Protective Effect of Aqueous Extract of Root Bark of Salacia nitida Against Alcohol-Induced Hepatic Injury in Wistar Rats
Keywords:
Biochemical indices, Hepatoprotective, Hepatotoxicity, Phytocompounds, Salacia nitida.Abstract
The root bark of Salacia nitida are used traditionally to treat malaria, typhoid fever, heart, and liver problems by the people of Ogoni in Nigeria. Based on this traditional application, the study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of aqueous extract of root bark of S. nitida against alcohol-induced hepatic injury in Wistar rats. The phytochemical constituents of the aqueous extract of root bark were analyzed using gas chromatography-flame ionization detector technique. Rats induced with ethanol were treated with oral doses (700, 900, 1100 mg/kg body weight) of aqueous extract of root bark of S. nitida (ARBS) for eighteen days. The levels of total protein, albumin, globulin, total bilirubin, total cholesterol, triacylglycerol and malondialdehyde as well as activities of liver function (aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase and gamma-glutamyl transferase) and antioxidant (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase) enzymes, were measured. The gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) analysis of the extract revealed the presence of tannins, alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, steroids, phytates, and oxalates. Treatment with the extract showed significant (p < 0.05) positive modulations of biochemical indices, improvement in body weights and attenuations of liver tissue distortions. These data supports that aqueous extract of root bark of S. nitida exhibit hepatoprotective effect and is very rich in bioactive phytocompounds with hepatoprotective property.
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