Effects of Aqueous and Chloroform Stem Bark Extracts of Alstonia boonei on Liver Function Indices of Plasmodium Berghei Induced Albino Mice

Abstract

In a preliminary research, authors reported that solvents extracts of Alstonia boonei possess strong antimalarial activity against NK-65 Chloroquine sensitive Plasmodium berghei infected mice with aqueous extract having the highest decrease in mean percentage parasitaemia. This research was therefore aimed at evaluating the effects of most active stem bark extracts (aqueous and chloroform) of Alstonia boonei on liver function indices of Plasmodium Berghei-induced mice. A total of 42 albino mice were inoculated with Plasmodium berghei and left for 7 days for optimum parasitaemia development after which they were screened for malarial parasites using thin blood film. They were then randomly divided into 7 groups of 6 mice per cage. Group 1 served as normal control, Groups 2 served as negative control (malaria infected but untreated), group 3 were administered with Chloroquine, groups 4 and 5 animals were administered with aqueous extract at a dose of 150 and 250mgkg-1 per day for four weeks, Groups 6 and 7 animals were administered with chloroform extract at a dose of 150 and 200mgkg-1 per day for four weeks. On the 29th day, the mice were euthanized and blood sample was collected and centrifuged for analysis of Liver function indices (AST, ALT, ALP, DB, TB, TP and ALB), the animals were dissected and liver tissues were collected for histological analysis. A significant (p<0.05) increase in mean serum of ALT, AST, ALP, and total bilirubin was observed in both negative and positive control compared to normal control. On the other hand, a significant (p<0.05) decrease in mean serum of ALT, AST, ALP and total bilirubin was seen in extracts administered groups compared to negative control. Histopathological examination of the liver showed unremarkable liver architecture with a vein containing red blood cells and some malarial pigments and parasites in infected but untreated group (negative control) while no malarial pigment or parasite was seen in either the normal control group or groups administered with extracts, confirming the antimalarial activity of the plant extract.

Keywords: Alstonia boonei, toxicity, malaria, liver Function Indices and histopathology.