Evaluation of Histological Changes and Liver Function Parameters in Rats Exposed to Aqueous Extract of Evolvulus alsinoides Linn

Abstract

The liver is a multilobed, largest organ in the body. Its functions include haematopoiesis, detoxification, productions of bile, plasma  proteins and cholesterol, and storage of glycogen. Fresh Evolvulus alsinoides (dwarf morning glory) was procured, authenticated, dried  under shade, pounded roughly and extracted in water using soxhlet extraction method. Fourty (40) young adult male albino Wister rats  (weighing 110g-140g) were randomly divided into four (4) groups (I-V) of 10 rats each. Group I was designated as the control group.  Groups II, III and IV were administered with 150 mg/kg, 250 mg/kg and 350 mg/kg respectively. After 28 days, the rats were euthanized  using ketamine injection 75mg/kg. Blood samples were collected in plain bottles by cardiac puncture and liver function parameters were estimated from sera. While livers were fixed, processed, sectioned and mounted on glass slide for histopathological analyses. Data from  this study were analysed using GraphPad Prism Software, version 9 (La Jolla, CA, USA) and presented as mean ± standard error of the  mean. At 350 mgkg^-1 significant decrease (P<0.05) was observed in plasma concentrations of ALP, ALT and AST when compared with the  control group. Histologically, no conspicuous changes were observed when the livers of the treated groups were compared with that of  the control group. Further research should be conducted at different doses of aqueous extract of Evolvulus alsinoides Linn in the rats and  other species to ascertain such a significant decrease in plasma concentration of alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase  and aspartate aminotransferase.