The Ameliorative Effects of Leaf Extract of Senna occidentalis on Cannabis sativa-Induced Lung and Renal Damages in Adults Male Wistar Rats

Background: Respiratory diseases remain a major public health concern worldwide while its burden has increased considerably due to environmental pollution, occupational hazards, smoking and substance abuse. Cannabis sativa, has increasingly been associated with respiratory health concerns. Despite increasing knowledge regarding the harmful effects of Cannabis smoke and the medicinal properties of Senna occidentalis, there remains limited information on the specific ameliorative effects of Senna occidentalis leaf extract on cannabis-induced lung damage. This paper seeks to evaluates these effects in adult male Wistar rats.

Methodology: A total of thirty-six adult male Wistar rats weighing between 200g to 250g were used for this study. The experimental rats purchased from an animal housewere housed in well-ventilated cages and allowed to acclimatize for 7 days in the Animal house. The animals were maintained under standard conditions of 12 hours of light/dark cycle at a temperature of 27⁰C-30⁰C. The animals were fed with rat feeds bought from Top Feed Ltd, Nigeria and were allowed access to drinking water. Fresh leaves of Senna occidentalis were procured from a natural habitat, during the study period. The leaves were carefully selected to ensure they were healthy, mature and free from insect infestation, disease or physical damage. Extraneous materials such as soil particles, twigs and other plant debris were removed before transportation to the laboratory in clean, sterile polyethylene bags. The plant material was authenticated, given a voucher specimen number and deposited in the herbarium for future reference.

Result: The Cannabis sativa smoke produced marked pulmonary and renal injury through oxidative stress mechanisms, while treatment with Senna occidentalis leaf extract significantly attenuated these adverse effects in a dose-dependent manner. Histological examination of lung tissues revealed that the normal control group maintained normal pulmonary architecture characterized by intact alveolar sacs, thin alveolar septa, patent bronchioles, and the absence of inflammatory cell infiltration. Conversely, rats exposed solely to Cannabis sativa smoke exhibited severe pulmonary lesions including thickening of alveolar septa, inflammatory cell infiltration, pulmonary vascular congestion, edema, degeneration of bronchiolar epithelium, distortion of alveolar spaces and widespread disruption of normal lung.

Conclusion: We conclude that exposure to Cannabis sativa smoke produces significant pulmonary and renal toxicity through mechanisms involving oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, inflammation and structural tissue degeneration. Administration of Senna occidentalis leaf extract significantly attenuated these pathological alterations in a dose-dependent manner, thereby demonstrating its potent antioxidant and tissue-protective properties.