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

Background: Liver gen , a Chinese herbal productwith claims of potency against a variety of diseaseconditions is commonly sold and used in every part ofNigeria by people plagued with ill health.Objective: The study evaluated the hepatoprotectiveeffect, therapeutic potentials and acute toxicity of®Liver gen on carbon tetrachloride induced liverdamage in female Wistar albino rats.Materials and methods: Acute toxicity study wascarried 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 inrats was induced in groups I – III by the administrationof equal mixture of Carbon tetrachloride (CCL ) and 4olive oil (50% v/v, 1ml / kg body weightintraperitoneally) every 72 hours for 10 days. Group I(negative control) was not treated while groups II and®III were subsequently treated with Liver genadministered orally at a dose of 28.6mg / kg and57.2mg / kg body weight respectively for 14 days.Group IV (normal control) received distilled waterthroughout the study period. After the treatmentperiod the animals were sacrificed, serum wasobtained from the blood; liver, brain and kidney wereexcised. Employing standard biochemical assayprotocols, hepato-specific biomarkers, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase(AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), renal functionstest (urea and creatinine), hematological indicessuch as hemoglobin (Hb) concentration packed cellvolume (PCV) and white blood cell count (WBC) weredetermined in the serum. Antioxidant statussuperoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT),reduced glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA)and histopathological features were assessed in therat tissues. Heavy metals' contamination wasassessed in the product using atomic absorptionspectroscopy.Results: Levels of liver function marker enzymesalanine amino transferase (ALT) decreased (p<0.05)significantly in CCl treated groups, urea 4concentration reduced significantly in the CCl 4treated rats, SOD and CAT showed no significant(p<0.05) difference in the treated rats compared withthe control. Glutathione-s-transferase activityreduced (p<0.05) significantly in the CCl treated 4group and increased on treatment with the Liver®gen®. The effect of Liver gen on the PCV and WBCwas dose dependent. No mortality was recorded inthe acute toxicity study at the highest dose of20,000mg/kg. Quantitative analysis of the heavy® metals present in Liver gen showed a higherpercentage of copper compared to cobalt, lead, zinc,iron, nickel, manganese and chromium.Histopathological examinations of the liver sectionsconfirmed the biochemical results and indicated thatCCl induced severe histological lesions in the 4hepatic, renal and brain tissues and this was®ameliorated by Liver gen administration. The®findings suggested that the treatment with Liver genenhanced recovery from CCl induced hepatic 4damage. It could therefore be a good natural foodsupplement capable of reducing oxidative stress andserve as an hepatoprotective agent in particular.Key words: hepatoprotection, aminotransferases,®Liver gen , antioxidant