Hepatotoxicity of Graded Doses of Ethanol Extract of Dialium guineense Stem Bark in Wistar Rats

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the hepatotoxicity of graded doses of ethanol extract of Dialium guineense stem bark in Wistar rats. Materials and Methods: Adult male Wistar rats (n = 35), which weighed between 160 and 180 g (mean weight = 170 ± 10 g) were assigned to seven (7) groups (5 rats per group). Group I rats served as control, while those in groups II - VII received graded doses of extract (200 - 5000 mg/kg body weight, bwt) for 28 days. Liver function tests (LFTs) were carried out. Results: There were no significant differences in the activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) among the groups (p > 0.05). While there were no significant differences in the activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT) in groups II – V (p > 0.05), they were however, significantly increased in groups VI and VII, when compared with control group (p < 0.05). Similarly, there were no significant increases in the concentrations of albumin, total protein, globulins, bilirubin and malondialdehyde (MDA) in plasma of rats treated with graded doses of ethanol extract, relative to the control group (p > 0.05). In all instances, the basal activities and concentrations of the measured indices of liver function were not significantly different from the values after treatment (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The graded doses of ethanol extract of D. guineense stem bark did not elicit any deleterious effects on liver function indices.