Anatomy & Physiology: Current Research
Open Access

Abstract

Evaluation of Concurrent Administration of Leaf Extracts of Vernonia Amygdalina and Gongrenema Latifolium on some Liver Function Indices in Wistar Rats

Njoku B, Chike CPR, Onyebuenyi MO and Agbayim WC

The effects of concurrent administration of ethanolic leaf extracts of Vernonia amygdalina and Gongrenema latifolium on some liver function indices in normal wistar rats. Seventy (70) male wistar rats were used in the study. The animals were divided into seven (7) groups of ten rats each. Group I was given 1 ml of distilled water and served as the control. Groups II and III received 100 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg bw of Vernonia amygdalina. Groups IV and V received 300 mg/kg and 600 mg/kg bw of Gongrenema latifolium, while groups VI and VII received 100 mg/kg V. amygdalina +300 mg/kg G. latifolium, and 300 mg/kg V. amygdalina + 600 mg/kg bw Gongrenema latifolium respectively orally once daily for a period of 28 days. Five (5) animals from each group were sacrificed after days 14 and 28 respectively, and blood samples collected through cardiac puncture for determination of liver function parameters viz: alanine transferase, aspartate transferase, alkaline transferase and total protein and albumin. The result obtained showed a significant (p<0.05) increase in serum alanine transferase (ALT) and aspartate transferase (AST) was observed for high dose of V. amygdalina on the day 14 while the serum level of alanine transferase (ALT) increased significantly (p<0.05) for the concurrent administered doses on day 28 relative to the control. A significant increase was recorded in the serum of alkaline phosphate for the combined doses. The serum levels of total protein and albumin remained with the reference range after extracts administration. A synergistic significant (P<0.05) increase was observed in serum ALP for the combined doses on day 28. This review suggests that the extracts possess possible hepatotoxic potentials particularly at the high dose of V. amygdalina and combined doses of the extracts administrated. However, its consumption for various purposes should be done cautiously.