Evaluation of the effect of total saponins and tannins isolated from Dialium guineense stem bark on CCl4 - Induced hepatotoxicity in wistar rats

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of total saponins and tannins of Dialium guineense stem bark in Wistar rats exposed to carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Adult male Wistar rats (n = 25) weighing 160 – 180 g (mean weight = 170 ± 10 g) were randomly assigned to five groups (5 rats per group): normal control, CCl4 control, silymarin, total saponins, and total tannins groups. With the exception of normal control, the rats were exposed to CCl4 (a single oral dose of 1.0 mL/kg body weight, bwt). Rats in the silymarin group were administered 100 mg/kg bwt silymarin (standard hepatoprotective drug), while those in the two treatment groups received 150 mg/kg bwt of total saponins or tannins orally. Treatment lasted 28 days. Activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), as well as levels of Total Protein (TP), bilirubin, and albumin, were measured in plasma. The results showed that there were no significant differences in the concentrations of TP among the groups (p > 0.05). The activities of the liver enzymes, as well as levels of bilirubin and albumin, were significantly higher in the CCl4 control group than in the normal control group, but they were reduced by extract treatment (p < 0.05). These results indicate that CCl4 negatively impacted the integrity of the liver cells, and total saponins and tannins of D. guineense stem bark conferred some level of protection on the organ.