The Effect of Ethanol Leaf-Extract of Gmelina arborea on Liver Enzymes

The effect of ethanol leaf-extract of Gmelina arborea on liver enzymes was investigated in rats using spectrophotometric methods. Twenty albino rats were grouped into four (A, B, C and D) containing five animals in each. The animals in groups A, B, C and D were administered the extract through oral intubation at the doses (mg/kg) of 200, 400, 600 and 0 respectively for two weeks. The blood samples were collected on the fifteenth day following the last day of administration. The aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities (u/l) recorded 30.60 ± 2.13, 40.40 ± 3.70, 62.82 ± 3.39 and 26.00 ±1.41 for the animals in groups A, B, C and D respectively with corresponding activities (u/l) of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) as 16.80 ± 1.21, 27.40 ± 1.77, 39.60 ± 2.01 and 16.30 ± 1.77. The alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities (u/l) recorded 2.88 ± 0.53, 3.42 ± 0.44, 4.64 ± 0.21and 2.28 ± 0.49 for the animals in groups A, B, C and D respectively. The results indicated a dose-dependent significant (p< 0.05) increase in the activities of liver enzymes of the animals that received the ethanol leaf- extract of Gmelina arborea, hence the ethanol leaf-extract of Gmelina arborea could be hepatotoxic.