Phytochemical Screening and Hepatoprotective Potential of Aqueous Fruit Pulp Extract of Adansonia digitata against CCL4 Induced Liver Damage in Rats

Aim: The current study was carried out to evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of aqueous extract of Adansonia digitata fruit pulp on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced liver damage in rats.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Science, between November 2017 and January 2018.

Methodology: A. digitata fruit pulp was extracted by maceration using water; and a concentration of 100 mg/ml was used. Two doses of the aqueous extract (200 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg) and Livoline (25 mg/kg) were used to investigate their hepatoprotective effects on CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

Results: The two doses of the plant extract showed dose-dependent hepatoprotective effect on CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity, as evident by the significant reduction (P<0.05) in serum levels of AST, ALT, ALP and bilirubin along with the improved histopathological liver sections compared to CCl4-treated animals.

Conclusion: Due to its hepatoprotective potentials, A. digitata extract may be used to develop standard treatment drugs against some liver disorders when it is further evaluated through extensive researches.