en toxicological studies of specified herbal medicinal products پژوهشي Research <span style="font-size:12px;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="line-height:200%"><span style="line-height:200%"><span new="" roman="" times=""><span style="color:black">The environment is constantly bombarded with harmful chemicals, but the human body has evolved defense mechanisms for handling some of them, however, often these mechanisms are overwhelmed by the number of chemicals to which they are exposed. The protective effect of <i>Dacryodes edulis</i> (<i>D. edulis</i>) against damages caused by CCl₄ on rat kidneys was investigated. As a model for organ damage by environmental chemicals, rats were orally exposed to CCl₄ for 22 days, and the extracts from <i>D. edulis</i>, obtained with both aqueous and methanol solvents, were administered orally to the rats at varying concentrations of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg b. weight for 22 days respectively. Histological, and Hematological analysis as well as plasma levels of urea, creatinine, and electrolytes (Na⁺, K⁺, and Cl^-), </span></span></span><a name="_Hlk141898731"><span style="line-height:200%"><span new="" roman="" times=""><span style="color:black">CAT, SOD, GPx, MDA </span></span></span></a><span style="line-height:200%"><span new="" roman="" times=""><span style="color:black">and GSH were determined as markers of kidney function. Results indicated that CCl₄significantly increased plasma urea, creatinine, electrolyte levels, CAT, SOD, GPx, MDA and hematological parameters there by decreasing GSH in the rats. However, the administered extracts of 200 and 400 mg/kg aqueous and methanol seeds and stembark of <i>D. edulis</i> suppressed alterations in plasma urea, creatinine, electrolytes, CAT, SOD, GPx, MDA, GSH as well as hematological parameters in a dose-dependent manner restoring them to their normal range. Furthermore, histological analysis showed that the extracts at 200 and 400mg/kg but best at 400mg/kg of <i>D. edulis</i> protected the kidneys from the damaging effects of CCl₄. The data indicated that 400mg/kg methanol of both extracts possessed a stronger protective effect on the kidneys against CCl₄ damaging activity, suggesting that extracts from <i>D. edulis</i> may possess the potential of protecting the kidneys against damages caused by environmental chemicals.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br> &nbsp; ,Environmental toxic chemicals,Carbon tetrachloride,Dacryodes. edulis,Kidney damage,Kidney function 100 121 http://pbp.medilam.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-609-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Patricia N. Akunne akunepat@gmail.com 10031947532846005030 0000000328328174 Yes 4075 S Isabella Rd Apt GG16, Mt Pleasant, MI 48858 Chidube A. Alagbaoso Chidube@ymail.com 10031947532846005031 10031947532846005031 No Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria Noghayin E. J. Orhue Orhue@ymail.com 10031947532846005032 10031947532846005032 No Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA