Hepatotoxic and haematological effects of Nigerian Bonny light crude oil in male albino rats

Abstract

The effect of Bonny light crude oil was assessed in adult albino rats. The rats were administered with 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg of the crude oil orally for 7 days. Fluid intake was measured daily, and the initial and final animal body weight recorded. Oral crude oil at these doses produced no effect on feed and fluid intake between the test groups and the control group. There was a significant decrease in body weight compared to the control group after 7 days of treatment with the different doses of crude oil. The toxic effects of the liver and hematological effects were assessed. The packed cell volume (PCV) and total white blood cell (WBC) of the 200 mg/kg group were significantly decreased compared to the respective control values. Administration of 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg of Bonny light crude oil, caused a significant dose-dependent increase in glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) levels, but a significant decrease in the alkaline phosphatase (AP) level compared to the control. Histological examination indicates that crude oil induced severe pathologic changes in the forms of necrosis and oedema. © 2005 Taylor & Francis Group Ltd.