Evaluation of Launaea Angustifolia Extract Treatment on Rat Blood Serum Enzymes and Histology of Liver and Kidney

Abstract

Background: Launaea angustifolia (LAN) is a wild plant grown in several Arabian countries in West Asia and North Africa. Launaea is a polymorphic inter- and intraspecific genus that includes about 54 species and 10 subspecies and is classified into eight sections. This study illustrates the effects of Launaea angustifo LAN (LAn) extract on male and female body weight and blood serum enzymes alanine aminotransferase (LAT) and Alkaline phosphatase LAN, with the histology of liver and kidneys used as an animal model for humans. Methods: A quantity of 100 mg of the extract powder was dissolved in 1 L of DMSO. Experimental rats were divided into five groups with 10 in each group (A, B, C, D, E: 100, 50 and 10 mg/kg and positive control and negative control, respectively). Result: No significant differences were observed between the treated and control-group females. However, the mean male body weight showed some variation within the 5th group (E) given the negative control (DMSO) and all treated groups presented lower body weights than the normal control (C). Analysis of the enzymatic activities of (ALT) alanine aminotransferase showed that the females in treatment group A (100 mg) and B (50 mg) had higher levels of ALT than those of group D females (10 mg) at P less than 0.05 and females in group E at P less than 0.001). The histology section of the liver and kidney and the histological structure of the rat kidney also showed no differences in all groups. Launaea angustifolia extract (LAn) was found to be safe, especially in the histology of the liver and kidney and for ALT and ALP blood parameters.