Protective effects of Momordica charantia and Ocimum basilicum extracts against azoxymethane-induced organ toxicity in rats

Abstract. Abisoye SB, Ezima EN, Adegbesan BO, Okelola CA, Bello TH, Adefuye AO. 2025. Protective effects of Momordica charantia and Ocimum basilicum extracts against azoxymethane-induced organ toxicity in rats. Asian J Trop Biotechnol 22: 71-79. Azoxymethane (AOM) is a chemical carcinogen widely used in experimental models and is increasingly recognized for its systemic and extra-colonic toxic effects. This study evaluated the preclinical safety profile and organ-level biological effects of a combined aqueous extract of Momordica charantia and Ocimum basilicum against AOM-induced toxicity in Wistar rats. Acute toxicity was assessed using Lorke’s method, followed by an experimental protocol in which rats were exposed to AOM and treated with graded doses of the combined extract for 28 days. Liver function biomarkers, including aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase, were analyzed, and histopathological examinations of the liver, kidney, and heart were conducted. Acute toxicity testing revealed no mortality at doses up to 5000 mg/kg, indicating a wide safety margin for the combined extract. AOM administration resulted in marked alterations in liver biochemical parameters and pronounced histological damage across examined organs. Treatment with the combined extract was associated with dose-related modulation of liver enzyme levels and descriptive preservation of hepatic, renal, and cardiac tissue architecture compared with the AOM-only group. The liver exhibited the most consistent response across biochemical and histological assessments, followed by the kidney and heart. Overall, the findings provide preclinical evidence supporting the biological relevance of the combined extract in mitigating AOM-induced systemic organ injury. This study provides preliminary evidence supporting the potential of these tropical plants as candidates for further phytochemical characterization and mechanistic investigation, while emphasizing their role as screening-level agents rather than confirmed therapeutic interventions.