ABSTRACT

This study evaluated the hepatoprotective activity of Ethanolic extract of Lagenaria Siceraria on rifampcin induced hepatotoxicity on albino rat. Albino rats (20) with weight of 100 — 150g were purchase from the animal house of College of Veterinary Medicine, Umudike, were acclimatized for 2 weeks at a temperature of 28 ± 2°C, humidity 40 — 60%. The animals were fed with vital grower feed for the whole period of the experiment. Animals were divided into 4 groups (n = 5) as follows; group I: fed with feed and water only (control group), group II: administered with 20mg/kg of rifampcin + 100mg/kg of Lagenaria Siceraria extract per day, group III: administered with 4% ethanol + feed per day, group IV: administered with 10mg/kg of rifampcin + 100mg/kg of Lagenaria Siceraria extract per day. Animals were dosed for 2 weeks during which food and water intakes were monitored. At the l4 day, two hours after the last dose, animals were sacrificed by cervical decapitation. 4m1 blood samples were collected and stored in EDTA tubes (ethylene — diamine — tetraacetic acid) for the liver function test assay. The result showed no remarkable heapatoprotective activity against rifampcin induced hepatotoxicity as judged from the serum marker enzymes in liver tissues. Rifampcin induced a significant rise in aspartate amino transferase (AST), Alanine amino transferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Lactate dehydrogenase. However, treatment of the rats with 100mg/kg of Lagenaria Siceraria could not reverse the condition in the test groups. The percentage change in body weight of the rats after the study showed no significant increase in the body weight of the animal, when the initial weight of all the animals were compared with the final weight in all groups. However, there was slight increase in body weight of the animals in control group when compared to the animal in the test group.