Ameliorative Effects of Ethanol Extract of Ficus sur on Diethylnitrosamine-induced Hepatotoxicity in Wistar Rats

Background and Objective: Diethylnitrosamine (DEN) is a hepatotoxic compound found in many foods and drugs capable of causing liver cancer. This study was undertaken in order t o investigate the hepatoprotective efficacy of the ethanolic extract of the leaf of Ficus sur on liver damage induced by DEN. Materials and Methods: Twenty Albino Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups, group A served as the normal control group, received water, group B received 200 mg kgG1 DEN once, group C received 200 mg kgG1 ethanolic extract of Ficus sur along with DEN and group D received 200 mg kgG1 silymarin as reference standard along with DEN. The experiment lasted for 2 weeks after which the animals were sacrificed and the blood collected for biochemical analyses. Results: Administration of DEN caused a significant (p<0.05) increase in the activities of AST and ALT as well as the concentration of total and direct bilirubin, while the levels of albumin and total protein were markedly (p<0.05) reduced. However, treatment with Ficus sur extract ameliorated the levels of these biomarkers in the experimental group. The effect elicited by the extract was not statistically different (p<0.05) when compared to silymarin, a standard drug. Conclusion: The ethanolic extract of Ficus sur protects against DEN-induced hepatotoxicity on Wistar rats and can play a crucial role in the development of modern hepatoprotective drug.