Abstract:
The entire plant including the root of Millettia aboensis Hook F. (Fabaceae) has been used in Nigerian folkloric medicine for treatment of veneral diseases, acute malaria, ulcer and liver disorder. The aim of this research was to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of aqueous and ethanol root extracts of Millettia aboensis (AREMA and EREMA) on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage in rats. The extracts (AREMA and EREMA) were studied for their hepatoprotective effect on carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver damage on Wistar albino rats. The degree of protection was measured using biochemical parameters such as serum enzymes and bilirubin levels. Further, the effects of both extracts on histopathological changes in liver were studied and compared with Liv-52®, a standard hepatoprotective agent. The extracts (AREMA and EREMA) at a dose level of 215 mg/kg and 431 mg/kg produced significant (P<0.05) hepatoprotection by dose dependently decreasing the activity of serum enzymes and bilirubin. While 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 that of Liv52® (1 mL/kg). The hepatoprotective effect was confirmed by histopathological examination of the liver tissue of control and treated animals. This study has shown that Millettia aboensis root possesses hepatoprotective activity, which resides more in ethanol than aqueous extract. Further experiments are underway to identify the active constituent(s) responsible for the observed hepatoprotective effect and the mechanism(s) of action.

Keywords: Millettia aboensis, Hepatoprotective Effect, Carbon Tetrachloride, Liv-52®.