Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatic damage in experimental Sprague Dawley rats: Antioxidant potential of Xylopia aethiopica

The present study was carried out to evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of aqueous extract of Xylopia aethiopica stem bark (XASB) on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced liver damage in sprague dawley rats. Experimental rats were randomly divided into four groups of five rats each. Group 1: served as the control rats, Group 2: was administered with CCl4 only in groundnut oil (1:1) at a dose of 3 ml/kg b.wt by single intraperitoneal administration. Group 3: was administered with extract of X. aethopica + CCl4 ( 250 mg/kg b.wt/day) , Group 4: was treated with extract of X. aethiopica + CCl4 ( 500 mg/kg b.wt/day).Serum alanine transferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels 24 hrs after CCl4 administration decreased significantly (p≤0.05) in rats pretreated with X. aethiopica than in CCl4-treated rat only. Total serum bilirubin also showed a remarkable decrease in rats pretreated with xylopia aethiopica when compared to those administered with CCl4 alone. The activities of GST and CAT in liver tissues were increased in the rats pretreated with X. aethiopica compared with CCl4 alone. Lipid peroxidation expressed by malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration was significantly decreased (p≤0.05) in rats pretreated with X. aethiopica compared with CCl4 treated rat. However, the rats pretreated with X. aethiopica showed significant improvements in the cytoarchitecture of rat liver. The results suggested that aqueous extract of X. aethopica could palliate the liver injuries perhaps by its antioxidative effect, hence eliminating the deleterious effect of toxic metabolites from the CCl4.