Abstract :
We attempted to investigate possible hepatoprotective effect of Eurycoma longifolia Jack (ELJ) using carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced acute hepatotoxicity model in rats. Hepatotoxicity was induced by oral administration of 4.0 mg/kg of CCl4 (single dose) in corn oil (1:1) to one experimental group of 5 rats. In three other similar groups, doses (300, 750 and 1500 mg/kg respectively) of ELJ were given one day before and one hr after the administration of 4.0 mg/kg CCl4 and then once daily for three consecutive days (D1, D2, D3). Three other groups of 5 rats each serving as controls were administered with either distilled water, corn oil or ELJ (750 mg/kg) respectively. Rats were sacrificed on D3 (corn oil and CCl4 treated groups) or on day 4 (D4) [distilled water, ELJ and CCl4 with graded doses of ELJ treated groups]. Samples of blood or liver tissue were taken for biochemical (serum) and histopathological examinations to assess hepatoprotection of ELJ against CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity. In the low (300 mg/kg) and medium (750 mg/kg) doses of ELJ-treated groups, CCl4 was found to induce moderate inflammation, fatty acid change and necrosis of hepatocytes while in the high (1500 mg/kg) dose of ELJ, CCl4 induced severe inflammation, fatty acid change and necrosis of hepatocytes. Biochemical measurements of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) showed a moderate and insignificant reduction of serum levels in the low dose ELJ group but a more significant reduction in the medium and high dose ELJ groups when compared with the CCl4-only group. The increase in serum total bilirubin (Tbil) caused by CCl4 was non-significantly reduced by all the doses of ELJ. Animals treated with CCl4 alone and in groups treated with both CCl4 and graded doses of ELJ had a reduction in body weight, food and water intake. In 750 mg/kg ELJ treated group, no such reduction in body weight, food and water intake was observed. This observation suggest that ELJ administered alone did not cause any toxic effect to the liver but in combination with CCl4, appeared to synergise the CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity which increases as the dose of ELJ is increased. The anorexic, hypodypsic and reduced body weight evident in the CCl4-only and CCl4 ELJ treated groups but not in animals treated with ELJ alone group, suggests that ELJ alone does not induce anorexia, hypodypsia or loss of weight. In conclusion, the results of our study suggest that ELJ is not hepatotoxic when given alone and appeared to have some degree of protective effects in rats against CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity
Keywords :
Eurycoma longifolia Jack , CCl4 , induced liver damage , Rats
