STUDY OF A HEPATOPROTECTIVE AND ANTIOXIDANT FRACTION FROM ERYTHRINA SENEGALENSIS STEM BARK EXTRACT: IN VITRO AND IN VIVO

An hydroethanolic extract of Erythrina senegalensis (DC) stem bark was subjected to a bioguided fractionation by repeated chromatographies. In vitro CCl4-induced hepatitis in rat liver slices was used for the hepatoprotective effect assessment of the obtained fractions while four model systems: 2,4-dinitrophenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (2,4-DPPH) radical scavenging activities, s-Carotene-Linoleic Acid Model System (s-CLAMS), Ferric-Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assay and microsomal lipid peroxydation (MLP) were used to measure the antioxidant activity. The fraction called F3 was found to be the most effective in vitro as indicated by its ability to protect rat liver slices against CCl4 damage (protection percentage value of 92.77). The fraction also exhibited a strong antioxidant activity in s-CLAMS, FRAP and MLP model system (respective EC50 values of 12.35±1.89, 10.24±0.89 and 1.47±1.29 µg/mL). The in vivo hepatoprotective effect of fraction F3 was then studied against CCl4induced hepatitic damage in rats. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were determined as biochemical indices of injury. CCl4 (0.6 ml/kg) intoxication resulted in increase levels of serum ALT (101.90±2.92 IU/L) and AST (144.48±9.86 IU/L) compared to respective normal values 23.45±3.13 and 61.41±2.27. Pretreatment of rats with fraction F3 (25mg/kg, orally) significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the serum levels of ALT (60.95±1.43 IU/L) and AST (89.31 ±3.21IU/L) respectively. Phytochemical studies of the extract revealed the presence of polyphenols and flavonoids, compounds known to be hepatoprotective and antioxidant. These results indicate that fraction F3 of Erythrina senegalensis extract may be useful as potential hepatoprotective and antioxidant phytomedecine.