PROJECT: 000013

EFFECTS OF MORINGA (MORINGA OLEIFERA) LEAVE ON

ELECTROLYTE IN RATS FED CRUDE OIL CONTAMINATED
DIET
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Cover Page……………………………………………………………………………………….i
Title Page…………………………………………………………………………………………ii
Certification…………………………………………………………………………………….iii
Dedication………………………………………………………………………………………iv
Acknowledgement…………………………………………………………………………..v
Table of Contents…………………………………………………………………………..vi
Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………….
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 Introduction ................................................................ 1
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Oil Production in Nigeria ......Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.1.1 History of Oil Exploration and Exploitation in the Niger
Delta Region..................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.1.2 Oil Spillages ..................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.1.3 Biochemical Effects of Crude Oil on Various Animals Error!
Bookmark not defined.
2.2 Moringa oleifera .................Error! Bookmark not defined.

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PROJECT: 000013
2.2.1 Phytochemistry of Moringa oleifera Error! Bookmark not
defined.
2.2.3 Medicinal Uses and Pharmacological Properties ...... Error!
Bookmark not defined.
2.2.3.1 Antihypertensive, Diuretic and Cholesterol Lowering
Activities ..................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.2.3.2 Antispasmodic, Antiulcer and Hepatoprotective
Activities ..................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.2.3.3 Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities............... Error!
Bookmark not defined.
2.2.3.4 Antitumor and Anticancer Activities.. Error! Bookmark
not defined.
2.2.3.5 Other Diverse Activities............ Error! Bookmark not
defined.
2.2.4 Previous Works Using M. Oleifera to Ameliorate Toxicity
Error! Bookmark not defined.
CHAPTER THREE: MATERIALS AND METHODS
3.1 Materials ...........................Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.1.1 Experimental Animals .....Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.1.2 Preparation of Moringa Leaf .......... Error! Bookmark not
defined.
3.2 Methods ............................Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.2.1 Experimental Design .......Error! Bookmark not defined.

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PROJECT: 000013
3.2.2 Collection of Tissues and Blood ...... Error! Bookmark not
defined.
3.2.3 Preparation of Samples ...Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.3 Biochemical Assays .............Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.3.1 Determination of Calcium Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.3.2 Assay for Electrolytes......Error! Bookmark not defined.
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 Results .............................Error! Bookmark not defined.
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Discussion .........................Error! Bookmark not defined.
5.2 Conclusion.........................Error! Bookmark not defined.
5.3 Recommendation ...............Error! Bookmark not defined.
Refferences…………………………………………………………………………..46

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PROJECT: 000013
ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential effects of

Moringa oleifera on albino wistar rats exposed to crude oil. Thirty
(30) rats were divided into five (5) groups of six (6) rats each:
group 1 (control) was fed with 100g growers mash and water;
group 2 were administered with 5g of M. oleifera leaves; group 3
were administered with 4ml of crude oil in 100g of feed; group 4
were administered with 5g of M. oleifera leaves and 4ml of crude
oil in 100g of feed; group 5 were administered with 10g of M.
oleifera leaves and 4ml of crude oil in 100g of feed. Animals were
killed and blood taken for assays after six (6) weeks of
administration. Assays for level of plasma electrolytes (Na2+, K+,
Ca2+, Cl-, HCO3+) was carried out. Results obtained shows
significant decrease in Na2+, Cl- and HCO3- and increase the levels
of K+ and Ca2+ in rats administered crude oil. Contrarily,
administration of M. oleifera leaves restored their levels. This
indicates that M. oleifera leaves may possess ameliorative potential
against the toxicity of crude oil.

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CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Introduction
Crude oil or petroleum is a mixture of hydrocarbons which are

complex in nature. The various fractions are separated only by

fractional distillation at very high temperature of about 450ᵒC. They

are constantly present in aquatic environment in different amounts

or quantities depending on the prevailing environmental activity

which may be anthropogenic or industrial (Al-Saad et al., 1997;

Nasir and Hantoush, 2010). Crude oil spreads rapidly from entry

points to other areas in the aquatic environment and is transmitted

into tissues and organs of organisms through the food chain. Since

the discovery of crude oil in Oloibiri in the present day Bayelsa

State, Nigeria in 1956, there has been steady rise in exploration

and exploitation of crude oil and its allied products in the country,

since it is the main stay of the nation’s economy. However, this act
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PROJECT: 000013
has led to the attendant problem of oil spillage into the adjoining

water bodies, which is the natural habitat of aquatic organisms and

on the land (Akpofure et al., 2000; Sunmonu and Oloyede, 2007).

According to USEPA (1999), the volume of crude oil spilled into the

aquatic environment averages up to 14 million gallons per year

from 10,000 accidental spills particularly through leakages of pipe

carrying oil and underground reserves. The adverse effects or

consequences of oil spill in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria are

enormous and manifest in irreversible chain effects on both the

biodiversity and human safety. The occurrence of oil spill threatens

surface water and a wide range of sediment organism which are

directly linked to the food web and food chain (Katwijk Van et al.,

1999). Environmental and physiological factors are known to affect

many blood parameters and the organs responsible for the proper

body maintenance and functions such as behaviour (Al-Kahem,

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1995), mortality (Renner et al., 2008), and biochemical changes

(Sunmonu and Oloyede, 2007).

Moringa oleifera is a significant medicinal plant belonging to

the family Moringaceae. The M. oleifera is recognized for its vast

therapeutic properties since ancient times. It is also known as

drumstick tree or horseradish tree; the leaves are very beneficial

and offer important source of beta-carotene, vitamin C, protein,

iron, and potassium (Verma et al., 2009). The M. oleifera plant is

native to the Indian subcontinent and has been used by the Indians

for almost 5000 years (Morton, 1991). M. oleifera tree can grow

well in the humid tropic or hot dry land and it can survive in harsh

climatic condition including destitute soil (Morton, 1991; Anwar et

al., 2005). The root, bark, gum, leaf, pods, flowers, seed, and seed

oil are used in traditional medicine for treatment of various

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PROJECT: 000013
ailments (Odebiyi and Sofowora, 1999). The leaves, flowers, roots,

gums, fruits, and seeds of M. oleifera are extensively used in the

treatment of inflammation, cardiovascular dysfunction, liver

disease, and hematological and renal malfunction (Mazumder et

al., 1999; Rao and Mishra, 1998; Mahajan and Mehta, 2008). The

leaves of M. oleifera (g/g) have the calcium four times that of milk,

vitamin C seven times that of oranges, and potassium three times

that of bananas, three times the iron of spinach, four times the

vitamin A in carrots, and two times the protein in milk (Asante et

al., 2014; Bamishaiye et al., 2011). Studies have attributed the

medicinal benefits of M. oleifera to its anti-inflammatory,

antioxidant, and antipathogenic constituents (Kumar and Pari,

2003; Bharali et al., 2003). Also, the strong antioxidant and

scavenging ability of M. oleifera has been linked to

chemoprevention of diseases like cancer (Atawodi et al., 2010).

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PROJECT: 000013
The purpose of this project is to explore the ameliorative

potentials of Moringa oleifera on crude oil induced toxicity on

plasma electrolytes of albino rats of wistar strain.

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PROJECT: 000013
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