Abstract:
The objective of the research was to study the hepatoprotective activity of ethanol and aqueous root extracts (EREMA and AREMA) of Milletia aboensis Hook F. (Fabaceae) against paracetamol-induced liver damage in rats. Preliminary phytochemical screening of the extracts (AREMA and EREMA) was carried out using standard procedures while oral acute toxicity was evaluated using a modified Lorke’s method. Hepatotoxicity was induced by administration of paracetamol (350 mg/kg) and the biochemical parameters such as serum glutamate oxalate transaminase (SGOT/AST), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT/ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total and conjugated bilirubin and histopathological changes in liver were studied along with Liv-52®, a standard hepatoprotective agent. Alkaloids, glycosides, resins, steroids, flavonoids, terpenoids and saponins were detected in the phytochemical screening. LD₅₀ of the extracts was determined to be 2,154 mg/kg. The extracts at a dose level of 215 mg/kg and 431 mg/kg produced significant (P<0.05) hepatoprotection by dose-dependently decreasing the levels of serum enzymes (for EREMA), total and conjugated bilirubin (for AREMA). Overall, while the hepatoprotective effect of AREMA was less than that of EREMA, at all dose levels, hepatoprotective effect of the latter (431 mg/kg) was comparable to the standard reference Liv-52® (1 mL/kg). The hepatoprotective effect was confirmed by histopathological examination of the liver tissue of control and treated animals. Millettia aboensis root conferred hepatoprotection against paracetamol-induced liver damage in rats and this activity was better in ethanol than aqueous extract.

Keywords: Millettia aboensis, Hepatoprotective Effect, Paracetamol, Liv-52®, Paracetamol-induced Hepatotoxicity.