The Effect of Aqueous Leaf Extract of Vernonia amygdalina on Liver Function in Rabbits

E. B. Ezenwanne* and J. Atima Asekhame

Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Benin City Nigeria.

Correspondences Author E-mail: ezenwanneeeb@yahoo.co.uk

ABSTRACT: A study was carried out to investigate the possible effect of leaf extract of vernonia amygdalina on organic compounds known to be associated with liver function. Twenty female rabbits were placed into four groups of five animals per group. The three test groups received daily oral doses of 400, 200 and 100 mg per kg body weight, of the liquid leaf extract of vernonia amygdalina, respectively, for a period of three weeks. The control group of five animals were placed on normal feeds and received no treatment with vernonia amygdalina extract for the same period. Weekly estimation of the serum concentrations of total bilirubin, conjugated bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) revealed significant increase (p £ 0.05) in the serum levels of both total and conjugated bilirubin. The serum alkaline phosphatase level was also increased (p £ 0.05). The results also showed that the observed alteration in conjugated bilirubin was dose-dependent. Sections of liver tissue from the animals obtained at the end of the experiments indicated fibrosis, which appeared to correlate fully with the observed increase in serum bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase levels. The alteration in these parameters is indicative that vernonia amygdalina probably has some clearly definable influence on liver function. The data was also indicative of possible hepatotoxic properties.

KEYWORDS: Vernonia amygdalina; Extract; Effects; Liver function; Rabbit

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