Amelioration of carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity by terpenoid extract from leaves of vernonia amydgalina

Abstract

Sesquiterpene lactone extract from the leaves of Vernonia amygdalina was tested for antihepatotoxic activity. Adult male rats were selected for the study. One group of rats was treated with toxic doses of carbon tetrachloride (CCI4) the second group was pretreated with known concentration of terpenoid extract from leaves of V amygdalina. One hour prior to receiving toxic doses of CC14, Kolaviron, a biflavonoid extract of the seeds of Garcina kola was used as a positive control. Serum enzymes, alanine amino transferase (ALT), ornithine carbamoyl transferase (OCT) that arc known to be very sensitive to cytotoxic hepatic injury, and aspartate amino transferase (AST) that is particularly sensitive to carbon tetrachloride poisoning, were measured as indices of hepatotoxicity. The results obtained showed that there was reduction in the activities of serum ALT, AST and OCT from 20.57 ± 5.59, 10.46 ± 6.71 and 184.8 ± 10.45 in animals treated with toxic doses of CC14 to 3.40 ±0.10,3.9 5 ± 0.15 and 129 3 ± 12.10 in animals pre-treated with terpenoid extract before CC14 intoxication, representing 83.5%, 62.3%, and 30% decrease respectively. These decreases were statistically significant (P < 0.001, P < 0.05, P < 0.001 respectively). From these results, it is concluded that sesquiterpene lactone extract from the leaves of V. amygdalina like kolaviron, a biflavonoid extract from the seeds of G. kola has antihepatotoxic activity in CCl4-induccd hepatic damage in rats.