Original article: HEPATOPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF AN AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF THE LEAVES OF ACALYPHA WILKESIANA ‘GODSEFFIANA ’ MUELL ARG (EUPHORBIACEAE) AGAINST CARBON TETRACHLORIDE INDUCED LIVER INJURY IN RATS

The potential of aqueous extract of the leaves of Acalypha wilkesiana, to protect against car-bon tetrachloride induced liver damage was investigated in Wistar albino rats. The carbon tet-rachloride was prepared 1:5 (v:v) in olive oil, and administered subcutaneously at 1 mL/kg body weight. The extract was administered to both normal and carbon tetrachloride treated rats at 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg. On fractionation and gas chromatographic analysis of the crude aqueous extract, thirty nine known alkaloids were detected, consisting mainly of akuamidine (69.027 %), voacangine (26.226 %), echitamine (1.974 %), echitamidine (0.599 %), lupanine (0.521 %) and augustamine (0.278 %). Compared to test control, the treatment dose dependently produced significantly lower (P<0.05) alkaline phosphatase, as-partate and alanine transaminase activities. Histopathological studies on the liver sections showed that pre-treatment with the extract protected against carbon tetrachloride induced fatty degeneration of hepatocytes, thus, confirming the results of the biochemical studies. The above results imply that treatment with the plant extract protects the liver against carbon tet-rachloride induced hepatotoxicity, therefore, justifying the use of Acalypha wilkesiana in Af-rican traditional health care for the management of liver problems