Efficacy of Psidium guajava leaf extract against liver diseases in guinea pigs

ABSTRACT

Serum levels of aspartate aminotransfcrase [AST], alanine aminotransferase [ALT] and alkaline phosphatase [ALP] were analysed in guinea pigs after daily treatment with 1 g/kg Psidium guajava [PG] aqueous leaf extract for five days followed by subcutaneous administration of 50 mg/kg CC[1], in order to assess the preventive effect of the extract on liver damage. In addition, the levels of the enzymes in guinea pigs administered with 50 mg/kg CC1[4] followed by 3 and 6 days treatment with the plant extract were determined in order to assess the efficacy of the extract in the cure of liver damage. Guinea pigs orally treated with 1 g/kg leaf extract of PG followed by subcutaneous administration of 50 mg/kg CC1[4] had serum levels of AST, ALT and ALP above the normal range. However, guinea pigs orally treated with 1 g/kg leaf extract of PG for 3 and 6 days following subcutaneous administration of 50 mg/kg CC1[4] had serum levels of AST. ALT and ALP not significantly different [P < 0.05] from those in control guinea pigs. Thus wherever the leaf extract of PG could not effectively prevent CC1[4] induced liver damage, it was found to effectively cure it