A BSTRACT

This experiment was carried out to evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of the methanolic

extract of Hc'Iki,zf/uis cinniius (sunflower) leaves on carbon tetrachioride (Cd 4) - induced

hepatotoxicity inWistar albino rats. Dried leaves of Heliani/nis annuiis were extracted using cold

maceration method in methanol for 48 hours and investigated for hepatoprotective activity.

Doses of 150, 300 and 600 mg/kg ol' Helian/hiis annuus were used for the experiment while

silymarin (100 mgJlg was used as standard reference drug. Animals in group I (distilled water

10 mI/kg) served as negative control group ,group II served as positive control (silymarin 100

mg/kg) while groups III, IV and V served as treatment groups and received Helianihus anniius

extract (HAE) at the doses of 150 300 and 600 mg/kg, respectively. The rats were treated for 7

days. On day 8, hepatic injury was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of carbon

tetrachioride at the dose of 0.5 mg,'kg (10% CCL in olive oil). Twenty four hours later, blood

was collected from the rats through the media canthus of the eyes for biochemical analyses. The

degree of protection was determined by measuring levels of biochemical markers such as serum

Alanine arninotransferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST, alkaline phosphatase (ALP)

total bilirubin, total protein and albumin. The extract and the reference drug caused a dose-

dependent and significant (p < 0.05) reduction in the levels of AST, ALT and bilirubin while the

reduction of ALP was not dose dependent. There was no significant difference (p> 0.05) in the

protein and globulin levels between the treated and control rats while the albumin level was only

significantly reduced at the dose of 300 mg/kg of FIAE. In conclusion, the results of this study

strongly indicate that methanolic extract of 1-lelianthus annuus leaves have potent

hepatoprotective action against CC14induced hepatic injury in rats.