Effect of Nutmeg on Transaminase Activities in Liver and Serum of Adult Wistar rats

Abstract

This study examines the activities of alanine aminotransaminase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the liver of 30 adult Wistar rats exposed to nutmeg for 30 days. 1 g of nutmeg was administered to group A (n=10), 2 g of nutmeg to group B (n=10) and group C (n=10) was used as the control. Enzyme activities were assayed in both serum and liver (tissue homogenate) spectrophotometrically. Results obtained showed a significant increase (p < 0.05) in level of AST in serum of rats in group A and B (20.2±7.29 and 23.2 ± 3.27 U/L) when compared to the control group (14.8± 1.78 U/L) while serum ALT level was significantly reduced (5.2± 1.78 and 4.2 ± 0.04 U/L) compared to the control group (7.0 ± 2.6 U/L) but the differences based on dosage was statistically insignificant (p≥ 0.05). The enzyme activities in liver tissue homogenate showed a significant increase (p˂ 0.05) in AST levels (13.8 ± 1.14, 14.6 ± 1.78 and 12.8 ± 0.08 U/L) among test groups and between controls but ALT levels though lower in treated groups than control, was statistically insignificant (p≥ 0.05) among test and between control group (4.6 ± 1.34, 4.0 ± 0.08 and 5.8 ± 0.03 U/L). Differences in enzyme activities due to nutmeg administration may lead to hepatocellular injury as well as myocardial infarction. The results suggests that dosage and long-term consumption of nutmeg could have severe health implication as it affects liver function as well as other associated organ of the body.