ABSTRACT
Aim: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the leaf extract of Citrullus lanatus on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced liver damage in rats. Methodology: Hepatoprotective study was conducted using five groups (A-E) of six male rats per group. Groups A and B served as the control groups and were respectively administered with distilled water and CCl4 in olive oil while groups C, D and E were administered respectively with 500, 1,000 and 1,500mg/kg body weight of the ethanolic leaf extract of C. lanatus for 7 days. Animals were subsequently anaesthetized, blood samples were collected for alanine amino transferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin, total protein and albumin assays; liver organ was isolated and processed for biochemical and histopathological studies. Results: There were significant increases (P=0.05) in the serum levels of ALT and AST both in the plasma and liver homogenate in the group treated with CCl4 as compared to negative control group; while in the extract treated group, there was a decrease in the levels of the aminotransferases. Histopathological studies showed severe portal congestion and necrosis of hepatocytes in the group treated with CCl4 while the groups administered with the extract treated group showed a moderate venous congestion with absence of necrosis. Conclusion: These results highlight the ability of the leaf extract of C. lanatus to ameliorate damage in the liver of albino rats.
ABSTRACT
The liver serves as a processing factory, redistribution center and a receiving depot of the body. In the light of these roles, the effect of ethanol leaf extract of Corchorus olitorius on CCl4 induced liver damage in wistar rats was assessed. CCl4 (0.5ml/kg) was used to induced hepatotoxicity. 25-albino rats of wistar strain (120-150g) were used for the study and were divided into five groups of five rats per group. Group A serves as normal control and was given distilled water of treatment equivalence, group B serves as a negative control and was treated with CCl4 and olive oil as a vehicle at the ratio of 1:1. Group C, D, and E were induced with CCl4 and the extract administered through oral gavages at scalar doses of 500mg/kg, 750mg/kg and 1g/kg daily. The administration lasted for 15 days period after which the animals were sacrificed. Serum enzyme assay revealed that there was a marked reduction in the elevated activity of the hepatic enzymes viz alanine aminotransferase (ALT) A (71.2±3.27), B (98.8±2.61), C (78.0±3.74), D (74.8±2.77), and 74.6±1.95) respectively. Similar trend was observed for aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels when compared with the controls (P=.05). More so, the result revealed that the extract lowers serum albumin, no significant change in billirubin but increased total protein levels in all treated groups when compared with the controls (P=.05). Furthermore, it showed a significant decrease (P=.05) in White blood cell count (WBC), and platelet but no significant decrease (P=.05) in packed cell volume (PCV) and Hb. From the above findings, it is obvious that the ethanolic leaf extract of Corchorus olitorius could have hepatoprotective property.