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Raw Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) Fruit Juice as Possible First-Aid Antidote in Drug-Induced Toxicity

Authors: Mathew F Olaniyan et al.

DOI : 10.18639/RABM.2019.895463

Section : Toxicology and Pharmacology

Published Date : Aug 09, 2019

Abstract

Raw cucumber (Cucumis sativus) fruit juice contains substances that have health-benefit potentials. Fibrinogen is produced in the liver cells. Highest concentrations of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) are found in the liver, heart, and skeletal muscle, and alanine transaminase (ALT) is a liver enzyme. Overdose of amoxicillin, an antibiotic, can lead to hemolysis, hepatotoxicity, and inflammation. This study was therefore designed to determine the use of raw cucumber (C. sativus) fruit juice as a possible first-aid antidote in druginduced toxicity. Fifteen rabbits of the same gender weighing 0.9-1.4 kg were used for the study. They were divided into three groups of five rabbits each as follows: Group A—five control rabbits; Group B—five rabbits, given 30.0 mg/kgBW subcutaneous injection of amoxicillin every 24 h for seven days and was followed by 30 mL raw cucumber fruit juice supplementation for 14 days; Group C— five rabbits, given 30.0 mg/kgBW subcutaneous injection of amoxicillin every 24 h and raw cucumber fruit juice supplementation for 14 days simultaneously. Plasma LDH, ALT, and fibrinogen were determined in the rabbits by spectrophotometry. There was a significant increase in plasma ALT and LDH and a significant decrease in fibrinogen following amoxicillin overdose compared with the results obtained from the basal samples and the control rabbits. These abnormalities were reversed when raw cucumber fruit juice was administered to the experimental rabbits initially overdosed with amoxicillin (p  0.05). There was a significant increase in the plasma value of LDH in the rabbits when they were supplemented with raw cucumber fruit juice following amoxicillin overdose and when the rabbits were coadministered with raw cucumber fruit juice and amoxicillin overdose compared with their basal samples (p  0.05). There was no significant difference in the plasma value of ALT and fibrinogen when the rabbits were coadministered with raw cucumber fruit juice (p  0.05). This study showed an increase in plasma ALT and LDH, and a decrease in fibrinogen following the administration of subcutaneous injection of amoxicillin; however, these abnormalities were reversed when the rabbits were administered 30 mL of raw cucumber fruit juice. Raw cucumber fruit juice could be applied as first-aid antidote in drug induced toxicity.


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