Hepatic Assessment of Ethanol and Aqueous Extracts of Gnetum Africanum Root on Wistar Alibino Rats

The effect of ethanol and aqueous extracts of Gnetum africanum root on hepatic biomarkers of wistar albino rats was determined. Samples of Gnetum africanum root obtained from Obokwe Ngor Okpala in Imo State were milled, homogenized and extracted with ethanol and aqueous solvents respectively. The lethal dose (LD50) of the crude samples were determined and found not to be toxic after acute and sub-chronic determination. 35 rats divided into seven groups of five rats each were used. The first (control) group received 1ml normal saline daily, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th groups received 250mg/kg, 500mg/kg and 1000mg/kg body weight of aqueous extract, while groups 5, 6 and 7 received 250mg/kg, 500mg/kg and 1000mg/kg body weight ethanol extract for 14 days duration of the research. The animals were sacrificed after 14 days, blood and liver organs were collected. The result revealed a significant increase in alanine transferase (ALT), aspartate transferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and bilirubin concentration with ethanol extract and little or no significant change with aqueous extract of the Gnetum africanum root. Histopathology examination of the liver sections of the rats treated with ethanol extract revealed some abnormal morphology characteristics such as hypercellularity and slight haemorrhagic necrosis in all the treated groups. In conclusion, the aqueous extracts of Gnetum africanum root at 250mg/kg and 500mg/kg body weight may possibly be safe for consumption without any significant toxic effect on the liver of the rats. It is recommended that further studies be done on additional biomarkers such as genetics, proteomics, metabolomics and MicroRNAs of hepatotoxicity in the serum; this can be measured in conjunction with ALT, with respect to specificity of liver injury