PHARMACOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF THREE LOCALLY USED MEDICINAL PLANTS AGAINST CARBON TETRACHLORIDE-INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY IN RATS
PHARMACOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF THREE LOCALLY USED MEDICINAL PLANTS AGAINST CARBON TETRACHLORIDE-INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY IN RATS
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Date
2012-06
Authors
TUKUR, Farida
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Abstract
Drugs from plant and animal sources are increasingly becoming important in the
therapeutic management of liver diseases. This study was undertaken to evaluate the
prophylactic and curative effects of methanolic extracts of Balanites aegyptiaca root,
Boswellia dalzielii stem bark, Ipomoea asarifolia leaves and their mixture against
carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Liver damage was induced
by intraperitoneal injection of 0.5 ml/kg carbon tetrachloride (99.9% CCl4) in olive oil
(1:1), on alternate days, over a period of 5 days. The degree of liver damage was
determined by assessing changes in hepatic indices such as serum levels of alanine
transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, triglycerides, cholesterol,
total and direct bilirubin; pentobarbitone sleeping time; liver weight and
histopathology. The mixture (160 mg B. aegyptiaca, 220 mg B. dalzielii and 300 mg/kg
I. asarifolia) and each dose of the various extracts 100 mg, 200 mg and 400 mg/kg of
B. aegyptiaca, B. dalzielii and I. asarifolia were administered orally once daily for 7
days prior to administration of CCl4 (prophylactic study) and after the administration of
CCl4 (curative study). The degree of recovery and/or prevention of liver pathology
were estimated by comparing changes in hepatic indices with that of the standard drug,
silymarin (100 mg/kg). Oral LD50 of each extract was found to be above 2000 mg/kg
(OECD-423). Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids,
terpenes, sterols, resins and volatile oils in each of the extracts. Pretreatment with each
extract significantly (P<0.05) prevented carbon tetrachloride-induced changes in
hepatic indices, liver weight and histopathology compared to control. When compared
to the positive control (silymarin 100 mg/kg), the protective effect of the extracts was
superior and significant (P<0.05) at the doses of 400 mg/kg (B. aegyptiaca), 100 mg/kg
(B. dalzielii) and 200 mg/kg (I. asarifolia). In the evaluation of the curative effect of the
various plant extracts alone (all doses of B. aegyptiaca, 100 mg and 200 mg/kg each of
B. dalzielii and I. asarifolia) or in combination (160 mg B. aegyptiaca, 220 mg B.
dalzielii and 300 mg/kg I. asarifolia), the extracts significantly (P<0.05) reversed the
CCl4 -induced liver pathology as seen in the values of the hepatic indices, liver weight
and histopathology. This effect was comparable with that of silymarin. Prophylactic
treatment with B. aegyptiaca, B. dalzielii and the mixture produced significant
increases in pentobarbitone sleeping time while I. asarifolia decreased the sleeping
time when compared to the control. Curative studies revealed a significant (P<0.05)
decrease in sleeping time following treatment with all the extracts. These results
indicate that methanolic extracts of B. aegyptiaca, B. dalzielii and I. asarifolia are
relatively safe orally and possess potent hepatoprotective properties that may be useful
in the management of liver diseases.
Description
A Thesis submitted to the School of Postgraduate Studies,
Ahmadu Bello University In partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the Award of Masters Degree in
Pharmacology
Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics,
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Ahmadu Bello University,
Zaria, Nigeria
Keywords
PHARMACOLOGICAL EVALUATION,, THREE LOCALLY,, MEDICINAL PLANTS,, CARBON TETRACHLORIDE-INDUCED,, HEPATOTOXICITY,, RATS.