title: Hepatoprotective and in vivo antioxidant activities of ethanolic extract of whole fruit of Lagenaria breviflora.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was designed to investigate the hepatoprotective and in vivo antioxidant effects of the ethanol extract of whole fruit of Lagenaria breviflora (LB) in experimental animals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty nine Wistar albino rats were divided into seven groups of seven. Group I served as the control group; rats in Group II were given i.p. carbon tetrachloride (CCL4) (1.5 mL/kg) alone; Groups III-VI received different concentrations of plant extract (100, 250 and 500 mg/kg) with CCL4 and Group VII received kolaviron (KV) at 200 mg/kg as a reference hepatoprotective agent.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant (p<0.05) increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H202) generation in the serum of CCL4 treated rats (Group II) while the serum glutathione (GSH) level decreased significantly. Pretreatment with LB extract led to a significant (p<0.05) increase in serum GSH and a significant (p<0.05) reduction in MDA and H2O2generation. The activities of marker enzymes, such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), bilirubin, creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) increased (p<0.05) significantly in CCL4 treated rats (Group II).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study suggested that treatment with LB extract enhances the recovery from CCL4 induced hepatic damage and oxidative stress via its antioxidant and hepatoprotective properties.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Physiology, Biochemistry and Pharmacology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Adebowale B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Saba
authors.forename: Omowumi M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Onakoya
authors.forename: Ademola A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Oyagbemi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D019662:Cucurbitaceae / Q000737:chemistry; D019610:Cytoprotection; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004798:Enzymes / Q000097:blood; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D005638:Fruit; D005978:Glutathione / Q000097:blood; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D004798:Enzymes; D005419:Flavonoids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012997:Solvents; D000431:Ethanol; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D003404:Creatinine; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D005978:Glutathione; C045492:kolaviron; D001663:Bilirubin