & Raseroka 2003) as well as anti-tumorigenic properties (Izevbigie et al. 2004). This study is aimed at determining the effect of ethanolic leaf extract of Vernonia amygdalina on liver synthetic molecules, kidney func- tion and hematological parameters in DMN exposed wistar rats. 2. Materials and methods 2.1. Collection, identification, preparation and extrac- tion of plant leaves Fresh leaves of Vernonia amygdalina were purchased from a local market in Benin City, Edo state, Nigeria. The leaves were identi- fied by a Botanist in the Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, Benson Idahosa University, Benin city, Edo State. The Vernonia amygdalina leaves were separated from the stalk, washed and air-dried at room temperature (24ᵒC) and then pulverized, crushed into fine powder and weighed. Ethanolic extracts of the plant leaves was prepared by soaking 400g of the dry powdered plant leaves in one (1) litre of absolute ethanol at room temperature for 48hrs. The extract was then fil- tered first through a Whatmann filter paper No. 42 (125mm) and then through cotton wool. The extract was thereafter concentrated using a rotary evaporator with the water bath set at 40 o C to one- tenth its original volume and then finally freeze dried. The dried residue (crude extract) was then stored at 4 o C and used on each day of our experiments.