Hepatocurative Effect of Oral Administration of Aqueous Leaf Extract 0f Senna Occidentalis in CCL4 Induced Hepatotoxic Rats

Abstract

Awareness on the utilization of medicinal plants to curtail diseases is on the increase. This study is to evaluate the phytochemical contents and effect of aqueous leaf extract of Senna occidentalis on liver function indices in CCl₄ induced hepatotoxic rats. A total of 32 male albino rats were used for this study. They were divided into six groups of 5 rats each. Group II-VI were induced with CCl₄ at the dose of 150mg/kg for hepatotoxicity. Aqueous extract of Senna occidentalis orally administered to animals in groups III, IV and V at doses of 500mg/kg, 250mg/kg and 166mg/kg for four weeks respectively. Animals in group I were used as normal control, while those in group II were CCl₄ induced hepatotoxic control. Group VI were orally administered with livolin at a dose of 100mg/kg for four weeks. At the end of fourth week, the animals were sacrificed and their serum activities of aspartate amino transferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and alanine amino transferase (ALT) as well as serum levels of total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, total protein (TP) and Albumin (Alb) were determined. Results of phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannins, saponins, cardiac glycosides, resins and flavonoids. The results showed significant (p<0.05) increase in mean serum activities of AST, ALP, and ALT, serum total bilirubin and direct bilirubin levels, and decrease in mean serum TP and albumin levels in the group II when compared with group I. Results of the effect of oral administration of aqueous leaf extract of Senna occidentalis at the doses of 500mg/kg, 250mg/kg and 166mg/kg for four weeks showed a significant (p<0.05) decrease in the serum AST, ALP, ALT, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, and significant increase (p<0.05) in TP and albumin when compared with group II. Thus, it could be suggested that, equeous leaf extract of Senna occidentalis could have a hepatocurative effect against CCl₄ toxicity.