Investigating the Protective Effect of Lawsonia inermis Extract on Liver and Kidney Function in Carbon Tetrachloride (CCl4) Induced Rats

Abstract

A lasting cure for liver and kidney damage caused by exposure to toxic substances has continued to elude contemporary medicine. This has resulted in an ever increasing dependence on alternative and traditional herbal medicine as a means of management of liver and kidney toxicities. The present study evaluates the protective effect of Lawsonia inermis leaves extract on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced toxicity in wistar albino rats. Animals were grouped into five (5) with Group I (distilled water) serving as control. Group III was pretreated with silymarin; Groups IV and V received 100mg/kg and 200mg/kg of Lawsonia inermis respectively. Groups III – V were administered CCl4 on the 7th day of the experiment. Serum was collected from the animals 24 hours after induction and on the 14th day of the experiment. Extracts of Lawsonia inermis leaves was observed to show protective effect by lowering CCl4 elevated serum enzyme markers like alanine and aspartate aminotransferases (ALT and AST); lipid profiles such as Total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerols (TAG), low density lipoprotein (LDL-c); bilirubin, urea and creatinine while concomitantly increasing high density lipoprotein (HDL-c), total protein and albumin. Extract initiated reversals were found to be dose dependent and significant (P < 0.05). The findings in the present study indicates that pretreatment with Lawsonia inermis showed protective effect in vivo in CCl4 compromised liver and kidneys.