Hepatoprotective and therapeutic potential of liver Gen® on carbon tetrachloride induced liver damage in female Wistar albino rats

Abstract

Background: Liver gen , a Chinese herbal product
with claims of potency against a variety of disease
conditions is commonly sold and used in every part of
Nigeria by people plagued with ill health.
Objective: The study evaluated the hepatoprotective
effect, therapeutic potentials and acute toxicity of
®
Liver gen on carbon tetrachloride induced liver
damage in female Wistar albino rats.
Materials and methods: Acute toxicity study was
carried out using albino mice and the LD for Liver 50
®
gen determined. Similarly, albino rats weighing 180-
200g were divided into four groups. Hepatic injury in
rats was induced in groups I – III by the administration
of equal mixture of Carbon tetrachloride (CCL ) and 4
olive oil (50% v/v, 1ml / kg body weight
intraperitoneally) every 72 hours for 10 days. Group I
(negative control) was not treated while groups II and
®
III were subsequently treated with Liver gen
administered orally at a dose of 28.6mg / kg and
57.2mg / kg body weight respectively for 14 days.
Group IV (normal control) received distilled water
throughout the study period. After the treatment
period the animals were sacrificed, serum was
obtained from the blood; liver, brain and kidney were
excised. Employing standard biochemical assay
protocols, hepato-specific biomarkers, alanine amino
transferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase
(AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), renal functions
test (urea and creatinine), hematological indices
such as hemoglobin (Hb) concentration packed cell
volume (PCV) and white blood cell count (WBC) were
determined in the serum. Antioxidant statussuperoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT),
reduced glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA)
and histopathological features were assessed in the
rat tissues. Heavy metals' contamination was
assessed in the product using atomic absorption
spectroscopy.
Results: Levels of liver function marker enzymesalanine amino transferase (ALT) decreased (p<0.05)
significantly in CCl treated groups, urea 4
concentration reduced significantly in the CCl 4
treated rats, SOD and CAT showed no significant
(p<0.05) difference in the treated rats compared with
the control. Glutathione-s-transferase activity
reduced (p<0.05) significantly in the CCl treated 4
group and increased on treatment with the Liver
®
gen®. The effect of Liver gen on the PCV and WBC
was dose dependent. No mortality was recorded in
the acute toxicity study at the highest dose of
20,000mg/kg. Quantitative analysis of the heavy
® metals present in Liver gen showed a higher
percentage of copper compared to cobalt, lead, zinc,
iron, nickel, manganese and chromium.
Histopathological examinations of the liver sections
confirmed the biochemical results and indicated that
CCl induced severe histological lesions in the 4
hepatic, renal and brain tissues and this was
®
ameliorated by Liver gen administration. The
®
findings suggested that the treatment with Liver gen
enhanced recovery from CCl induced hepatic 4
damage. It could therefore be a good natural food
supplement capable of reducing oxidative stress and
serve as an hepatoprotective agent in particular.
Key words: hepatoprotection, aminotransferases,
®
Liver gen , antioxidant.