Asian Journal of Advances in Medical Science

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an environmental pollutant known to leach into foods and beverages. BPA mimics or interferes with oestrogenic hormones, and its mechanism of action is related to its weak interaction with receptors, with greater potency when oestradiol concentrations are low. Vernonia amygdalina (bitter leaf) and Moringa oleifera (moringa leaf) are medicinal plants that have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, nephroprotective and hepatoprotective properties. The LD50 dosage was 5,000 mg/kg for the BPA and the ethanolic extracts. Ethanolic extracts of Vernonia amygdalina and Moringa oleifera were prepared by maceration for 24 hours. The experiment comprised five groups of five animals each. Group 1 served as the control; Group 2 received 50 mg/kg of BPA; Group 3 received 50 mg/kg of BPA and 200 mg/kg of Vernonia amygdalina; Group 4 received 50 mg/kg of BPA and 200 mg/kg of Moringa oleifera; and Group 5 received 50 mg/kg of BPA and 100 mg/kg each of Vernonia amygdalina and Moringa oleifera. Biochemical assays evaluated oxidative stress (GSH, MDA, CAT), lipid profile (HDL, VLDL, LDL, TAG and cholesterol), liver (AST, ALT and ALP) and kidney function (urea, creatinine and electrolyte) markers. Histopathology and antioxidant status were also evaluated. Results indicated that both extracts significantly improved lipid parameters compared with the untreated BPA group. Extract-treated groups also showed reduced levels of urea, creatinine, and transaminases, suggesting hepatoprotective and nephroprotective properties. Antioxidant assays demonstrated decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels together with changes in catalase (CAT) and glutathione (GSH), indicating amelioration of oxidative stress. Comparatively, administration of the combined extracts of Vernonia amygdalina and Moringa oleifera improved oxidative stress markers, the lipid profile, and liver and kidney function markers towards control values. In conclusion, the combined use of ethanolic extracts of Vernonia amygdalina and Moringa oleifera exhibited significant antioxidant activities and phytochemical properties which may make the combination more effective than either plant extract alone against bisphenol A toxicity. These findings support further investigation of the extracts for their potential use against BPA-associated toxicity.