ANTI-HEPATOTOXIC AND RENAL PROTECTION ACTIVITIES OF METHANOL ROOT EXTRACT OF Combretum dolichopetalum
PAULINUS CHINEDU NWUKE1,*, CHARLES NNANNA CHUKWU1, PRINCE OGOCHUKWU ALAEBO1, EMMANUEL UHUO1, ROBERT IKECHUKWU UROKO1, CHIBUIKE ANUMIRI1, RAYMOND CHIGOZIE IBEH2 AND BARTHOLOMEW IBEH2
1. Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria.
2. Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.
Afr. J Pharm Res Dev; Volume 13(1): 054-064 (2021)
ABSTRACT
High incidence of drug-induced liver injury has necessitated the search for potent and cost-effective herbal management models. Hence, this study was aimed at evaluating the hepatoprotective effect of methanol root extract of Combretum dolichopetalum (MECD) against paracetamol (Acetaminophen)-induced hepatotoxicity in male albino Wistar rats. The liver function markers: alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and kidney function markers: Creatinine (Cr) and Urea (Ur) were determined to evaluate the hepatoprotective and renal protective effects of MECD. The result showed that ALT activity was significantly (P<0.05) elevated compared to the normal (81.00±1.53 IU/L) and positive (75.67±2.60 IU/L) controls. The AST activity at 500 mg/kg (137.33±1.20 IU/L) was significantly (P<0.05) higher compared to all the control groups. The Cr and Ur concentrations of the negative control group were significantly (P<0.05) elevated compared to all the other groups. However, administration of 200 – 500 mg/kg of MECD caused a significant (P<0.05) reduction in the creatinine and urea concentrations. There was no significant (P>0.05) difference in the urea concentration of the extract-treated groups compared to the normal and positive controls, whereas the reductions of Cr concentration were dose-dependent. Liver sections of the animals treated with 200 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg of the root extract showed mild centrilobular hepatocellular degeneration while those treated with 500 mg/kg of the extract showed the normal histo-architecture of the laboratory rodents. The results of this study suggest that the methanol root extract of Combretum dolichopetalum protects the liver against liver toxicity induced by acetaminophen in a dose-dependent manner.
Email of correspondence: chinedu.nwuke@gmail.com
KEYWORDS: Hepatoprotection; Combretum dolichopetalum; Acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity; Renal function indices; Liver enzymes; Paracetamol.