Pharmacological evaluation of Ipomoea asarifolia (Desr.) against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.
BACKGROUND
Ipomoeaasarifolia (Desr.) Roem. and Schult. is used traditionally in some parts of Africa for the treatment of a variety of diseases. This study attempts to validate its hepatoprotective activity by evaluating the prophylactic and curative properties of the methanolic extract of Ipomoea asarifolia (IA) leaves.


METHODS
Liver damage was induced by administering 0.5 ml/kg of an equal mixture of carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) in olive oil intraperitoneally on alternate days, for 5 days and the plant extract was given orally daily, for 7 days at doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg.


RESULTS
Pre-treatment with the extract significantly (P<0.05) decreased CCl(4)-induced elevation in serum levels of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, triglycerides, bilirubin and cholesterol, better than the standard drug silymarin at 100 mg/kg. In the curative study, IA significantly (P<0.05) reversed CCl(4)-induced liver damage, comparable to silymarin. Hepatoprotective potential was further supported by decrease in pentobarbitone sleeping time and improved hepatic tissue histopathology.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that I. asarifolia leaves have potent hepatoprotective activity against CCl(4)-induced hepatic damage in rats.
Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. ftukur@yahoo.com
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Farida
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Salawu
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Tijani
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Ejiofor
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D027741:Ipomoea; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D001663:Bilirubin