Hepatoprotective effect of methanol seed extract of citrus tangerina on paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats

Abstract

This study investigated the hepatoprotective effect of methanol seed extract of Citrus tangerina on liver damage induced by paracetamol in laboratory rats. Wistar rats were used in this study and categorized into five groups. Groups 1 and 2 received 10 ml/kg normal saline orally, groups 3 and 4 were administered 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg respectively of Citrus tangerina seed extract orally, while silymarin 100 mg/kg served as standard drug treatment for group 5. Following six (6) days of pretreatment with the extract, hepatotoxicity was induced with paracetamol 3 g/kg (orally) in all the groups except the positive control group. At the end of the experiment (24 hours after induction), blood samples were collected under diethyl ether anaesthesia for biochemical markers of liver enzymes and antioxidative stress and the liver was harvested for histopathological studies. Both doses (200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg) of Citrus tangerina seed extract significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the liver enzymes level, but significantly (p < 0.05) increased antioxidant enzymes when compared with the negative control group. Liver histology showed that the Citrus tangerina seed extract prevented hepatic injury induced by paracetamol. The methanol seed extract of Citrus tangerina possesses antioxidative and hepatoprotective effects.