ABSTRACT

P. bifurcatum is a lower plant that has been used in ethnomedicine for the treatment of inflammation, cough and hypertension. The aim of the study was to evaluate the possible anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective properties of methanol extract of P. bifurcatum. The acute toxicity test of the methanol extract showed no toxicity up to 5000 mg/kg body weight. The effect of the extract on inflammation was evaluated using fresh egg albumin-induced paw oedema in rats while its effect on liver damage was accessed using the carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced hepatic damage and the following hematological, biochemical and antioxidant parameters measured, namely: packed cell volume(PCV), red blood cell(RBC), white blood cell(WBC), hemoglobin(Hb), platelet count(PLAT), bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase(ALT), aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alkaline phosphatase(ALP), superoxide dismutase(SOD), catalase(CAT), reduced glutathione(GSH), malondialdehyde(MDA), c-reactive protein(CRP) as well as histopathologic evaluation. Administration of the methanol extract of P. bifurcatum (1000mg/kg) caused a progressive decrease in paw oedema(0.57±0.20, 0.47±0.02 and 0.25±0.02) at 1hr,2hr and 3hr, respectively, compared to the control(0.97±0.04,0.85±0.08 and 0.67±0.08) at the same period. The extract(1000mg/kg) also caused significant(p<0.05) increases in blood parameters (PCV-49.20±1.30, Hb-16.38±0.19, RBC-6.76±0.08, PLAT-146.20±0.66), GSH and CAT, no significant changes in SOD and organ to body weight ratio but significantly(p<0.05) reduced the WBC, ALT, AST, ALP, MDA and CRP compared to the untreated control. Histological sections of the liver in the two dose groups revealed severe coagulative necrosis of the hepatocytes in the centrilobular and midzonal areas of the hepatic lobules. The periportal hepatocytes were relatively normal compared to the untreated control. It is concluded from this study that methanol extract of P.bifurcatum possesses anti-inflammatory potential and can considerably ameliorate liver damage.