Effects of Combined Ethanol Extract of Anthocleista Vogelii and Alstonia Boonei Stem Barks on Liver Function Indices in Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Induced

Abstract

Objective: This study evaluated the effects of combined ethanol extract of Anthocleista vogelii and Alstonia boonei (CEAA) stem barks on the liver function indices of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)-induced rats.
Materials and Methods: Thirty (30) male Wistar rats were randomly grouped into five groups (n = 6). BPH was induced subcutaneously with 5 mg/kg/day of testosterone propionate in olive oil. Groups 1-3 served as normal, BPH control (untreated) and standard drug control respectively, while Groups 4 and 5 were BPH-induced rats and treated with 200 and 400 mg/kg/day of the CEAA respectively after one hour of the BPH induction. After twenty-eight days of treatments, biochemical and histopathological analyses were conducted using standard analytical procedures.
Results: The acute toxicity result of CEAA indicated no mortality or adverse reactions. Significant body weight change was only observed in the first week from the group-administered 200 mg/kg/day of CEAA. Liver damage was evident in the BPH control characterized by significant (P<0.05) increase in relative liver weight and liver enzymes’ (AST, ALT, ALP) activities but a reduction in total protein and globulin levels. Treatment with CEAA attenuated the liver damage by significantly (P<0.05) reducing the elevated relative liver weight and liver enzyme function activities and elevated total protein and globulin levels.
Conclusion: The revealed that the combined ethanol extract of Anthocleista vogelii and Alstonia boonei (CEAA) stem barks possess hepatoprotective effects that could improve liver integrity and functions in BPH induced rats.

Keywords: Benign prostatic hyperplasia, liver marker indices, Anthocleista vogelii, Alstonia boonei, liver histomorphology