potential protective and therapeutic effects of aloe vera juice on malathion induced hepatotoxicity in rabbits

ABSTRACT

the potential protective and therapeutic effects of Aloe vera juice against malathion induced hepatotoxicity were evaluated in this study. one hundred twelve young male rabbits were used ; they were allocated into two sets of experiments included rabbits treated for short [7 days] and long [21 days] periods. Animals of the first set [short period of treatment] were divided into eight groups; each consisted of four treated groups and four control groups [each treated group had its own control]. The animals of the first group were orally dosed with Aloe vera juice [0.84 ml/kg b. wt]. Rabbits of the second group were orally dosed with malathion [5 mg/kg b. wt.]. The third group animals were dosed orally with malathion concomitant with Aloe vera juice [this group served as the protective group]. Animals of the fourth group were dosed orally with malathion; for 7 days followed by Aloe vera juice for the same period [this group served as the therapeutic group]. The design of the second set [long period of treatment] was exactly similar to that of the short period experiments [divided into eight groups; four treated and four control groups] except the duration of treatment which extended to 21 days. Animals of the control groups of Aloe vera treated rabbits were dosed with distilled water, and those of malathion treated animals were dosed with the solvent of the insecticide. All the animals were sacrificed, blood samples were collected and the serum was used to determine the levels of hepatic enzyme markers lactate dehydrogenase [LDH], aspartate aminotransferase [ASAT], alanine aminotransferase [ALAT] and alkaline phosphatase [ALP] as well as the total bilirubin. the results revealed that treatment of rabbits with malathion caused marked increase in the serum activity of LDH, ASAT, ALAT and ALP in treated rabbits. Administration of Aloe vera juice [in the protective and therapeutic groups] was found to be effective in lowering the elevated activities of these enzymes to approximate near normal levels for both the short and long periods of treatment, especially in the activity of LDH, ASAT and ALP. The present results suggested that Aloe vera juice has ameliorative effects against hepatotoxicity produced by malathion in the treated rabbits