Effect of Tempuyung (Sonchus arvensis L.) Leaf Extract on Kidney Histology of Mice Exposed to Plasmodium berghei

Plasmodium berghei is a parasite that causes complications or damage to the kidneys with elevated values of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine in the blood. Tempuyung (Sonchus arvensis L.) leaf extract contains antioxidant compounds in the form of flavonoids which has the potential to reverse kidney damage. This study aimed to determine the effect of various doses of tempuyung leaf extract on kidney histology in mice exposed to Plasmodium berghei. This study used a completely randomized design method with 28 male BALB/c mice aged 6-8 weeks. They were divided into 7 treatment groups, namely KN (Normal Control), K+ (received 10mg/kg BW (bodyweight) of chloroquine diphosphate solution), K- (infected with P. berghei only), P1 (received 1 mg/kg BW of S. arvensis), P2 (10mg/kg BW of S. arvensis), P3 (received S. arvensis 100mg/kg BW), P4 (received S. arvensis 200mg/kg BW). Except in KN treatment group, all other treatment groups were infected with P. berghei. prior to oral administration of S. arvensis. The S. arvensis treatment was carried out for 7 days after which the blood serum was taken intracardially, and the kidneys were removed for histological studies. The results showed that tempuyung leaf extract had a significant effect on the repair of glomerular cells that experienced hydropic degeneration and necrosis but has no significant effect on glomerular atrophy. Thus, tempuyung leaves have the potential to reverse kidney complications caused by malaria.