Determination of Metals by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry in Unripe Plantain Peels Ash and Comparative Genotoxicity Studies with Kaun “Potash” Using Gel Electrophoresis and Diphenylamine Assay
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Date
2019
Authors
Alaribe, C.S
Oladipupo, A.R
Gbadamosi, S.
Toye, E.T
Bashiru, K.A
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL SOCIETY OF NIGERIA
Abstract
Every segment of society uses minerals and mineral resources each day for various purposes,
including in diet and medications. One of such minerals is kaun, a crude mixture of various salts.
Kaun, which is mainly a hydrated sodium carbonate but erroneously locally called “potash”, is the
second most popularly used salt to sodium chloride in Nigeria. Interestingly, plantain peel ash has
served as an alternative to kaun. Of concern, is the fact that most tribes use these substances in
their diet without considering the harmful effect as a result of high intake and also the fact that
they may be contaminated with heavy metals and other toxic substances. This study was done to
investigate and compare the genotoxic effects of kaun and unripe plantain peels ash (UPPA) on the
liver and kidney of mice and to evaluate the phytochemicals and metal content of UPPA.
Phytochemical study revealed that tanins and carbohydrates were present in UPPA. Elemental
analyses showed that UPPA contained high level of magnesium (32.481 ± 0.007 ppm), low levels
of manganese, sodium, zinc and iron (2.285 – 0.720 ppm) and trace levels of chromium, copper,
lead and cadmium (0.100 – 0.001 ppm). Acute toxicity study indicated that the LD50 values of kaun
and UPPA are greater than 3000 and 6000 mg/kg, respectively. Genotoxicity assessment revealed
that kaun and UPPA showed comparable effects on hepatic and renal cells and indicated that both
substances may elicit genotoxic effect on hepatic cells, with no toxic effect on renal cells within the
same doses and period.
Description
Scholarly article
Keywords
Kaun , Plantain peel ash , Metals , Genotoxicity , Gel electrophoresis , Research Subject Categories::PHARMACY
Citation
Alaribe, C. S., Oladipupo, A. R., Gbadamosi, S., Emuejevoke, T. T., & Bashiru, K. A. (2019). Determination of Metals by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry in Unripe Plantain Peels Ash and Comparative Genotoxicity Studies with Kaun “Potash” Using Gel Electrophoresis and Diphenylamine Assay. Journal of Chemical Society of Nigeria, 44(3). Retrieved from https://journals.chemsociety.org.ng/index.php/jcsn/article/view/299