HIBISCUS SABDARIFFA AQUEOUS EXTRACT AMELIORATES THIOACETAMIDE-INDUCED HEPATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY IN GUINEA PIGS: ROLE OF AMMONIA EXTRACTION

The current work assessed the preventive and therapeutic potential of Hibiscus sabdariffa “HS” aqueous extract (HSE) on thioacetamide (TAA)-induced hepatic encephalopathy (HE) associated with the acute liver injury. Method: guinea pigs were divided into: Group 1 (Control group n=24) which wasfurther subdivided into 4 subgroups; Group “1-a” (non-treated); Group “1-b” given HSE for 3 days and sacrificed on the 4th day; Group “1-c” given TAA for 3 days and sacrificed on the 4th day; Group “1-d” given the TAA doses for 3 days and sacrificed on the 7th day; Group 2 (Preventive) given TAA and HSE doses concurrently for 3 days and sacrificed on the 4th day. Group 3 (Therapeutic) given 3-days TAA followed by 3-days HSE doses and sacrificed on the 7th day. Results: Preventive and therapeutic HSE resulted in significant amelioration of the TAA-induced hepatic encephalopathy with faster recovery of animals on the 7th day associated with significant improvement in the biochemical parameters of liver injury including the ammonia extraction ratio indicating functional hepatic improvement. In addition, there was a significant improvement in brain edema. Conclusion: HSE has both preventive and therapeutic effects on TAA-induced hepatic encephalopathy and liver injury in guinea pigs