Phytoprotective Potential of Curcuma aromatica Leaf Extract Against Arsenic Trioxide Induced Electrolyte Perturbation in Wistar Rats

Abstract

Arsenic is a toxic metalloid capable of producing acute and chronic systemic injury, with the kidney representing an important target organ because of its role in filtration, electrolyte regulation and xenobiotic elimination. The present experimental study evaluated whether an aqueous leaf extract of Curcuma aromatica could attenuate serum electrolyte disturbances produced by arsenic trioxide (As₂O₃) exposure in adult male Wistar rats. Forty-eight rats were acclimatized and allocated to four experimental groups. Serum sodium (Na⁺), potassium (K⁺) and chloride (Cl⁻) were assessed as functional indicators after acute (1 day) and subacute (7, 14 and 21 days) arsenic exposure. According to the original results, As₂O₃ exposure produced significant hyponatremia, hypochloremia and hyperkalemia, whereas pretreatment with Curcuma aromatica leaf extract restored the altered electrolyte profile toward control values. The protective effect is plausibly related to antioxidant and membrane-stabilizing activities of plant secondary metabolites, including terpenoid constituents reported for Curcuma aromatica. Current literature further supports oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, apoptosis, autophagy and ferroptosis as interconnected mechanisms in arsenic-induced renal injury, while curcuminoid/plant-derived antioxidants have shown renoprotective potential. The present findings support Curcuma aromatica as a promising experimental phytoprotective candidate; however, confirmation using renal histopathology, conventional renal biomarkers, oxidative-stress indices and molecular endpoints is required before therapeutic claims can be made.