Hepatoprotective and in Vivo Antioxidant Enzyme Activity of Phenol Rich Leaf Extract of Amaranthus spinosus

Abstract

This study was designed to evaluate the total phenol content, in vivo and antioxidant activity and hepatoprotective activity of methanol leaf extract of Amaranthus spinosus. 15 wistar albino rats having an average mean weight of 104.64 kg was divided into five groups consisting of three animals each group. Group A served as normal control, group B served as negative control, group C served as positive control while group D and E served as test control administered with different doses of Amaranthus spinosus. Hepatotoxicity was induced using CCL4 injected interperitoneally for groups 2-5. The experimental period lasted for seven days after which the animals were sacrificed and their blood collected for analysis. The phenol content was estimated using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent method. The in-vivo antioxidant screening as also estimated determining the concentration in serum of SOD, CAT and MDA and the liver function test was evaluated by also determining the concentration in serum of ALT, AST and ALP spectrophotometrically. The results obtained were presented as mean ± SEM. There was significant increase in the SOD activities of treated groups compared to the negative control group. Result showed a significant (p<0.05) increase in the catalase activity of the groups administered 400 and 200 mg/kg of the extract compared to the negative control group. Also there was a significant (p<0.05) increase of MDA level in the untreated group (negative control) compared with the normal control. Interestingly, other groups treated with the leaf extract at different doses reflected a significant (p<0.05) decrease in the level of MDA with respect to the untreated group. For hepatoprotective activity, the groups treated with different doses of A. spinosus leaf extract were observed to have a very significant (p<0.05) reduction in the levels of these enzymes bringing their values closer to that of the normal control. However, the ALP level of the negative group was not ..............