Evaluation of Blood Lead Levels (Bll) of Albino Rat Offspring (Weanlings) Prenatally Exposed to Lead and Moringa Oleifera

Abstract

This study evaluated the presence of lead in the offspring (weanlings) of prenatally exposed rats and the ameliorative effect of Moringa oleifera (MO). An Independent group randomized design in a 3 X 4 factorial matrix was adopted. A total of 120 Wister Albino rat weanlings randomly selected from 490 offspring prenatally exposed to lead and MO and assigned into 12 treatment groups of 10 rats each were used. Multivariate Analysis variance at 0.05 level of significance was adopted. Rat weanlings prenatally exposed to higher lead doses had more lead in their blood compared to rat weanlings exposed to MO combined with lead, rat weanlings exposed to lead only and rat weanlings exposed to MO only. Lead was present in the blood of rat weanlings prenatally exposed to lead while non was recorded in the blood of rat weanlings exposed to MO and the controls. Control of environmental lead is therefore imperative.