PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF MOBOLA PLUM (PARINARI CURATELLIFOLIA Planch. Ex. Benth) SEED EXTRACTS AGAINST PARACETAMOL AND CARBON TETRACHLORIDE-INDUCED LIVER DAMAGE.

Abstract

Parinari curatellifolia has been found implicated in the treatment of diabetics, hypertention and liver disorders. The effects of aqueous and methanolic extracts on paracetamol (PCM) and Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver damage were investigated, with a view to utilizing the extract of the plant in the management and treatment of liver disorders. Parinari curatellifolia seeds were air-dried, soaked in water and methanol, filtered, and rotary evaporator was used to remove the methanol and freeze-dried. The animals were grouped into five (5) groups of four (4) animals each for both aqueous and methanolic extract using PCM and CCl4 hepatotoxins. Group 1 served as control; group 2 (the hepatotoxin group); group 3 (the extract only group); group 4 (the extract (either aqueous or methanolic) + hepatotoxin group) and Group 5 (the silymarin (standard drug) + the extract group). Pytochemical screening revealed the presence of saponins, alkaloids, flavonoids, phlobatannins, and tannins in the extracts. The effect of aqueous extract on some serum biochemical indices of paracetamol and CCl4 treated albino rats showed that paracetamol and CCl4 caused significant (p<0.05) increment in the activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), L-aspartate aminotransferase (AST), L-alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and concentrations of total protein, total bilirubin, urea and albumin in the serum as compared with their controls. Treatement with both aqueous and methanolic extracts ameliorated the effects of paracetamol and carbon tetrachloride on these parameters.The effect of aqueous extract on some liver biochemical indices of intoxicated albino rats showed that paracetamol and CCl4 caused significant (p<0.05) decreases in the activities of liver alkaline phosphatase (ALP), L-aspartase aminotransferase (AST), L-alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and concentration of total protein, total bilirubin, urea and albumin in the liver as compared with their control. Treatement with aqueous extract and silymarin ameliorated the effect of paracetamol and CCl4. The effect of methanolic extract on some liver biochemical indices of paracetamol and CCl4 intoxicated albino rats showed that paracetamol and CCl4 caused a significant (p<0.05) decreases in the activities of liver alkaline phosphatase (ALP), L-aspartase aminotransferase (AST), L-alanine aminotransferase (ALT)and concentration of total protein, total bilirubin, urea and albumin in the liver as compared with their controls. Treatement with methanolic extract and silymarin ameliorated the effect of paracetamol and CCl4. Paracetamol and CCl4 caused significant increases in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) concentration, and decrease in glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT) activities in the liver as compared with control. Treatment with aqueous and methanolic extracts ameliorate the effect of the paracetamol and CCl4 on the TBARS, GPx and catalase level. The results of the histopathological study on paracetamol and CCl4 intoxicated rats revealed that the control rat’s liver were essentially normal while there were severe perinuclear vacualation of the hepatocytes in the paracetamol and CCl4 intoxicated rat livers. In animals that received aqueous and methanolic extracts only, livers were essentially normal. Treatment with aqueous and methanolic extracts of the P. curatellifolia seed at a dosage of 600 mg/kg(bwt) reversed the effect of paracetamol and CCl4 in the serum. In conclusion the results of the work therefore suggested that the extracts of P. curatellifolia possess hepatoprotective effects against paracetamol and CCl4 -induced liver damage in albino rats. The protection compares well with that of silymarin, (reference drug). The extracts protect the liver damage via antioxidative mechanism.