Hepatoprotective Potentials of Methanolic Extract of the Leaf of Momordica charantia Linn on Cadmium-induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats

Abstract

The present study was conducted to investigate the protective potentials of methanolic extract of the leaf of Momordica charantia (MC) against cadmium-induced hepatoxicity in rats. Thirty male adult wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups (A, B and C) of ten rats each. Group A rats served as the control and received normal saline orally. Group B rats were treated with cadmium chloride 2.5 mg/kg bwt subcutaneously while group C rats were pre-treated orally with extract of MC 300 mg/kg bwt before treating with cadmium chloride 2.5 mg/kg bwt subcutaneously. The rats were treated every other day regularly for six weeks. Blood samples were collected by ocular puncture and five rats each per group were sacrificed at third week and six week post-treatment intervals. Serum total protein, albumin, alanine-amino transferase (ALT) and aspartate-amino transferase (AST) were evaluated. Histopathology of the liver was also studied. In cadmium challenged rats, compared to control, total protein and albumin levels were significantly reduced while ALT activity was significantly raised at the two-time intervals. Histological observations showed varying degree of hepatotoxicity. However, the toxic effect of cadmium was significantly controlled in the rats pre-treated with methanolic extract of MC at the two time intervals.

Keywords: Momordica charantia, cadmium chloride, hepatotoxicity, protective potentials.