Toxic effects of calcium carbide forced ripened pawpaw on the kidney of the Wistar rats

There is a global upsurge in terminal diseases due to unnoticed intake of toxic chemicals. One of such chemical is Calcium carbide, which has been used to ripen fruits by vendors. The aim of this study is to showcase the toxic effect of Calcium carbide coerced ripened Pawpaw on the kidney. Mature unripe Pawpaw’s were plucked off from the parent plant at Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. The fruits were dividing into two groups; one group was kept and allowed to rip at normal room temperature while the other group was induced with Calcium Carbide to ripe at the Histology Laboratory, Bayelsa Medical University, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. 10gram of Calcium carbide was placed in a bowl containing 5ml of water for dissolution in a closed metal bucket containing 1kg of the fruit [pawpaw] rapped with black nylon and was allowed for two days[48 hours] for ripening. After ripening, sampled fruits were washed and juiced. 600g of both the naturally ripened and calcium carbide ripened pawpaw were peeled separately and blended in an electric blender with 350ml/1L of deionized water. The juice was filtered and poured into clean bottles labeled [CaC2 induced ripened juice and naturally ripened pawpaw juice]; then stored in a refrigerator for subsequent use. 21 adult Wister rats of both sexes weighing between 126.9- 214.3g were used. They were divided into three groups for each sex, based on the body weight and then different concentrations of naturally ripened and calcium carbide induced ripened Pawpaw were administered orally. LD50 was carried out using Lorke, 1983 [13] method for administration of samples using nine [9] Wistar rats. 12 Wistar rats were used for the main experiment. Group 1: Normal control group of 4 rats [2 males and 2 females] receive normal water and feeds only as placebo. Group 2 : Treatment Group [1] of 4 rats [2 males and 2 females] received 5ml/kg naturally ripened pawpaw juice. Group 3: Treatment Group [2] of 4 Wistar rats [2 males and 2 females] received Calcium Carbide ripened pawpaw for 4 weeks. 5ml/kg for both the natural fruit and the CaC2 ripened fruits were administered against each body weight of the adult Wistar rats. The Wistar rats were weighed, one was sacrificed in the groups, each week and blood and organ samples were collected from the three groups for hematological and histopathological analysis. Results showed increase in Creatinine, Urea, and Albumin of the treated groups in contrast to the control (p<0.05). Also there is moderate to severe renal tubular degeneration and tubular necrosis of the Calcium Carbide treated group as against the control. In conclusion Calcium carbide causes complete renal failure and subsequently death may arise.