Alcohol consumption is a major culprit in the produ
ction of reactive oxygen species that enhances lipi
d peroxidation
in the liver. In the present study, we evaluated th
e effect of daily oral administration of methanol s
tem bark extract
of Piptadenia africana in ethanol induced hepatotox
icity. Thirty six male rats were randomly assigned
into six
groups. Ethanol toxicity was induced by exposing th
e rats to 45% ethanol (4.8 g/kg bw) administered by
oral
gavage. After treatment for 8 weeks, the animals we
re sacrificed and biochemical parameters like lipid
profile,
enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, indices o
f liver toxicity such as aspartate amino transferas
e (AST),
alanine amino transferase (ALT) and alkaline phosph
atase (ALP), extent of lipid peroxidation as well a
s
histopathological examination of the liver sections
were evaluated. Chronic alcohol administration cau
sed marked
injury to liver cells as seen on the liver sections
as well as elevated serum levels of AST, ALT and A
LP with
concomitant increase in triglycerides, total choles
terol, low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c)
and
malonydialdehde (MDA). Decrease in antioxidant acti
vities as well as high-density-lipoprotein choleste
rol (HDL-c)
was also noticed. Rats pretreated with plant extrac
t prior to ethanol exposure had decreased levels of
AST, ALT,
ALP, triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDLc, MDA and
enhanced levels of enzymatic and non-enzymatic ant
ioxidants
as well as HDL-c. Intake of P. africana at the dosa
ge of 100 or 200 mg/kg bw in this study was able to
ameliorate
the toxic response to chronic ethanol consumption i
n rats and this could be attributed to its bioactiv
e constituents