ABSTRACT

 The plant Piliostigma thonningii which is used in the ethno-medicine for the treatment of wounds, ulcers and gingivitis was investigated for its acute toxicity, chemical constituents and hepatoprotective activity. The leaf of the plant was subjected to extraction procedures to obtain methanol extract. The acute toxicity (LD50) study of the plant recorded neither death nor signs of acute toxicity even at the highest dose of 4000mg/kg. The methanol extract which was subjected to preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloid, flavonoid, carbohydrate, glycoside, starch, polyuronoid and tannin. The hepatoprotective activity of methanol leaf extract was studied in 24 female albino rats weighing between 1 00g and 200g. Liver damage was induced in rats by a single intraperitoneal injection of 3m1/kg of 20% Cd 4in liquid paraffin. The rats were grouped into six (6) groups (A-F) of four animals each. Groups (A-C) were administered plant extract at 800mg/kg, 400mg/kg and 200mg/kg respectively for five days and CCl4on the fifth day. Group D which is the positive control was treated with 100mg/kg of silymarine for five days and CC1₄ on the fifth day. Group E, the induced negative control was treated with 10ml of distilled water, CCL₄+ paraffin oil while Group F, the non-induced negative control was given nothing. The rats in all groups were sacrificed 24hours after CCL₄ administration and sample collected for assay of liver enzymes and lipid profile. The serum AST, ALP and ALT showed significant (p < 0.05) increased when compared with the negative controls. AST level significantly (p < 0.05) increased when treated with CCl₄+ 800mg/kg of plant extract (885.3 ± 57.2*), CCl₄+ 400mg/kg of plant extract (856.7 ± 44.19*), CCl₄+ 200mg/kg of plant extract (825± 86.6*), Cd 4+ 100mg/kg of silymarin (584.3 ± 27.95 ) and CC1₄+ l0ml of distilled water (848 ± 52.92 ) when compared to the negative non-induced control (41.0 ± 4.93). ALP significantly (p < 0.05) increased when treated with CCL₄+ 800mg/kg of plant extract (71.9± 559*) and CCL₄+ 200mg/kg of plant extract (70.5 ± 1.56*), but no significant (p <0.05) changes when treated with Cd 4+ 400mg/kg of plant extract (55.8 ± 0.77*) , 1 00ing/kg of silymarin (51.7 ± 449*) and CC14+ 1 0m1 of distilled water (42.3 ± 595*), when compared to the negative non-induced control (35.5 ± 4.79).ALT showed significant (p >< 0.05) increased when compared with the negative controls. ALT level significantly (p <0.05) increased when treated with CC14+ 800mg/kg of plant extract (238.3 ± 20*), Cd 4+ 400mg/kg of plant extract (205.3 ± 0.66* ), Cd 4+ 200mg/kg of plant extract (229.3 ± 10.35*), CC14+ 100mg/kg of silymarin (140.7 ± 5.36*) and Cd 4+ l0ml of distilled water (71 ± 7*) when compared to the negative non-induced control (16.7 ± 0.88). It also showed a significant increase in serum cholesterol, triacylglyceride, VLDL and LDL but revealed a significant (p >< 0.05) reduction in HDL.