Hepatoprotective effect of white grubs Phyllophaga ephilida (Coleoptera) methanolic extracts on liver injury induced by CCl4 in rats

Abstract

Whole white grub aqueous fluid is known to protect liver from injury induced by CCl₄; whether this is conferred by one or all the two components of the white grub fluid has not been clearly determined. This study was carried out to evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of the methanolic extracts of white grubs (anterior and posterior portions) on liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) in rat (Rattus norvegicus). The anterior methanolic extract (AME) and posterior methanolic extract (PME) were obtained from the incision of white grub’s abdomen and extracted by using methanol. Male albino rats weighing between 150 g-200 g were used. Ten groups of rats (n=6) were administered orally, once in a day for five days with normal saline (negative control), 10 mg/kg of silymarin (positive control) or 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg of posterior methanolic extract (PME) and anterior methanolic extract (AME) of white grubs respectively followed by hepatotoxicity induction using CCl₄ on day 2 and 3 of the experiment. Blood and liver samples were collected for biochemical and histopathological studies respectively. Rats pretreated with silymarim, PME (50 mg/kg) and AME (100 mg/kg) and normal control groups showed a significant decrease (pd”0.05) in the levels of aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Histopathological study showed intense vacuolation, hepatic necrosis and haemorrhage in CCl₄ (negative control), PME (100 mg/kg), AME (50m g/kg) pretreated groups; while normal hepatic structure was observed in groups pretreated with silymarin, PME (50 mg/kg), AME (100 mg/kg) and normal control groups. The study showed that PME (50 mg/kg) and AME (100 mg/kg) have hepatopotective effects against CCl₄-induced liver damage.

Keywords: Hepatoprotective; methanolic extracts; white grubs; silymarin.