Evaluation of the Hepatoprotective and Antioxidant Activities of an Indigenous Triherbal Formulation from South Eastern Nigeria using Wistar Albino Rats

A triherbal formulation prepared from a mixture of the leaves of Gongronema latifolium Benth., Ocimum gratissimum L. and Vernonia amygdalina Delile (GOV) was evaluated for hepato-nephro protective and antioxidant properties against D-galactosamine-induced hepatic and renal toxicity in Wistar albino rats. Normal Wistar albino rats were divided into seven groups of seven animals each. Two control experiments were setup which included normal rats treated with D-galactosamine and normal rats that received only distilled water. Three groups were treated with different doses of GOV extract (2000, 4000 and 8000mg kg-1 b. wt) and some standard hepatoprotective drugs such as Liv 52 and silymarin for 13 days prior to intoxication with D-galactosamine. The activities of serum liver enzymes, concentrations of some biochemical analytes, effect on heamatologic parameters and antioxidant status were monitored. The results showed that rats treated with GOV dose dependently exhibited significant (p<0.05) decrease in levels of ALP, ALT, AST, GGT, LDH, cholesterol, creatinine, triglycerides, urea and MDA and subsequently significantly (p<0.05) increased the albumin, total protein, catalase, GPx, GSH, GST and SOD levels when compared to the toxin control rats. The data from this study suggest that the triherbal formulation possess hepato- and nephro-protective potential against D-galactosamine induced hepatotoxicity in rats, thus providing scientific rationale for its use in traditional medicine for the treatment of liver diseases.