Journal Article

EVALUATION OF THE HEPATOPROTECTIVE POTENTIAL OF HYDROETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF FICUS PUMILA L. ON CCl sub( 4) INDUCED LIVER DAMAGE IN RATS

Nyanor, Emmanuel, Asibey, Osei, Torkornoo, Dennis, Larbie, Christopher

2016

Overview

Liver diseases and defects are on the constant rise all around the world, with the available pharmaceutical drugs not being efficient for treatment and also presenting adverse effects after use. The general objective of the study was to determine the hepatoprotective effect of 50% hydroethanolic extract of Ficus pumila on carbon tetrachloride (CCl sub( 4)) induced liver damage in rats. In this work, liver damage was induced in experimental animals by administering 1 ml/kg CCl sub( 4) orally, after which the rats were treated with 50% hydro-ethanolic extract of F. pumila and Silymarin, a standard hepatoprotective drug. 50% hydroethanolic extract at 100 and 250 mg/kg were administered for 7 days by oral route. Hepatoprotective effect was studied by assaying the activity of hepatobiliary enzymes such as ALT, AST, ALP, GGT and biochemical parameters such as cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoproteins, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin concentration and indirect bilirubin concentration. Body weight and liver weights (absolute and relative) of the rats were also measured. The activity of all the hepatobiliary enzymes registered significant increases upon CCl sub( 4) administration. There were also increases in cholesterol and triglyceride concentration and in total and indirect bilirubin, an indication of liver damage. F. pumila at all doses significantly (0.05- 0.001) restored liver function compared to the Silymarin control and also increased body and absolute liver weight. The results therefore indicate that leaves of F. Pumila possess hepatoprotective activity.

• Subject: Ficus