Hepatoprotective Effect of Methanol Extract of Justicia carnea Leaves on Carbon Tetrachloride-Intoxicated Albino Rats

Abstract

Introduction: Hepatotoxicity can be caused by drugs overdose (in some cases even when the drugs are administered in therapeutic doses). This may damage the liver temporarily or permanently. The reason for this study is to evaluate the amount of damage caused by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) on liver and establish a dose-dependent treatment and prevention with Justicia carnea leaves extract. Aim: Hepatoprotective effect of methanol extract of Justicia carnea leaves on carbon tetrachloride intoxicated albino rats was investigated. Methods: A total of thirty-five female wistar albino rats were used for the study and were grouped into 7 groups (I-VII) of 5 rats each. Group I served as normal control which received only feed and water, group II served as CCl4- treated control receiving 0.5 mg/kg bodyweight (bw) in of CCl4 alone in olive oil (1:1 v/v), group III served as extract control which received 1000 mg/kg bw of methanol extract of Justicia carnea (JC) only, groups IV, V and VI received 200, 500 and 1000 mg/kg bw of methanol extract of Justician carnea respectively prior to CCl4 administration while group VII received 100 mg/kg bw of silymarin as a standard drug prior to CCl4 administration. Some biochemical parameters were evaluated using biochemical methods. Results: The activities of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bilirubin levels showed a significant (p<0.05) increase in the group treated with CCl4 only when compared with the normal control while total protein and albumin levels showed a significant (p<0.05) decrease in the group treated with CCl4 only when compared with the normal control. However, groups pre-treated with different doses of 200, 500 and 1000 mg/kg bw of Justicia carnea showed a significant (p<0.05) decrease in the activities of ALT, AST and ALP, and bilirubin level while total protein and albumin levels increased significantly (p<0.05) when compared with the rats treated with CCl4 alone. Histopathological examinations of sections of the liver collected from the different groups showed that the normal control had a normal liver architecture compared to the group treated with CCl4 alone which showed a diffuse vacuolar degeneration and coagulative necrosis of the hepatocytes. However, groups pre-treated with different doses of the extract showed lesser necrosis and a better liver architecture compared with the group treated with CCl4 alone. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the methanol extract of Justicia carnea may exhibit hepatoprotective properties that may be effective in the management of liver toxicity.