ABSTRACT
Chronic alcohol ingestion is known to increase the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS); thereby leading to liver damage. Antioxidant enzymes act individually or in combination to reduce or counter the effect of these ROS. Chronic administration of alcohol at (40v/v; 1ml/100g); for 6 weeks showed a significant (p0.05) elevated levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT); aspartate aminotransferase (AST); alkaline phosphatase (ALP); and total bilirubin (TB). There was also a significant (p0.05) decreased levels of catalase; glutathione peroxidase; glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase compared to control rats. Pretreatment of rats with 200; 400 mg/kg body weight of aqueous leaf extract of Ziziphus mauritiana or 100 mg/kg silymarin resulted in a significant (p0.05) decreased levels of ALT; AST; ALP; and TB with levels of catalase; glutathione peroxidase; glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase showing a significant (p0.05) increase compared to group administered alcohol only. Histopathology of rat liver administered with alcohol only resulted in severe necrosis; mononuclear cell aggregation and fatty degeneration in the central and mid zonal areas which was a characteristic of a damaged liver. Pre-treatment with the aqueous extract of Ziziphus mauritiana or silymarin reduced the morphological changes that are associated with chronic alcohol administration. The presence of tannins; saponins and phenolic compounds observed in the plant extract could be responsible for the observed effects of decreasing the levels of injured tissue marker and lipid peroxidation