Comparative Study of The Hepatoprotective Effect of Ethanolic Extract of aTelfairia occidentalis (Ugu) Leaves And Silymarin on Paracetamol Induced Liver Damage in Wistar Rats

摘要

Telfairia occidentalis is use as vegetable in number of countries. Extract of Telfairia occidentalis leaves have been reported to have medicinal use in traditional medicine system, in most often an hepatoprotectant agent. In this study, the effect of Telfairia occidentalis leaves and Silymarin on paracetamol induced liver damage was investigated in rats. A total number of 20 young adult wistar rats consisting of both sex and weighing between 150- 350 g were use for the study. The animals were grouped in to (5) groups of four rats in each. Group 1, served as normal control and receive distilled water orally for 7 days. Group 2 receive 2000 mg/kg body weight of paracetamol orally for 3 days while Group 3 animals were administered 500 mg/kg body weight of plant extract orally for 7 days. Group 4 animals received 2000 mg/kg body weight of paracetamol orally for 3 days and 500 mg/kg body weight of the extract orally for 7 days while Group 5 received 2000 mg/kg body weight of paracetamol orally for 3 days and Silymarin orally for 7 days respectively. At the end of the experiment the animals showed increased in body weight which is highly significant in group 3 and showed significant decreased in organ weight (liver) of group 2 animals. Biochemical parameter shows that, there is significant decrease in the level of liver enzymes (ALT) in group 2 when compared to other groups, the level of AST showed significant decreased in group 5, 4 and 2 when compared to group 1 and 3 and the level of ALP showed a significant increased in group 2 when compared to other groups and significant decreased in group 4. The histological features of the liver showed central vein congestion with eroded endothelium and haemolised blood vessels, pkynotic nucleic, sinusoidal dilatatoin and fatty infiltration in group 2, normal liver appeared in group 3, 4 and 5. This study showed that, ethanolic extract of Telfairia occidentalis leave possess hepatoprotective property at a dose (500 mg/kg).